Since assuming his duties as Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, a lawyer and political scientist from a Jewish family, has taken his first steps in diplomacy by negotiating a ceasefire in Gaza. He has achieved a success that his predecessors failed to achieve, as they appeared confused and blinded by bias to the point of complicity in a war of extermination. This war could have been stopped and all detainees released from its first months, had good intentions outweighed bad intentions, as the former head of the Shin Bet stated.

Today, the man returns in similar rounds to put the agreement he concluded back on track, after Netanyahu turned against him, in response to the blackmail of his partners, who threaten to break away from him and not pass the budget on the 25th and 26th of this month. Contrary to the objective image he presented during the first round of negotiations, and his overcoming of the evasions of the "fox" who used "Saturday" as an excuse to delay his attendance to complete the ceasefire, Witkov these days appears as if he is turning against himself after ousting his colleague Boehler for prioritizing his country's interests over Israel's whims. Witkov has begun to flatter Netanyahu and go along with his retreat, knowing his deception and lies, to evade the requirements of the second stage. Witkov may wait until the end of this month for the budget to be passed, freeing Netanyahu from the pressure of his partners and making him more susceptible to pressure and manipulation, to complete the agreement he played a major role in achieving. "He is not a traditional diplomat, and he does not care about protocols. He seeks to achieve results quickly," say those close to him.

Osama Hamdan's revelation yesterday about Witkoff's new proposal is not reassuring. Adhering to it will threaten the lives of detainees and exacerbate the suffering of Gazans who are consuming the dung beetles to stave off hunger under the severe blockade. Between now and the budget's passage, Gaza will experience difficult times, given the escalating daily killings and shelling of displaced persons in their homes, markets, and shelters in the areas to which they have returned.

Israeli occupation forces stormed the eastern neighborhood of Jenin at dawn on Tuesday.

Local sources reported that a large number of occupation vehicles stormed the eastern neighborhood and the German neighborhood, and took up positions in the Wadi Ezzedine area, without any arrests being reported so far.

The occupation continues to send military reinforcements through the Jalameh military checkpoint into the city of Jenin and the surrounding area of its camp, as the Israeli aggression enters its 57th day.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich revealed that Israel had planned to resume the war on the Gaza Strip since the new Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, took office.

He stressed that "Israel had planned to resume the war on the Palestinian Strip since the new Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, assumed his position," that is, on March 6, while negotiations regarding extending the truce were ongoing in Doha.

He added in a statement on his Facebook account, "The new attack on Gaza is gradual and completely different from what was achieved previously," noting that "this attack aims to destroy Hamas and return all prisoners."

"We are more determined than ever to destroy Hamas," he continued.

The Israeli army announced earlier today that it had bombed dozens of targets in the devastated Gaza Strip, stressing that "the strikes will continue as long as necessary and will extend beyond the scope of air raids."

It is noteworthy that negotiations to extend the ceasefire agreement that came into effect in Gaza on January 19th had begun weeks ago through mediators (Egypt, Qatar, and the United States), but they did not lead to an extension of the truce, amid an exchange of accusations between Tel Aviv and Hamas.

The Israeli Attorney General's Office announced on Tuesday that it had suspended Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's court testimony due to renewed fighting in the Gaza Strip.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Netanyahu is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting of the security cabinet at 11:00 a.m. local time (9:00 GMT).

Earlier, an Israeli military spokesman announced that "based on directives from the political echelon, IDF and Shin Bet forces are launching a large-scale attack on terrorist targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization throughout the Gaza Strip."

For its part, Hamas accused Netanyahu of reneging on the ceasefire agreement and reneging on all of his commitments, calling on "the sons of the Arab and Islamic nations and the free people of the world to demonstrate in rejection of the resumption of war."

The Ministry of Health announced, at dawn on Tuesday, the death of the young man Khaled Saleh Qaraan (25 years old), and the injury of three others, by Israeli occupation forces’ bullets, during their raid on the city of Qalqilya.

Medical sources said that the young man, Qaraan, died from a gunshot wound, and three others sustained moderate injuries to the thigh and foot, as well as physical assault.

The victim's body will be transported after the noon prayer from Qalqilya Governmental Hospital to his hometown, where he will be buried in the town's cemetery.

Special occupation forces, accompanied by military reinforcements, stormed the city from its eastern entrance and raided the Kafr Saba neighborhood near the Martyrs' Monument at dawn today. During the raid, soldiers randomly fired live bullets and tear gas canisters at homes. They then raided a café in the area where young men were present, leading to the martyrdom of Khaled, whose wedding was scheduled to take place immediately after Eid, and the injury of three others.

The occupation forces imposed a curfew, obstructed the work of Red Crescent ambulances and medical crews, and prevented them from reaching the injured immediately after they were reported, by stopping them.

Sources reported that the occupation forces arrested two citizens: Nasr Adwan and Saeed Salama, while they were in the café that was raided.

The Wall Street Journal quoted an Israeli official as saying that US President Donald Trump gave Israel the green light to resume attacks on Hamas after the movement refused to release the hostages.

According to the newspaper, the Israeli official indicated on Tuesday that Israel had informed the United States in advance of the operation in the Gaza Strip.

White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt confirmed in an interview with Fox News that Israel had given advance notice of the attacks.

Levitt warned Hamas and other "enemies of Israel and the United States" in the region that they would "pay a heavy price," saying, "The gates of hell will open," echoing a frequent threat to President Trump.

Trump pressed for the release of all remaining hostages, repeatedly threatening that Hamas would face a return to war if it did not comply. Among the hostages is one living American citizen, Idan Alexander, a dual citizen who was serving in the Israeli military when he was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

According to the newspaper, "Of the 59 hostages remaining in Gaza, Israel believes that up to 24 of them are still alive."

Hamas blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government for endangering the lives of the remaining hostages by canceling the ceasefire.

Israeli media reported that Tel Aviv decided to close the Rafah crossing, preventing sick and injured Gaza residents from exiting through it for medical treatment.

According to the Walla news website, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz issued instructions on Tuesday to keep the Rafah crossing closed to medical supplies from the Gaza Strip to Jordan and Egypt, in an effort to pressure Hamas.

In turn, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that Israel closed the Rafah crossing, indicating that Hamas was preparing to launch a large-scale attack against Israel.

The Broadcasting Authority stated that "the airstrike was the beginning of a warning to Hamas, and that the Israeli army is targeting senior Hamas leaders and its infrastructure." It noted that education in the Gaza Strip has been canceled and the train line to Sderot has been suspended.

Earlier, an Israeli military spokesman announced that "based on directives from the political echelon, IDF and Shin Bet forces are launching a large-scale attack on terrorist targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization throughout the Gaza Strip."

For its part, Hamas accused Netanyahu of reneging on the ceasefire agreement and reneging on all of his commitments, calling on "the sons of the Arab and Islamic nations and the free people of the world to demonstrate in rejection of the resumption of war."

 By citing fentanyl as the reason, the US government announced on February 27 it would hit goods from China with a new 10 percent tariff from March 4. This policy is the latest manifestation of the absurd logic that China is responsible for America's fentanyl problem. But this is the way of the world's superpower: shift the blame onto others rather than taking responsibility itself.  

In fact, most of the reporting by Western media outlets on China's fentanyl regulation is speculative, lacking evidence or on-the-ground investigation. This absence of solid information has seriously misled the public. In stark contrast to what is portrayed, China has the strictest counter-narcotic policies in the world and has made painstaking efforts and achieved significant progress in combating narcotic and psychotropic substances.  

For example, fentanyl-related substances are so tightly regulated in China that before the US blamed China for the American fentanyl crisis, most Chinese people had never even heard of the word. Those who actually need such medication must first get a special "red prescription" from the hospital. Each prescription is individually registered and stored in a double-locked cabinet. Two people must be present to open it, with the keys held separately. The use of these drugs is carefully recorded in dedicated ledgers, with daily inventory checks to ensure no pills go missing. The distribution data is shared among medical institutions, regulators and law enforcement agencies.  

Some reports claim that local Chinese officials avoid supervising or prosecuting illegal fentanyl production to protect jobs and economic growth. These claims are false. In China, drug crimes carry even harsher penalties than economic crimes, and counter-narcotics efforts are a highly decisive factor in evaluating local officials' career advancement. Poor performance in anti-drug efforts alone can disqualify officials from any awards or promotions. Others suggest China is waging a "reverse Opium War" against the US by intentionally exporting fentanyl to America. This is absurd. China's painful memories of the Opium Wars have led to a deep national aversion to drugs. The Chinese people, more than anyone in the world, understand how drug addiction has affected the country. Furthermore, China, more than any other country in the world, loathes those who tolerate or collaborate with drug traffickers for political or military reasons. Confucius said over 2,500 years ago: "Do not do unto others what you do not want done unto you." This principle continues to guide China's actions today.  

Some argue that while China regulates fentanyl-related substances, it is not doing enough to control its precursor chemicals. What is intentionally omitted in this claim is the fact that China has listed 38 types of controlled precursor chemicals (including a category of ephedrine substances) as of 2023, surpassing the 14 varieties regulated by the UN.   After all, precursor chemicals are not drugs. China is one of the world's major producers of many things, including chemicals, but that does not make China responsible when a country finds itself in a fentanyl crisis.   

International drug policy officials describe China's regulation of precursor chemicals as "active, if not necessarily proactive."    

Since 2024, China's cooperation with the US on drug control has achieved hard-won results, and discussions are underway to deepen this collaboration further. China is not assisting the US to gain "rewards"  or to avoid punishment or sanction. It is helping the US out of the deep yet simple aspiration of the Chinese people to make the world a better place and protect every individual's well-being. China's contributions deserve an objective and fair evaluation. Yet, even after becoming the first country to comprehensively regulate fentanyl-related substances, China still faces numerous accusations, smear campaigns, sanctions, and now tariffs. Drug control is a global endeavor that demands coordinated international efforts. Those genuinely concerned about the fentanyl crisis and the well-being of its victims should urge the US government to reverse this misguided decision. The sooner the US resumes dialogue and consultation, the faster China-US bilateral cooperation on counter-narcotics can be restored, and the fewer lives will be harmed by this dangerous substance.

Israel resumed war on Gaza by killing over 200 Palestinians in morning airstrikes and threatened a ground invasion breaking the ceasefire agreement.

MENA

Israel launched a series of "extensive strikes" across Gaza early Tuesday morning, killing hundreds of Palestinians and collapsing the recent ceasefire agreement.

The strikes targeted various locations, including Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis, and Rafah, marking the most significant military operation in Gaza since the ceasefire began on January 19. 

Medics and local witnesses reported more than 200 Palestinians killed, with more than 150 others wounded from airstrikes and artillery shelling. Among the casualties were women and children, including those sheltering in the Al-Tabi'in School in the Al-Daraj neighborhood. The attack also targeted Palestinian refugees in tents in the Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza.

In a statement, the Israeli military said it was prepared to continue attacks against Hamas commanders and infrastructure in Gaza for as long as needed and would expand the campaign beyond airstrikes with a potential ground invasion. 

In response, Hamas warned that Israel's new attacks in Gaza breach the ceasefire and put the fate of the hostages in jeopardy. The Palestinian group, which has for weeks accused Israel of not being interested in a truce, said Israel '"decided to overturn the ceasefire agreement" in a released statement on Tuesday. 

Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) also condemned Israel accusing it of continuing its "war of extermination" on Gaza after "deliberately sabotaging all efforts to reach a ceasefire". In a statement, the group said the renewed attack by Netanyahu and his "bloodthirsty Nazi government" will not give Israel "superiority over the resistance, neither on the ground nor in negotiations".

"We affirm that what Netanyahu and his barbaric army failed to achieve in 15 months of crimes and bloodshed, they will not succeed in achieving again, thanks to the steadfastness of our oppressed people and the courage of our mujahideen in the fields of… resistance," the PIJ said.

Israel consulted with President Trump before launching their latest attack on Gaza, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. "As President Trump has made clear, Hamas, the Houthis, Iran – all those who seek to terrorise not just Israel but the US – will see a price to pay, and all hell will break loose," she told Fox News.

"The Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas, Iran and Iranian-backed terror proxies should take President Trump very seriously when he says he’s not afraid to stand for law-abiding people and stand up for the US and our friend and ally Israel."

This wave of violence comes after an already difficult humanitarian situation in Gaza, which has been exacerbated by Israel's blockade and its refusal to lift restrictions on vital aid supplies. 

Gaza’s Government Media Office reported more than 61,700, with thousands of Palestinians missing under the rubble and presumed dead.

The strike follows the breakdown of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, which had hoped to extend the ceasefire. The initial ceasefire, brokered by international mediators, had been in place since January 19, but talks for its extension have since faltered.

The United States had pushed for a continuation of the truce to include an additional phase aimed at securing the release of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel. However, disagreements between Israel and Hamas over the specifics of the deal, including the demand for the lifting of the blockade on Gaza, have led to a deadlock.

Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, along with Defence Minister Israel Katz, blamed Hamas for the collapse of the ceasefire, accusing the militant group of refusing to release Israeli hostages and rejecting US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff’s proposals.

According to a statement from Netanyahu’s office, Israel’s renewed military action aims to achieve "the war objectives as determined by the political leadership," which include securing the release of all hostages—both living and deceased.

Human rights groups have condemned Israel’s failure to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza, accusing Israel of violating the terms of the ceasefire. Countries like the UK, France, and Germany have all voiced their concern over the blockade and the ongoing military escalation.

This morning, Tuesday, Israeli occupation aircraft launched a series of raids on various areas of the Gaza Strip, leaving dozens dead and wounded.

According to the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu and Katz instructed the military to take forceful action against Hamas in Gaza after it rejected the prisoner exchange proposals, the statement said.

Gaza's Civil Defense reported that at least 15 people were killed and dozens injured in airstrikes launched by Israeli warplanes on various areas of the Gaza Strip.

Local sources reported that more than 40 citizens were killed and 150 others were injured as a result of scattered Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the attacks launched by the Yemeni Houthi group in the Red Sea are "of Iranian origin."

"Don't be fooled," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social account. "All attacks by the Houthis, a vicious gang and mafia hated by the Yemeni people, based in Yemen, are coming from Iran."

Trump added that if the Houthis launched any future attacks or retaliation, they would be "responded with great force," noting that "there is no guarantee where this response will stop."

Trump stated that the claim that Iran has lost control of the region "does not reflect reality," emphasizing that "the Houthis carry out all their actions based on orders from Iran, and Tehran provides them with money, weapons, intelligence, and advanced military equipment."

Trump added that the United States would consider any attack by the Houthis "an attack by Iran," and that Iran "will be responsible for these attacks in the Red Sea," and its government "will have to bear the terrible consequences."

Trump's remarks came after the Houthis announced that US forces had carried out airstrikes on the Hodeidah and Al Jawf regions of Yemen.

On Saturday, US President Donald Trump announced that he had ordered his country's military to launch a "major attack" against the Houthis in Yemen.

These are the first strikes on Yemen since the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza came into effect on January 19, 2025.

In "solidarity with Gaza" in the face of Israeli genocide, the Houthi group began targeting Israeli-owned or -linked cargo ships in the Red Sea or anywhere within reach with missiles and drones in November 2023.

The Houthis also launched occasional missile and drone attacks on Israel, some of which targeted the central city of Tel Aviv, before halting them with the entry into force of the ceasefire in Gaza.

In response to these attacks, Washington and London began launching airstrikes and missile attacks on "Houthi sites" in Yemen in early 2024. The group responded by announcing that it now considers all American and British ships to be military targets, expanding its attacks to include vessels passing through the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean, and anywhere within reach of its weapons.

On March 1, 2025, the first phase of the Gaza agreement ended, and days later, Israel re-closed the crossings to prevent the entry of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian Strip.

After Tel Aviv violated the agreement and closed the crossings again to prevent humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip, at the beginning of March, coinciding with the holy month of Ramadan, the Houthi group announced the resumption of its operations against Israeli ships to pressure them to break the Gaza blockade.

Israeli occupation forces continued their assault on the city of Tulkarm and its two camps on Monday evening, amid a widespread military escalation that included the deployment of new reinforcements to several key neighborhoods, as well as forced displacement and property damage.

According to local sources, the occupation forces sent military reinforcements from infantry squads to the city from the Nitzanei Oz military checkpoint west of Tulkarm. They patrolled the main streets and were stationed at Shuweika roundabout in the northern neighborhood, Artah Suburb Street to the south, the eastern neighborhood, and on Al-Iskan Street around Nour Shams Camp.

She added that the occupation forces searched citizens' vehicles and obstructed their movement, while throwing sound bombs at the residents.

In Nour Shams camp, Israeli bulldozers re-entered the area amid heavy gunfire in the Jabal al-Nasr neighborhood, while additional military vehicles stormed the al-Manshiya neighborhood. A fuel tanker was also spotted arriving in the camp.

For the third consecutive day, the occupation forces continued to displace the remaining families in the Qaqun neighborhood of Tulkarm refugee camp, while the families of Yousef Abu Arab and Ziad Shraim, who live next to the Khalid bin al-Walid Mosque in the eastern suburb of Dhnaba, were forced to evacuate their homes.

Other local sources reported that 200 families were forcibly displaced from their homes in a number of neighborhoods in Tulkarm camp, particularly those located on its outskirts, over the past two days, specifically Qaqun, Abu al-Foul, and Marbat Hanoun, due to the escalation of the occupation's aggression and its threats to residents to leave their homes and not return to them.

Israeli occupation forces also stormed the Muath bin Jabal Mosque in Tulkarm refugee camp, causing extensive damage, as part of a series of attacks targeting places of worship and public property in the city.

Dozens of citizens suffered suffocation on Monday evening when Israeli occupation forces stormed Al-Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron.

According to local sources, occupation forces stormed the camp and fired live and rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs, and tear gas at homes, causing dozens of residents to suffer from suffocation and were treated on the spot.

Salama Maarouf, head of the government media office in Gaza, warned on Monday of the risk of 220 buildings "at risk of collapse" in Gaza due to damage sustained during the recent Israeli war of extermination on the Strip.

Marouf said in a statement that "technical crews from the Ministry of Public Works and Housing and Civil Defense have inspected the damaged buildings, and 220 buildings have been identified as being at risk of collapse so far."

He explained that "these buildings pose a direct threat to the lives of thousands of citizens living inside or around them, especially given the ongoing Israeli blockade and the ban on the entry of heavy equipment needed to remove rubble or reinforce damaged buildings."

Marouf pointed out that "the residents of these buildings were evacuated and those surrounding them were warned, but the continued siege and the ban on the entry of heavy equipment are hampering efforts to deal with this crisis."

Over the course of months of Israel's genocidal war, the North Gaza Governorate was subjected to a policy of "urban annihilation," according to the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, which saw widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure.

On Monday morning, 21 people survived after evacuating the residential building they were living in half an hour before it collapsed in the town of Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip. The building sustained extensive damage from Israeli bombing during the war of extermination.

Two Lebanese citizens were killed in an Israeli drone strike on a vehicle in the town of Yahmar al-Shaqif, Nabatieh District, southern Lebanon, on Monday. Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation army launched raids on the outskirts of the town of Labaya in the Western Bekaa Valley, in addition to raiding the town of Yahmar in southern Lebanon, in the evening.

The Israeli occupation army carried out an air sweep and a ground incursion into southern Lebanon, in new violations of the ceasefire agreement in effect since November 27, 2024.

On Sunday evening, two people were killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, bringing the death toll to five in 24 hours, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health and the National News Agency.

Hamas stressed on Monday that Israel's continued closure of Gaza's crossings, its imposition of a blockade, starvation, and deprivation of water to more than two million citizens, is stark evidence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's insistence on evading the ceasefire agreement.

In a statement on Telegram, it indicated that these measures reflect the Netanyahu government's disregard for the lives of its prisoners held in Gaza and its disregard for international and humanitarian laws.

Hamas said that Israel was escalating its crimes, flagrantly violating the ceasefire agreement, noting that "the number of martyrs has risen to nearly 160 since the agreement."

She stressed that Israel's continued closure of Gaza's crossings, its imposition of a blockade, and the starvation and deprivation of water and food on more than two million citizens, is stark evidence of Netanyahu's insistence on evading the obligations of the ceasefire agreement.

In an urgent appeal, Hamas called on the "guarantors" of the ceasefire agreement to intervene immediately to stop these crimes.

She also urged the international community to assume its responsibilities and take immediate steps to break the siege on Gaza and end the "crimes" of starvation.

On March 2, Israel closed the Gaza Strip's crossings to relief aid, food, medical supplies, and goods, reneging on the agreement, amid human rights warnings that Palestinians in the Strip were entering a real famine.

Earlier on Monday, the Independent Commission for Human Rights in Gaza warned of a "widespread famine" hitting the Gaza Strip as a result of Israel's continued closure of the crossings to aid and goods.

Hazem Haniyeh, an official with the authority, said that the continued closure of the crossings has led to "a critical decline in food supplies in Gaza, threatening widespread famine, especially given the failure to deliver aid."

The World Food Programme said last Friday that it had been unable to transport food supplies to Gaza since March 2.

Haniyeh stated that "more than 25,000 patients and wounded, including 10,000 cancer patients, are facing death and deteriorating health conditions due to the interruption of access to treatment, according to Ministry of Health reports."

With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, leaving more than 160,000 Palestinians dead and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 14,000 missing.

Clashes erupted with Israeli occupation forces on Monday evening in the village of Nabi Saleh, northwest of Ramallah.

According to local sources, an Israeli army force stormed the village, firing live ammunition and tear gas canisters, sparking clashes. No injuries were reported.

A group of settlers attacked citizens on Monday evening as they passed through the Wadi al-Matwi area, which connects the city of Salfit to the town of Bruqin to the west.

Local sources said that a group of settlers attacked citizens' vehicles, damaged them, and assaulted citizen Ahmed Jamil Naji, spraying him with pepper spray.

Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stressed on Monday the "necessity of the international community to firmly confront the starvation policy pursued by the Israeli occupation in its brutal war against the Palestinian people."

The Qatari minister received Sigrid Kaag, Under-Secretary-General and UN Special Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs and Reconstruction in Gaza, who is currently visiting the country, according to a statement from the Qatari Foreign Ministry, without specifying the duration of her visit.

During the meeting, the close relations between the State of Qatar and the United Nations and ways to support and strengthen them were reviewed.

The two sides discussed the latest developments in the Gaza Strip, particularly the challenges facing humanitarian action, and ways for the two sides to cooperate to deliver humanitarian aid sustainably and without obstacles to all areas of the Strip.

In turn, Al Thani stressed during the meeting "the need for the international community to shoulder its responsibilities to address the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and to firmly confront the starvation policy pursued by the Israeli occupation in its brutal war against the Palestinian people."

With American support, Israel perpetrated a genocide in Gaza between October 7, 2023, and January 19, 2025, leaving more than 160,000 Palestinians dead and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 14,000 missing.

During the months of the genocide, Palestinians suffered from famine due to the severe restrictions imposed by Israel on the entry of aid, forcing them to consume alternatives such as animal feed and grass and to reduce the number and quantity of daily meals.

Following the end of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza in early March, Israel resumed blocking aid from entering the Strip, which Arab countries, including Egypt, recently deemed "a renewed policy of starvation by Israel."

During his meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Monday, King Abdullah II stressed that granting Palestinians their full legitimate rights under the two-state solution is the only way to achieve stability in the region.

The King stressed the need to intensify international efforts to achieve a comprehensive ceasefire in the region, maintain the ceasefire in Gaza, and support reconstruction efforts without displacing its population.

King Abdullah also stressed the need to resume the entry of relief aid to alleviate the humanitarian suffering of civilians, noting the importance of Italy's role in providing humanitarian assistance to the people of the Gaza Strip and expressing his appreciation for its contribution to the humanitarian airlift.

Speaking about the West Bank and Jerusalem, the King warned of the danger of the Israeli military operation in the West Bank and unilateral measures, which threaten to escalate the conflict.

The meeting addressed enhancing cooperation between Jordan and Italy in various fields to serve the interests of both countries.

The meeting also emphasized the importance of supporting Syria in preserving its unity, sovereignty, and stability.

Developments in Lebanon and the need to support its sovereignty, security and stability were discussed.

For her part, the Italian Prime Minister affirmed her country's support for Jordan's pivotal role in the Middle East and the Kingdom's efforts to achieve peace and promote dialogue.

The meeting was attended by the Director of His Majesty's Office, Eng. Alaa Batayneh.

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaya Kallas affirmed on Monday that the EU welcomes the Arab initiative to rebuild the Gaza Strip.

Ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting, Kallas indicated that the European Union will contribute to supporting efforts to assist the people of the Gaza Strip.

Two civilians were killed and others injured in an Israeli drone strike on Monday evening east of Al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

According to local sources, the death toll in Al-Bureij camp today has risen to five with the death of the two citizens.

Earlier, four civilians, including a woman, were injured by shrapnel from a bomb fired by an Israeli drone and by Israeli tank fire in the al-Salam neighborhood east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

Earlier this afternoon, a number of young men were injured and killed when an Israeli drone bombed a gathering of civilians at the Wadi Gaza Bridge in the central Gaza Strip.

The death toll in the Gaza Strip since the start of the Israeli aggression on October 7, 2023, has risen to 48,572, the majority of whom are children and women. An additional 112,032 have been wounded, while a number of victims remain under the rubble and on the streets, unable to be reached by ambulances and rescue crews.

1. Senior coalition sources said during closed-door talks that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar stems not only from a lack of trust in them, but also to expedite the return of Itamar Ben-Gvir and his party to the government, according to the Ynet website on Monday.

Following Netanyahu's notification to the Shin Bet chief yesterday that he had decided to dismiss him from his post, numerous Israeli protest movements began preparations today to organize widespread protests against Netanyahu's decision to dismiss the chancellor and the Shin Bet chief.

Coalition sources claimed that Netanyahu's desire to return Ben-Gvir to the government as soon as possible stems from the approaching deadline for the Knesset to approve the state budget, which is expected to be at the end of this month. Otherwise, the government will automatically collapse and early general elections will be held.

The law stipulates that the state budget must be supported by a majority of 61 Knesset members. Following the withdrawal of Ben-Gvir and his Otzma Yehudit party from the coalition, the government now relies on the support of 62 MKs, in addition to MK Almog Cohen of Otzma Yehudit, who "rebelled" against Ben-Gvir's decision and did not withdraw from the coalition. Meanwhile, United Torah Judaism faction leader and Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf and another MK from his party are threatening not to support the budget, citing the failure to enact a law exempting ultra-Orthodox citizens from military service. Therefore, the coalition will rely on the support of 61 MKs for the budget.

Coalition sources said that Ben-Gvir would be satisfied that Netanyahu would fire the chancellor and the Shin Bet chief, or that he was working toward that, as he has been demanding their dismissal in recent months. This would pave the way for the Otzma Yehudit party's return to the coalition.

Meanwhile, a meeting was held today with the participation of approximately 60 leaders of Israeli protest movements, who decided on protest measures if the government approves the dismissal of the Shin Bet chief. Protest steps will begin with a march toward the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem tomorrow morning and continue the day after.

Against the backdrop of Netanyahu's decision to dismiss the head of the Shin Bet, opposition party leaders Yair Lapid, Benny Gantz, and Yair Golan held a meeting in the Knesset today.

Tel Aviv University President Professor Ariel Porat announced that he would strike and join the protests if the Shin Bet chief was dismissed, and called on the university's academic staff to join him.

Ze'ev Degani, principal of the Hebrew Herzliya High School, announced that his school would join the protests against the dismissal of the Shin Bet chief, and that its students would participate in the protests in Jerusalem tomorrow instead of going to school. Degani added that the Reali School in Haifa was also participating in these steps. Israeli Education Minister Yoav Kish commented, saying, "Ze'ev Degani is a criminal, and his announcement constitutes a serious and direct violation of the Compulsory Education Law. Therefore, Degani and the executive committee of the Hebrew Herzliya High School were summoned for an urgent questioning on Wednesday."

Dozens of Palestinians suffered suffocation on Monday during clashes with Israeli occupation forces in Al-Fawwar refugee camp, south of Hebron.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces fired live and rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters, and sound bombs at civilians, causing dozens of camp residents to suffer from suffocation.

In the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli army has committed genocide, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and explosive remnants of war continue to pose a grave threat to Palestinian lives, threatening to claim more lives and cause permanent disabilities, amid a lack of equipment or capabilities to deal with them.

Despite a relative lull in military operations, thousands of tons of bombs and explosives dropped on civilians over the course of more than fifteen months have turned into time bombs buried amid the rubble, exacerbating the suffering of people forced to pitch their tents amid the rubble of their destroyed homes.

Since the ceasefire began on January 19, the Gaza Strip has witnessed numerous incidents of unexploded ordnance (UXO) exploding, resulting in deaths and injuries in several areas, according to medical reports.

Among the injured was officer Bilal al-Mabhouh (37 years old), a member of the Gaza Police Explosives Engineering Department, who lost his sight as a result of an explosive device exploding during a work mission in Jabalia, north of the Strip.

Al-Mabhouh is in the Baptist Hospital in Gaza City after being hit by shrapnel in his face, eyes and body, leaving him completely blind.

Al-Mabhouh told Anadolu Agency that his administration receives dozens of reports daily about the presence of unexploded shells and other objects in the streets, homes, and facilities that have been bombed.

He added that on March 5, he led an explosives engineering team to inspect the site of a previous explosion on Mazaya Street, east of Jabalia, which injured three children.

Al-Mabhouh added, "While we were listening to citizens' testimonies and inspecting the site, a new explosion took me by surprise, throwing me to the ground covered in blood."

He pointed out that the occupation forces used various types of Israeli and American munitions, some of which were unfamiliar to explosives experts in Gaza. He added, "Our work did not stop throughout the months of war, despite the repeated bombing and targeting."

He explained that they had been collecting the waste in a special warehouse in northern Gaza, but it was demolished and bulldozed by the Israeli army during the ground operation in Jabalia.

He added, "All of our workplaces were destroyed, as was the place where we collected the remains and debris of unexploded missiles, along with the simple equipment we used in our work."

For his part, Colonel Mohammed Al-Zarqa, the Gaza police spokesman, revealed that there are estimated to be more than 30,000 explosive remnants of war scattered throughout the Strip, posing a catastrophic threat to the lives of civilians.

Al-Zarqa told Anadolu Agency that these objects constitute time bombs that threaten the lives of citizens, and that significant resources are required to remove them and neutralize their danger.

He added that the police explosives engineering teams operate with extremely limited resources, and a complete lack of safety procedures, equipment, and even vehicles to remove dangerous objects from their locations.

He explained that, "Given this difficult reality, engineering personnel are forced to partially deal with the waste by removing the detonators and transporting the objects to a location far from the population," adding that they need to be inspected and then destroyed, but that this is currently impossible due to a lack of resources.

He continued: "Small objects are being removed, while heavy bombs are simply secured around them and civilians are prevented from approaching them until they can be evacuated."

Al-Zarqa pointed out that the thousands of tons of ammunition and bombs dropped on Gaza during the months of war require enormous capabilities to deal with them, through engineering surveys of all areas in the Gaza Strip.

The police spokesman called on the international community and relevant institutions to urgently intervene to supply the Gaza Strip with specialized equipment for explosives engineering, to neutralize the threat posed by unexploded ordnance to the lives of residents.

With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, leaving more than 160,000 Palestinians dead and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 14,000 missing.

Today, Monday, the Israeli occupation forces arrested a boy from Al-Far'a refugee camp, south of Tubas.

The director of the Prisoners Club in Tubas, Kamal Bani Odeh, reported that the occupation forces arrested the boy, Muhammad Salah al-Din al-Yasidi (17 years old), from the Far'a refugee camp, while he was passing through the al-Hamra military checkpoint in the northern Jordan Valley.

The Israeli occupation forces notified the seizure of approximately 120 dunums of land in the town of Jalboun, north of Jenin.

Jalboun Mayor Ibrahim Abu al-Rab said that an Israeli army force stormed the town and issued notices of the seizure of approximately 120 dunams of its land in the southern area.

He added that these lands are owned by the town's residents and have been planted with olive trees for more than 50 years.

The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission documented the occupation's seizure of a total of 6 dunams of Palestinian land last February, and the allocation of 16,000 dunams for settler grazing.

Two citizens were killed and others injured on Monday in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.

According to local sources, two civilians were killed in an Israeli drone strike east of Al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

Four citizens, including a woman, were injured by shrapnel from a bomb fired by an Israeli drone and by gunfire from occupation tanks in the Al-Salam neighborhood, east of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.

In turn, the Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that the death toll in the Gaza Strip had risen to

48,577, the majority of whom are children and women, have been killed since the start of the Israeli occupation's aggression on October 7, 2023.

She added that the death toll has risen to 112,041 since the start of the aggression, while thousands of victims remain under the rubble.

It noted that 29 martyrs arrived at hospitals in the Gaza Strip, including 15 whose bodies were recovered, 14 new martyrs, and 51 others injured as a result of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip during the past 24 hours.

The sources indicated that a number of victims were under the rubble and on the streets, and that ambulance and civil defense crews were still unable to reach them.

New Zealand's political opposition is leading an initiative to introduce a bill before Parliament aimed at imposing sanctions on Israel for its illegal occupation of Palestinian territories and brutal war crimes against the Palestinian people.

The new bill, spearheaded by the New Zealand Green Party, received support from all components of the country's parliamentary opposition, primarily the Labour and Maori parties, according to the Palestinian Information Center.

The proposed law reflects a significant development in New Zealand's political discourse on the Palestinian issue, with figures from other opposition parties seeking to push for a more balanced foreign policy that supports the rights of the Palestinian people and criticizes the double standards in international positions toward the Israeli occupation.

The Green Party is one of the most prominent political forces pushing for more explicit positions in support of Palestinian rights. The party has publicly condemned the Israeli aggression and called for a ceasefire in Gaza.

In recent years, New Zealand has witnessed a significant increase in the positions of opposition parties on the Palestinian issue. These parties have emerged as critical voices of Israel's violations in the occupied territories, particularly following the escalation of aggression against Gaza and the West Bank.

These positions gained momentum particularly after October 7, 2023, when some political parties took more assertive positions in condemning war crimes committed by Israel and called on the New Zealand government to take a more stringent stance against the Israeli occupation.

For her part, Green Party co-chairwoman and New Zealand MP Chloe Swarbrick said, “The bill (I proposed) was put to a vote by MPs in December of last year and has not yet been withdrawn from the vote.”

In an interview with Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, she explained that "Parliament's bylaws stipulate that a draft law can bypass a vote and move directly to the House of Representatives for discussion if it receives the support of 61 of the 123 members of Parliament."

She pointed out that "in light of the support shown by all 55 opposition party MPs for the bill, we only need six MPs from the government coalition parties to support it."

Regarding her expectations for the ruling parties' stance, Swarbrick said, "I know that there are MPs within the government who understand their responsibility to defend human rights. I also know that they have heard this very clearly from the citizens they represent."

She added, "We must not forget, in this regard, that our country voted in favor of a resolution at the United Nations calling on countries to impose sanctions on Israel for its occupation of Palestine. This bill, from this perspective, is the beginning of implementing this process."

The Prisoners' Club stated that the Israeli prison administration continues its systematic and organized crimes against detainees. Torture, starvation, medical crimes, and repression continue to haunt their lives, in addition to the continued spread of diseases among them, specifically scabies.

The Prisoners' Club explained that the testimonies of 36 detainees recently visited in the Negev and Ofer prisons focused on the recent repression of detainees, the accompanying abuse, beatings, and various forms of assault, as well as the continued spread of disease among them.

In addition to hunger, which over time became a tool of torture, many of them suffering from severe weight loss, emaciation, and fatigue, there were also numerous daily details related to the lack of even the most basic necessities of life, including a scarcity of clothing and tools that could help detainees maintain their hygiene.

He reviewed a number of testimonies related to the recent conditions in the Negev and Ofer prisons, specifically regarding the repression operations carried out by special units, as rubber bullets were used in the Negev prison, targeting the feet of detainees.

The detainee (R. H.) stated: “The policy of repression is still continuing at an escalating pace recently, accompanied by attacks on detainees with severe beatings, tear gas, and the use of rubber bullets. Recently, Section (27) was stormed, and as a result of the repression, a number of them were injured.”

All detainees suffer from limited food quantities and poor quality. This also applies to clothing, as there is a shortage of clothing. Each detainee only has one change of clothes, in addition to the prison uniform. It is difficult for them to wash them, due to the lack of other changes.