The Israeli police announced on Tuesday morning that they had arrested 155 Palestinians since the attack on October 7, on charges of online incitement to “terrorism.”

According to a statement by the Israeli police, indictments were filed against 153 of them, after publications it described as “inflammatory” were collected on social media.

According to the statement, 953 publications were examined, and a criminal investigation was opened into 492 of them by the Israeli Attorney General’s Office.

It indicated that collecting information and tracking publications is carried out by a special team from the Israeli Police, the Ministry of National Security, the Shin Bet, the army, and the Attorney General’s Office.

On Tuesday, Al Jazeera Network condemned statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which he described the channel as inciting “terrorism” and that it supported the attack of last October 7.

The network said in a statement that it could only describe Netanyahu's statements as a dangerous and ridiculous lie.

It added: Netanyahu found no justifications for his continued attacks on Al Jazeera and freedom of the press except lies and slander, holding him responsible for the safety of the network’s crews and facilities around the world.

It continued: Netanyahu's statements come as part of a series of systematic Israeli attacks to silence Al Jazeera.

It stressed that slander and accusations will not deter us from continuing coverage boldly and professionally, and we reserve all our legal rights. As stated in the text of its statement.

Netanyahu's statements came against the backdrop of the Israeli Knesset approving a law banning Al Jazeera from operating inside Israel under the pretext of incitement to "terrorism."

Israel targeted a car belonging to workers of the "World Central Kitchen" organization while they were working in Gaza. The American organization confirmed that seven of its employees were killed in an Israeli strike.

The founder of the "World Central Kitchen" organization, Jose Andres, expressed his sadness over the killing of members of the organization in an Israeli army air strike in Gaza, while Australia - which confirmed the killing of one of its citizens in the raid - demanded that the perpetrators be held accountable.

In a post on the X platform, Andres called on the Israeli government to stop “random killing” and impose restrictions on humanitarian aid. He also called on it to stop using food as a weapon.

The director of the government media office in Gaza, Ismail Al-Thawabta, said in a press conference: “Israel bombed a foreign team consisting of British, Polish, Australian and other nationalities that are not yet known, in addition to a Palestinian in Gaza.”

He added: "The Israeli army killed them in cold blood through warplanes roaming the Gaza Strip and committing the crime of genocide."

He continued: "We record the victims of the genocide carried out by Israel in the Gaza Strip, 4 foreigners who work for a foreign organization."

They wear the clothes and armor of the organization

The pictures showed the foreigners wearing clothes and armor bearing the logo of the World Central Kitchen. The victims of the targeting were transferred to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the city, including a woman.

For its part, the Israeli army announced the opening of an investigation into the incident, and claimed in a statement that it is making efforts to enable the safe passage of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

In addition, the media advisor to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Gaza Strip, Adnan Abu Hasna, described the attack on the employees of the World Central Kitchen organization as dangerous.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced today, Tuesday, that the occupation committed 7 massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, including 71 deaths and 102 injuries during the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 32,916 and 75,494 injuries since last October 7.

The Ministry confirmed in a statement that there are still a number of victims under the rubble and on the roads, and ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them.

In the latest field developments, three citizens were martyred as a result of occupation bombing near the communications building in the center of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip.

Two citizens were also killed and several others were injured when the occupation bombed a house in the Abu Al-Ajen area, east of the city of Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, an Israeli plane targeted a vehicle belonging to the World Central Kitchen organization in the Deir al-Balah area in the central Gaza Strip, leading to the death of 7 employees, including 6 foreigners.

According to the organization, the relief workers who fell victim to the bombing were on a mission to inspect the new port in Gaza, which is being worked on to transport aid to the northern Gaza Strip, noting that they were bombed while leaving a warehouse in Deir al-Balah despite coordination of the movements with the Israeli army.

The organization stated that the victims in the attack were from Australia, Poland, and Britain, and had dual citizenship from America, Canada, and Palestine, noting that they were moving in a demilitarized zone with two armored cars and another vehicle bearing its logo, and there was coordination regarding their movements.

The organization announced that it would temporarily and immediately stop its operations in the region, indicating that it would make decisions about the future of its work soon.

This coincided with raids that targeted several areas of the Gaza Strip, where a home for the Zorob family in Rafah was bombed, leading to the death of 6 citizens, including two children, and the injury of a group of citizens.

4 citizens, including a woman, were martyred after the Israeli forces bombed a house and Al-Bashir Mosque in the Al-Hakar area in Deir Al-Balah.

The Israeli forces also targeted a house in the Zayed area in the town of Beit Lahia, north of the Gaza Strip, without casualties.

Israeli artillery bombed many areas in the Strip.

The Public Relations and Media Unit in the Jerusalem Governorate said on Monday that 19 citizens were killed in the governorate during the first quarter of this year, while during the same period the Israeli forces arrested hundreds of citizens and carried out dozens of demolition and bulldozing operations, in addition to thousands of settlers storming Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Deaths and detained bodies

The governorate said, in a report covering the first quarter of this year, that 19 Palestinians died in the Jerusalem Governorate, including: 4 from outside the governorate, and 8 children, the youngest of whom was a girl who was not more than 4 years old.

The report added that during the first quarter of 2024, the Israeli forces executed: Muhammad Abu Eid (32 years old), his wife Doha Abu Eid (26 years old), the child Ruqaya Abu Dahuk (3 years old), the child Suleiman Kanaan (17 years old), and the child Janan. Abu Sneina in the Gaza Strip, the child Wadih Owaisat (14 years old), Muhammad Khadour (19 years old), the child Muhammad Abu Sneina (16 years old), Fadi Jamjoum (40 years old), Muhammad Manasra (31 years old), and the child Mustafa Abu Shalbak (16 years old). years), the child Rami Hamdan Al-Halhouli (13 years old), the young man Zaid Ward Shukri Khalifa (23 years old), and the child Abdullah Maamoun Hassan Assaf (16 years old). From outside the governorate, 4 martyrs rose on the land of Jerusalem, they are: Muhammad Zawahra (26 years old). ), Ahmed Al-Wahsh (31 years old), Nizar Hasasneh (34 years old), the child Mustafa Talib (15 years old), and the freed prisoner deported to the Gaza Strip, Zakaria Najib.

According to the report, until the end of the first quarter of 2024, the Israeli authorities are still detaining the bodies of 40 Jerusalemite in their refrigerators and cemeteries.

Settler attacks

The report reported an increase in attacks by Jewish settlers and extremists on Palestinians in general and on the people of Jerusalem Governorate in particular. During the first quarter of this year, Jerusalem Governorate monitored about 34 attacks by settlers, including 5 attacks of physical abuse.

Injuries

During the first quarter of this year, the Jerusalem Governorate also monitored injuries resulting from the Israeli use of excessive force against Jerusalemites, as it monitored 42 injuries as a result of live and rubber-coated metal bullets and severe beatings, in addition to cases of gas suffocation.

Crimes against Al-Aqsa Mosque

The governorate said in its report that, in a clear and clear violation of the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the settlers’ incursions continued during the first quarter of the year 2024, as 9,894 colonists and 6,246 stormed the mosque under the name of “tourism” through the fait accompli imposed by the Israeli authorities, called the morning and evening periods, with strict police protection. During which they performed Talmudic prayers and rituals, and wore costumes as they stormed the mosque on the days of the so-called “Purim” holiday.

During the period covered by the report, the Israeli authorities continued their strict siege of Al-Aqsa Mosque, which they imposed since the seventh of last October, by restricting the entry of Muslim worshipers into it, as the Israeli forces are stationed all the time at the doors of the mosque, placing iron barriers, stopping arrivals and trying to obstruct their entry to it, and preventing this in many cases, especially during prayer times.

In conjunction with this ban and restrictions on Muslims entering Al-Aqsa, the colonists’ incursions into it through the Mughariba Gate continue.

The Israeli forces also restricted worshipers during Fridays, and continued to impose restrictions on freedom of worship and the entry of worshipers to Al-Aqsa. They erected barriers at the doors of the mosque and at the entrances and roads of the Old City and the neighborhoods close to it. They assaulted worshipers on more than one occasion by beating, pushing, and arresting them, despite the occupation’s attempts. Prayers were prohibited, but citizens performed prayers at the nearest point they were able to reach.

During the first quarter of this year, the Israeli authorities imposed restrictions on the number of participants allowed in “the funeral - accompanying the body, carrying it, and praying over it” inside Al-Aqsa - as the number of people allowed to enter was limited to a maximum of 10 people.

As the month of Ramadan approached, the Israeli authorities attempted to continue the siege of the mosque and impose restrictions on the worshipers, by specifying the ages of the worshipers who could enter it from Jerusalem and within the 1948 territories. However, these attempts failed, and no restrictions were imposed on the worshipers from Jerusalem and within the 1948 territories. 1948, but the occupation deprived worshipers from the rest of the West Bank of access to Al-Aqsa Mosque except through restrictions, including age, as the age was set for men over 55 years old and women over 50 years old, and issuing special permits for prayer that expire at five o’clock in the evening, after which the worshiper is forced to leave Jerusalem before performing the Maghrib prayer, Isha prayer, and Tarawih prayer.

During the month of Ramadan, the Israeli forces stormed Al-Qibli Mosque more than once and expelled those in seclusion from it, especially in the days preceding and coinciding with the so-called “Purim” holiday.

Crimes against Christians

According to the report, violations by the Israeli authorities and attacks by colonialists against Christian holy sites and Christians in occupied Jerusalem continued, and during the first quarter of the year 2024, a number of attacks on Christian places and sanctities were monitored.

On February 3, colonialists attacked a German monk, the cleric Father Nicodemus Schnabel, the head of the Benedictine monks in the Holy Land, and attacked him by spitting and insulting Jesus Christ, peace be upon him, while he was walking in the Old City of occupied Jerusalem.

During March, Israel prevented thousands of Christians this year from arriving in Jerusalem to celebrate Easter according to the Western calendar, Palm Sunday, the Via Dolorosa, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and participation in religious rituals, as Israel refused to issue entry permits to Jerusalem for Palestinian Christians from Residents of the West Bank, except in limited numbers and under restrictive conditions.

Every year, our Christian people are accustomed to celebrating in the heart of the city of Jerusalem, where they gather from all the governorates of the country, with the exception of the Palestinian Christians in the Gaza Strip, who are prevented by the occupation authorities from reaching Jerusalem on all Christian holidays, despite the symbolism and importance of the city.

Targeting national and Islamic figures

The report said that under the far-right government led by colonialists, the occupation authorities continue their attempts to impose sovereignty over Jerusalem and its sanctities with the aim of imposing a new reality, and continue their racist policy against the national symbols of Jerusalem, led by the Governor of Jerusalem, Adnan Ghaith, upon whom the occupation imposes an open-ended house arrest decision. His home since August 4, 2022, without specifying a time period for the decision.

On January 14, the Israeli intelligence handed Governor Ghaith a decision with the intention of the occupation government to renew its previous decision to deport him from the West Bank. On February 4, the occupation authorities renewed to Governor Ghaith the decision to prevent him from entering the West Bank for the fifth year in a row, after he was summoned for investigation.

The Israeli forces also continued to target a number of national and Islamic figures during the first quarter of the year 2024, including: Secretary of the Fatah movement in occupied Jerusalem, Shadi Al-Mutawar, Sheikh Ikrimah Sabri, preacher of Al-Aqsa Mosque and head of the Islamic Authority in Jerusalem, Sheikh Al-Maqdisi Youssef Makharza, and Al-Asir. Al-Maqdisi Majid Al-Jubeh.

Arrests

During the first quarter of 2024, the Jerusalem Governorate recorded 461 arrests in all areas of the governorate, including 34 children and 26 women.

Decisions of the Israeli courts

The report stated that the Israeli courts imposed unfair decisions against detainees, ranging from issuing actual prison sentences and home detention, in addition to deportation decisions and heavy financial fines. Among them were those against whom the Israeli court issued travel ban decisions, in addition to extending the detention of a large number of detainees for long months. And perhaps for years, without clear charges being brought against them.

The report monitored the racist Israeli courts issuing 77 actual prison sentences against Jerusalemite prisoners, including 58 administrative detention sentences, “that is, without clearly specifying charges against them.”

Among the highest sentences issued by the Israeli authorities during the first quarter was the sentence issued against prisoner Muhammad Halawa, with an actual imprisonment of 78 months (6 years) and a fine of 2,000 shekels.

The report said that home detention has become a sword hanging over the necks of Jerusalemites, which is represented by the imposition of rulings by the Israeli court requiring a person to stay for specific periods inside the house in a forced manner, which has turned the homes of Jerusalemites into their prisons. It restricts the convict and his sponsors, and creates a state of permanent tension and pressure from Psychologically and socially, 16 house arrest decisions issued by the Israeli authorities were monitored during the first quarter of 2024.

The Israeli authorities also continued to take decisions as a means to suppress the Palestinian presence in Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Old City, Bab al-Amud, and other targeted neighborhoods, as they issued 39 deportation decisions, 24 of which were deportation from Al-Aqsa Mosque during the first quarter of this year.

The Israeli authorities also issued a number of travel ban decisions under security pretexts, and during the month of January, the renewal of the travel ban decision against Jerusalemite Hanadi Al-Halawani was monitored.

During February, one travel ban was issued against Khadija Khweis, a Jerusalemite, and during March, the occupation forces extended the travel ban against Khweis until next August 18, and extended her deportation from the West Bank until next September 19, after she was summoned for investigation.

Demolition and bulldozing operations

The Israeli authorities have also adopted a policy of demolishing citizens' homes in occupied Jerusalem, which comes in the context of punitive measures, forced displacement, ethnic cleansing of citizens, and the Judaization and "Israelization" of the occupied city, which the occupation authorities justify by establishing it without a license, despite the scarcity of granting approval for the necessary licenses to build Homes of Jerusalemites.

During the first quarter of 2024, the number of demolition operations in the Jerusalem Governorate reached 68 demolition operations, including 25 forced self-demolition operations, 35 demolition operations carried out by Israeli mechanisms, in addition to 8 bulldozing operations.

During the first quarter of this year, the Israeli authorities delivered a number of demolition notices in various parts of Jerusalem Governorate, the most recent of which was during the month of March, when the Israeli municipality was notified of the demolition of the Silwan Sports Club in occupied Jerusalem.

The Israeli forces also delivered demolition notices to a number of shops and commercial establishments in the town of Hizma in occupied Jerusalem.

Violations against Jerusalem institutions

The report said that Israel continues the policy of closing institutions operating in Jerusalem, and suppressing activities that prove the presence and steadfastness of Al-Maqdisi in the occupied city.

The most prominent of these attacks during the first quarter of 2024 are targeting educational institutions and Jerusalemite students, fighting the Palestinian curriculum, attacking religious places and obliterating their landmarks, directing incitement and hate speech, incitement against international institutions in Jerusalem (UNRWA), violations against cultural institutions, and attacks against journalists. .

Settlement projects

In the context of its relentless and insanely accelerating endeavor to impose a new reality on the occupied city of Jerusalem and Judaize it through the implementation of dangerous settlement projects, and during the first quarter of the year 2024, the Israeli authorities approved 11 new settlement projects, in addition to beginning the implementation of more than 6 approved projects. Earlier, it also completed work on a project during the month of March 2024, which is converting Palestinian land in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in occupied Jerusalem into a vehicle parking lot for settlers.

President Mahmoud Abbas received a phone call, Monday evening, from US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, during which he offered congratulations on the formation of the new Palestinian government and the start of its work.

During the call, the latest developments on the Palestinian arena and developments in the ongoing efforts to stop the aggression against the Palestinian people were discussed, as the President stressed the necessity of immediately stopping the continuing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, especially in the Gaza Strip.

President Abbas stressed the importance of accelerating the entry of relief, medical and food supplies, and providing water, electricity and fuel to the entire Gaza Strip, including the northern Gaza area.

The President called on the US Secretary of State to prevent any military operation that the occupation forces might carry out in the city of Rafah, warning of the consequences of that if it happens, especially on innocent civilians.

President Abbas reiterated his rejection of the forced displacement of the Palestinian people, whether in the Gaza Strip or in the West Bank, including Jerusalem.

The President also reiterated that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the Palestinian state, and it is not possible to accept or deal with the plans of the occupation authorities to separate it, or to cut off any inch of its land, and it falls under the responsibility of the State of Palestine and under its administration.

President Abbas stressed the need for the American side to intervene to prevent the occupation authorities’ displacement of Palestinian citizens in the West Bank, especially the Jordan Valley areas, which are witnessing a silent and planned annexation by settlers and the occupation army, as well as stopping settler attacks in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and more. Pressure for the release of Palestinian clearance funds, the opening of all checkpoints in the West Bank, and the State of Palestine’s control over its international crossings so that it can carry out the responsibilities assigned to it.

For his part, the US Secretary of State congratulated the President on the formation of the new Palestinian government, stressing that the United States of America looks forward to working with it to strengthen bilateral relations, wishing it success in its duties. He stressed that the United States will press to protect civilians in the Gaza Strip, bring in aid, and work for a political solution that leads to the establishment of a Palestinian state, in cooperation with Palestine and the Arab parties.

Ministers in the Israeli War Cabinet agreed yesterday, Sunday, to show greater flexibility in negotiations aimed at reaching a deal with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Hebrew Channel 12 reported on Monday that the ministers in the war cabinet met yesterday to discuss the current status of communications related to negotiations to reach a deal with Hamas, and on their table was the issue of the return of residents of the northern Gaza Strip to their homes.

During the session, which was described as charged, the ministers decided to be open to “new and creative” ideas from the mediators on this central issue, which hinders progress towards concluding a deal in light of Israeli intransigence.

The Israeli state had previously expressed its willingness to agree to a gradual and limited return of residents in the northern Gaza Strip, while Hamas rejects any restrictions on their return.

The channel quoted an unnamed Israeli source familiar with the details of the negotiations, saying that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu granted additional space, meaning that he slightly increased the mandate granted to the Israeli negotiating teams, and this is only if the mediators reach a new proposal that indicates progress and a demonstration of flexibility by Hamas as well.

The channel quoted another source as saying, “The pressure achieved something,” in reference to the increasing pressure on Netanyahu, and that the almost unified position in the war cabinet is to provide a broader mandate to the negotiating team.

Last night witnessed large and noisy protest demonstrations in several areas, including occupied Jerusalem, which were joined by the families of Israeli detainees in the Gaza Strip, and demanded Netanyahu’s resignation from his position.

The momentum of the protests has increased in recent days, after reports indicated that there had been a change in the position of Likud Party ministers regarding the deal, while Defense Minister Yoav Galant and Netanyahu continued their intransigence in not showing flexibility in the face of Hamas.

Mossad chief David Barnea said during the war cabinet session, “The conditions are ripe for a deal, and the return of the residents of the northern Gaza Strip is the tiebreaker.”

For her part, Transportation Minister Miri Regev from the Likud Party said that she supports reaching a deal, explaining that “every effort must be made to return the kidnapped people, even if the price is the return of the residents of the northern Gaza Strip.”

In statements he made yesterday, Netanyahu considered that “calls to hold elections now at the height of the war, a moment before victory is achieved, will paralyze Israel for at least six months, and in my estimation for eight months. This will paralyze the negotiations being conducted for the release of our kidnappers and will lead to an end to "War before achieving its goals, and the first party that will welcome this will be Hamas. This indicates everything. I reaffirm that I am committed to retrieving all of our kidnapped people and I will not leave anyone behind."

He also said: “Whoever says that I am not doing everything to get our kidnapped people back is mistaken and wrong. Whoever knows the truth and still repeats this lie causes unjustified grief to the families of the kidnapped.”

He claimed that “while Israel showed flexibility in its positions in the negotiations, Hamas is hardening its positions and demanding, among other things, the cancellation of the corridor and the return of Gazans - including Hamas terrorists (as he described it), to the northern Gaza Strip, in an uncontrollable manner. These demands were made by Hamas has security implications that I will not detail here. Despite the difficulty involved, negotiations must be conducted with equanimity and intelligent determination.

This is the only way to get all of us back. The claim that if we agreed to make more concessions every two days, the deal would get closer, is the opposite of the truth. This method of negotiations does not bring the release of the kidnapped people closer, but rather further away from it. The test is not to show that we are working hard to reach a deal, but to achieve the release and return of our abductees to their homes.”

The Civil Defense in Gaza has said that hundreds of bodies were found after the Israeli army withdrew at dawn on Monday from the Al-Shifa Medical Complex and its surrounding in Gaza city, after a two-week siege.

Gaza Civil Defense spokesman, Major Mahmoud Basal, said on Monday that, following the Israeli withdrawal, about 300 bodies were found in the Shifa complex and its surroundings.

Basal added that the Israeli forces burned entire departments of the hospital, and destroyed all medical equipment and supplies.

For its part, the Israeli army announced the end of its military operation in the complex and claimed that it was conducted without causing harm to civilians, patients, and medical teams.

Al-Jazeera correspondent reported that, following the withdrawal, Israeli occupation forces headed south, to an area between the Sheikh Ajlin and Tal Al-Hawa neighborhoods.

The correspondent quoted eyewitnesses as saying that the withdrawal was sudden and coincided with gunfire and the firing of tank shells towards residential buildings in the vicinity of the medical complex.

The withdrawal came after an Israeli attack on the complex and its surroundings that lasted for about two weeks and led to the killing, wounding and detention of hundreds of Palestinians.

Charred Bodies and Destruction

“Dozens of bodies, some of them decomposed, have been recovered from in and around the Al-Shifa medical complex,” the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said, adding that the hospital was now “completely out of service”.

Footage published by Al-Jazeera showed charred bodies of Palestinians in the streets and roads surrounding the complex.

Medical sources confirmed that hundreds of bodies were found in the complex and the streets surrounding it following the withdrawal of the occupation forces.

The sources said that the occupation forces burned several buildings of the medical complex, stressing that the extent of the destruction is massive.

During the storming, Israeli forces reportedly carried out several executions inside the medical complex.

Additionally, it obstructed the arrival of relief teams and representatives of international organizations to the area to carry out humanitarian missions or evacuation operations.

‘Open Humanitarian Corridor’

Hours before the withdrawal of the occupation forces, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called on Israel to open a humanitarian corridor to the complex and facilitate access to it urgently so that the organization and its partners can evacuate and rescue patients.

“We urge Israel to urgently facilitate access and a humanitarian corridor so WHO and partners can carry out the lifesaving transfer of patients,” Tedros said on X on Sunday.

He added that 21 patients have died since Al-Shifa Hospital came under siege on March 18, with hostilities continuing in its vicinity according to updates from a health worker at the facility.

“107 patients are in an inadequate building, within the hospital compound, lacking needed health support, medical care and supplies. Patients have been moved multiple times within the hospital compound since the siege began.”

“Among the patients are 4 children and 28 critical patients lacking necessary means of care – no diapers, urine bags, water to clean wounds. Many have infected wounds and are dehydrated,” he added.

Gaza Genocide

Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7. 

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 32,782 Palestinians have been killed, and 75,298 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.

Moreover, at least 7,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip. 

Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.

 The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba. 

Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire.’

(The Palestine Chronicle)

I

On October 7, 2023, the Palestinian group Hamas carried out a surprise attack code-named “Operation Al-Aksa Flood” from Gaza on Israel. In fierce retaliation, Israel launched large-scale air strikes across Gaza and started ground operations since late October. The ongoing conflict has already claimed over 90,000 casualties on both sides. More than 23,000 Palestinians died and another 59,000 were injured; the Gaza Strip is facing a grave humanitarian crisis. The conflict’s spillover effects continue to manifest themselves, with instability in the West Bank, fires traded between Israel and Hezbollah on the Israel-Lebanon border, Israeli airstrikes on Syria, and Houthi attacks on Israel-linked merchant ships transiting through the Red Sea. The international community is highly concerned by the escalation of the conflict. The U.N. General Assembly twice adopted resolutions by an overwhelming majority, and the Security Council passed two related resolutions, highlighting the international community’s call for the restoration of peace. It is the general consensus among most countries in the world that a ceasefire should be put in place as soon as possible, civilians should be effectively protected, humanitarian assistance should be delivered and the two-State solution should be implemented.

II

Since the outbreak of this round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, China has been vigorously calling for a ceasefire, working tirelessly for the restoration of peace, and making every effort to save lives. On November 21, 2023, President Xi Jinping attended the BRICS leaders’ extraordinary meeting on the situation in the Middle East. In his important speech entitled “Working Toward a Ceasefire and Realizing Lasting Peace and Sustainable Security,” he stressed that the top priority now is to end hostilities and achieve a ceasefire immediately, ensure secure and unimpeded humanitarian corridors, and act with practical measures to prevent the conflict from spilling over. He underscored that the only viable way to break the cycle of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict lies in the two-State solution, in the restoration of the legitimate national rights of Palestine, and in the establishment of an independent State of Palestine. President Xi’s remarks received wide international acclaim as they pointed out the root cause of the question of Palestine, represented a just call for an early ceasefire and the restoration of peace, and set the direction for an effective resolution of the Palestinian question. 

Time is life. China has not spared a single moment in its diplomatic efforts to help de-escalate the conflict. To build consensus and forge synergy for the restoration of peace, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had in-depth exchanges with leaders and senior officials from over 20 countries and international organizations, hosted the joint delegation of foreign ministers from Arab and Islamic countries, and traveled to New York to chair the U.N. Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. The Chinese Government’s Special Envoy on the Middle East Issue made several visits to regional countries, and attended relevant international peace conferences, crisscrossing the region to work extensively on all parties. Under China’s rotating presidency of the U.N. Security Council in November, China engaged in intensive communication with all parties to push for the Council’s adoption of a resolution—the first of its kind since the conflict broke out, bringing the hope for peace to the Gazan people amid ongoing fighting. China also submitted its Position Paper on Resolving the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict to the Security Council, calling for implementing a comprehensive ceasefire, effectively protecting civilians, ensuring humanitarian assistance, enhancing diplomatic mediation, and seeking political settlement, with a purpose to gather greater momentum and nudge more actions at the Security Council. In the meantime, China has provided multiple batches of emergency humanitarian assistance in cash and kind including food and medicine to Gaza through various channels, and will continue to provide more supplies according to the needs of the Gazan people to contribute China’s share to easing the humanitarian situation on the ground. 

The international community speaks highly of the just position of China and the role it has played as a responsible major country. They believe that President Xi Jinping’s vision for a community with a shared future for mankind, and the three initiatives he proposed—the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative—point the way forward for resolving the question of Palestine. They regard China’s position paper as highly relevant for promoting a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, and commend China’s important role in pushing for a political settlement of the Palestinian question and upholding peace and stability in the Middle East. 

III

The Palestinian question is at the heart of the Middle East issue, concerning the peace and stability of the region and bearing on international fairness and justice. The latest round of the conflict is a stark reminder to the international community: The question of Palestine is fundamentally a political issue, and the root cause lies in the long delay in realizing Palestine’s dream of an independent state, in the failure to redress the historical injustice suffered by the Palestinian people, and in the absence of effective implementation of the two-State solution and relevant international resolutions. In finding a solution to the Palestinian question, circumventing the “land for peace” principle will not work, piecemeal crisis management will not last, and a comprehensive and just solution is irreplaceable. 

China has all along attached great importance to the Palestinian question, closely following the developments in the Middle East, dedicating itself to promoting peace in the region, and actively supporting and taking part in various international endeavors to realize peace in the Middle East. China is among the first countries to support the Palestinian National Liberation Movement and to recognize the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and the independent State of Palestine. In 1965, the PLO opened its office in Beijing, demonstrating China’s unequivocal support for the Palestinian people’s just cause of restoring their legitimate national rights. Following the PLO’s proclamation of the State of Palestine on November 15, 1988, China issued a statement announcing its recognition of the State of Palestine on November 20.

The Madrid Middle East Peace Conference in 1991 marked the full start of the Middle East Peace Process. China has vigorously supported comprehensive peace in the Middle East, and made its efforts and contribution throughout various stages of the peace process. Chinese leaders put forward several proposals on the issue with an underlying theme of promoting peace through talks, working toward a comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East, and advocating peace talks between Palestine and Israel. In these proposals, China noted that relevant U.N. resolutions should be observed and the principle of “land for peace” should be implemented; stressed that the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people should be restored, an independent State of Palestine should be established and at the same time, the security of Israel should be protected, and Palestine and Israel should coexist side by side in peace; and called on the international community to increase input in peace efforts and support the U.N. in playing a greater role.

In 2002, China named its Special Envoy on the Middle East Issue, the first special-envoy mechanism it set up in response to international hotspots. Since then, five Chinese special envoys have visited Palestine, Israel and other relevant countries, working actively to promote peace talks and dedicating tireless efforts to facilitate a settlement. Moreover, China attaches great importance to the role of nongovernmental Palestinian and Israeli advocates of peace. China hosted four Palestine-Israel Peace Symposium meetings in 2006, 2013, 2017 and 2021 respectively, which injected a momentum for peace into the complex and delicate Palestinian-Israeli situation.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era and Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy in particular, China has pursued major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics on the Middle East issue, and worked more proactively for the political settlement of the question of Palestine. For 11 consecutive years, President Xi Jinping sent congratulatory messages to the special commemorative meeting in observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. In May 2013, President Xi Jinping put forward a four-point proposal for settling the Palestinian question during talks with President Mahmoud Abbas on his state visit to China. The proposal underscored the importance to commit to an independent State of Palestine and peaceful coexistence between Palestine and Israel as the right direction, take negotiation as the only path toward peace between Palestine and Israel, firmly uphold principles such as “land for peace,” and the need for the international community to provide important guarantee for advancing the peace process. In July 2017, in view of the stalemate in the peace process and repeated outbursts of conflict between the two sides, President Xi Jinping put forward another four-point proposal for resolving the Palestinian question, stressing the need to resolutely advance a political settlement based on the two-State solution, uphold the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, further coordinate efforts of the international community to strengthen the concerted efforts for peace, and take a holistic approach and promote peace through development. In December 2022, President Xi Jinping reiterated at the first China-Arab States Summit that China firmly supports the establishment of an independent State of Palestine, supports Palestine in becoming a full member of the United Nations, and will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Palestine. He stressed that the international community should stay firm in its commitment to the two-State solution and the principle of “land for peace,” make resolute efforts to promote peace talks, provide more humanitarian and development assistance to Palestine, and strive for a just settlement of the Palestinian question at an early date. In June 2023, when hosting President Abbas during his visit to China, President Xi Jinping raised three points in light of the latest developments and new changes concerning the Palestinian question. He underlined that the fundamental solution lies in the establishment of an independent State of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty based on the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital; Palestine’s economic and livelihood needs should be met, and the international community needs to step up development assistance and humanitarian aid to Palestine; and that it is important to keep to the right direction of peace talks. The historical status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem should be respected, and aggressive and provocative words and actions should be avoided. A more broad-based, authoritative and influential international peace conference should be convened to create conditions for the resumption of peace talks and contribute tangible efforts to help Palestine and Israel coexist in peace. China stands ready to play an active role in helping Palestine achieve internal reconciliation and promoting peace talks.

President Abbas reiterated on many occasions that China is a sincere and trustworthy friend and partner of Palestine. Palestine is genuinely grateful for China’s long-standing strong support and selfless help to the Palestinian people’s just cause of restoring their legitimate national rights, and looks forward to China playing a greater role in promoting Intra-Palestinian reconciliation and realizing peace in the Middle East.

IV

No matter how the regional and international landscapes may evolve, on the question of Palestine, China will always stand on the side of peace, on the side of justice, on the side of international law, on the side of shared aspirations of the majority of countries in the world, and on the side of human conscience. As a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and a responsible major country, China will continue to maintain close communication with relevant parties, work for an early ceasefire in Gaza and the easing of the humanitarian crisis on the ground, and work unswervingly for a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the question of Palestine at an early date and for enduring peace and security in the Middle East.

（Deng Li is Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China.）

Today, Monday, the Israeli army targeted a building next to the Iranian embassy in the Mezzeh neighborhood in the Syrian capital, Damascus.

Meanwhile, Syrian media confirmed that the targeted building was the residence of the Iranian ambassador near the Iranian embassy in Damascus, whose targeting led to the martyrdom of several people.

Iranian media confirmed the martyrdom of Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, one of the commanders of the Quds Force, in the Israeli attack in Damascus.

On Monday, the government media office in Gaza announced the killing of a Palestinian journalist in Al-Shifa Hospital, bringing the number of journalists killed to 138 since the start of the war on the Strip on October 7, 2023.

The office said, in a statement: “The number of journalist martyrs has risen to 138 journalists, since the start of the genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, after the death of our colleague Muhammad Abu Sakhil during the crime of the Israeli army storming Al-Shifa Hospital.”

The Permanent Representative of the State of Palestine to the League of Arab States, Ambassador Muhannad Al-Aklouk, announced today, Monday, that the State of Palestine has submitted a request to hold an extraordinary session of the League Council at the level of permanent delegates as soon as possible, to discuss the Arab movement, especially in light of the continuing crime of genocide and the starvation policy it is committing. Israel and forced displacement against the Palestinian people.

Ambassador Al-Aklouk said that the State of Palestine had submitted a request to hold the meeting, to discuss the Arab and international movement in light of the ongoing Israeli threats of an imminent invasion of the city of Rafah, which houses more than 1.5 million displaced people and Palestinian citizens, in addition to Israel’s intransigence and refusal to implement Security Council resolutions related to the ceasefire. And the introduction of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, the latest of which is Resolution No. 2728, which called for an immediate ceasefire during the month of Ramadan.

He explained that the Council will also discuss Israel’s failure to comply with the temporary measures ordered by the International Court of Justice on 1/26/2024 and 3/28/2024.

Sources familiar with the negotiations said that the Cairo meeting between the mediators and the Israeli delegation did not result in anything new in the process of reaching a ceasefire.

The sources indicated that the Israeli delegation once again put forward a proposal for the gradual return of a specific number of displaced persons from the south of the Gaza Strip to its north, as the proposal includes the return of no more than 60,000 displaced persons at a rate of 2,000 displaced persons per day two weeks after the start of the agreement.

It added that Israel insists that the displaced do not return to their homes and areas, but rather to tents that are built to shelter them.

A leader in the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) told Al Jazeera that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to buy time and absorb the anger of the families of the prisoners, but he is creating obstacles to reaching an agreement.

He added that the Israeli delegation does not have the authority to reach an agreement, stressing the movement’s position on the necessity of stopping the aggression, withdrawing the occupation forces, returning the displaced, and intensifying relief and reconstruction.

Israel’s democracy is no barrier to genocide, just like the historic Anglo-American colonialism in the US, Canada and Australia

The United Nations Human Rights Council last week published a report that found “reasonable grounds to believe that the threshold indicating Israel’s commission of genocide is met” in Gaza. This came as the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire.

“Israel’s executive and military leadership and soldiers have intentionally distorted jus in bello [just conduct in war] principles, subverting their protective functions, in an attempt to legitimise genocidal violence against the Palestinian people,” according to a summary of the Human Rights Council report “Anatomy of a Genocide”.

You know something truly evil is happening when even Israel’s no-limits partner in crime, the United States, abstained to enable the passage of the ceasefire vote tabled by 10 non-permanent member states. But in typical US fashion, it continues to enable the genocide as The Washington Post reported that “new arms packages” for Israel have been authorised and “include more than 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs and 500 MK82 500-pound bombs.

Meanwhile, even the US State Department now has to acknowledge that Gaza is either suffering from famine or close to it.

“While we can say with confidence that famine is a significant risk in the south and centre but not present, in the north, it is both a risk and quite possibly is present in at least some areas,” an official told Reuters.

In presenting her report, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese accused Israel of violating three of the five acts listed under the UN Genocide Convention: killing members of a specific group; causing serious bodily or mental harm; and deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole and in part.

She also found that genocidal acts were approved by senior Israeli military and civilian officials. These acts, she argues, are part of a “settler-colonial process of erasure”, which has been “under way for more than 70 years.”

For decades, the Western public has been sold on the idea that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. But what is neglected and covered over is that all the Anglo-American democracies had historically been genocidal colonial-settler projects, in the United States, Canada and Australia.

That’s why commenting on the Gaza war, Israeli historian Ilan Pappé has called Israel the last colonial-settler project. While almost always claiming the moral high ground and noble purposes, such colonialism, as we now know, was the historical evil twin of Anglo-American democracies. It was also the mirror image of the genocidal imperialism of “old” Europe.

But why? I can’t do better than to quote from a learned correspondent.

“[Demonisation] has been essential to delegitimising Palestinian resistance to perpetual occupation and oppression and, now, is essential to legitimising genocide in Western eyes,” he wrote. “[It] is consistent with the imperialist/colonialist/racist mindset that, over centuries, has considered that slaves, the colonised, the occupied and the oppressed must accept their just fate, that they have no right to violently resist their slave owners, colonisers, occupiers and oppressors and that, should these lesser beings ever dare to do so, they deserve exemplary punishment … This dehumanising mindset is virtually obligatory for members of the immigrant ethnic group in any settler-colonial state, since no moral framework could justify doing to human beings what must be done to the indigenous population which must be dispossessed, dispersed and, often, exterminated in order for a settler-colonial project to succeed.”

Israel is holding the entire Gazan population responsible for atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7. By the same logic, shouldn’t the world now hold the citizenry of Israel responsible for the genocide?

The country has long been portrayed in the West as a lone brave democracy fighting for survival, constantly threatened by animalistic Arabs and terroristic Palestinians. The flipside is that it is a colonial state dispossessing and now, it seems, trying to eliminate the indigenous population.

Source: south China Morning Post

The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor said that it received new testimonies about the Israeli army forces carrying out widespread robberies and thefts from citizens and their homes, among other crimes that continue for the second week in the vicinity of the Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza.

Euro-Med confirmed in a statement that it documented several crimes committed by Israeli army forces during a massive military attack carried out on the Shifa Medical Complex and its surroundings west of Gaza City since March 18, including murder, physical liquidation, extrajudicial execution, and arbitrary arrests.

He pointed out that in addition to that, he received new testimonies about the theft of money and property, including valuables from residents and their homes when they were forcibly displaced from them or when they were burned and destroyed.

The Euro-Med Monitor highlighted that the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip condones - and sometimes encourages - the theft of valuable possessions and money from residents and homes by its forces without holding them accountable for these violations, as this is often done without official documentation.

The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory stated that it documented the Israeli army’s continued plunder of gold jewelry and money, whether from the homes it raided, or from citizens while forcing them to migrate to the southern Gaza Valley, where they were forced to leave their bags and all their belongings, which were seized by the soldiers.

The Euro-Med Monitor noted that it had previously documented systematic thefts since the Israeli army began carrying out ground military operations inside the Gaza Strip, on October 27, as these operations have become carried out systematically during storming residential areas, raiding homes, and launching random arrest campaigns from within them against civilians.

He stressed that many of the homes that were looted and robbed were burned, bombed, and destroyed by soldiers, as part of an approach based on collective revenge and the dehumanization and decivilization of the Palestinian population.

Doctor Yahya Khalil Deeb Al-Kayyali (59 years old) told the Euro-Med crew: “During the Israeli army’s storming of the house where we were located in western Gaza, they searched the house comprehensively, and we had bags containing money for us and others, deposits exceeding 100 thousand dollars, and there was jewelry and gold.” It belongs to my son’s wife, who is a new bride, and gold belongs to other women with us from the Al-Ifranji family, and the value of all of that is more than 200 thousand dollars.

They took laptops and destroyed them with their feet, all of it they took. My wife tried to take the bags, but the soldiers prevented her. When I told the officer that there was a large sum of money, he laughed and said, “Distribute it to the soldiers.”

He added: “Army forces raided the house we were in at dawn amid heavy gunfire. I told them that we were civilians. I spoke to them in English. They (the males) asked us to take off our clothes completely, so we got naked except for our boxers. They took us to the bathroom and detained us there. They took my son Amer, 30. A year ago, they took him to a nearby room and subjected him to interrogation and torture. I could hear his screams. They asked him for information and he told them that he had come from Germany and knew nothing. Then they asked me for interrogation and threatened to kill me and practiced verbal violence. 

Then he asked me to go down and go to the Bseiso family’s house to call them and take them out. I went out naked, and he threatened me that if I moved, I would be shot. So I went to them and told them to raise their hands.

The soldier was standing on the balcony, so they came out and there was a blind man with them and another who was paralyzed, but the soldier insisted on taking off his clothes and asked me to bring them to the house. They took the women to a place in the house, then used them as a human shield in front of them during an exchange of fire with gunmen.”

The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory pointed to video clips published by Israeli soldiers on social media platforms documenting their deliberate sabotage of civilian homes in the Gaza Strip, burning them, or drawing racist or Jewish slogans on the walls, in addition to bragging about seizing money and valuable possessions.

The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor called for a comprehensive and impartial international investigation into the grave violations against the population of the Gaza Strip and their property by the Israeli army forces, which constitute war crimes in themselves, and cause destruction and serious harm to civilians and their livelihoods without control, justification or military necessity, calling for taking action. Ensures accountability and legal accountability.

Senator Chris Van Hollen continued to urge US President Joe Biden to ensure that more humanitarian aid reaches those who need it in Gaza, regardless of what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants.

“My view is that the partnership should be a two-way street, not a one-way blank check with American taxpayer money,” the Maryland Democrat said on ABC's "This Week." "So, it's not about saying we won't provide more weapons. It's about saying, 'We have requests: Don't let people starve to death,'" he added.

He reiterated this point to his host Martha Raddatz: “I'm just saying to President Biden, I've said there are no excuses when it comes to getting humanitarian aid into Gaza. Prime Minister Netanyahu continues to drag his feet. So, instead of just sending more bombs and not getting the order you want... "Mr. President, let's at least make this a partnership."

Van Hollen, who has been pressing Biden in recent weeks to be tougher on the Israeli prime minister, said Netanyahu continued to leverage his relationship with Biden and other American leaders to evade his commitment to prevent Gazans from starving to death even with new weapons. Shipments are sent to Israel.

“We have a situation where Netanyahu, you know, keeps pointing the finger at the president of the United States, and we're sending more bombs. It doesn't make sense,” Van Hollen told Raddatz.

“We have a situation where Netanyahu, you know, continues to give the United States the middle finger to the president of the United States,” the senator said.

Israel has been waging a brutal war on the besieged Gaza Strip since the surprise attack carried out by Hamas fighters last October 7 in Israel, which led to the killing of more than 32,000 Gazans, the overwhelming majority of whom were women and children.

The American news website Axios quoted 4 Israeli and American sources as saying that a remote meeting is expected to be held between the United States and Israel today, Monday, regarding the supposed military operation in Rafah.

The website stated that the meeting will discuss alternative proposals by the administration of US President Joe Biden to the Israeli military invasion of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

Israeli officials interpreted resorting to an online meeting as a way for Netanyahu to save face after preventing a delegation from heading to Washington for the same reason.

Another Israeli official spoke of a direct meeting between the two delegations by next week.

Both the White House and the Israeli Prime Minister's Office refused to comment on what was reported by Axios.

The meeting - which was supposed to be held last week - became a contentious issue between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden, after the United States last week refrained from using its veto against the United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages. Netanyahu announced that he canceled the visit of an Israeli delegation to Washington to discuss the planned attack on Rafah in protest against the American position.

Netanyahu's office said in a statement, "The United States did not veto today the new text that calls for a ceasefire without the condition of releasing the kidnapped."

The statement added that this is "a clear retreat from the firm American position in the Security Council since the beginning of the war," which "gives Hamas hope that international pressure will allow it to obtain a ceasefire without releasing our kidnappers."

The United States is the main supporter of Israel in its war on Gaza, politically and militarily, as it used its veto power in the UN Security Council several times to block resolutions calling for a ceasefire, and also supplied the Israeli army with thousands of tons of weapons and ammunition.

But Washington called on Tel Aviv to refrain from invading Rafah until a plan is developed to evacuate civilians who were displaced to the city from various parts of the Gaza Strip to escape the war, and their number is estimated at about 1.4 million.

The Israeli army committed 6 massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, including 63 deaths and 94 injuries to hospitals during the past 24 hours.

According to the Ministry of Health, a number of victims are still under rubble and on the roads, and ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them.

The Ministry indicated that the toll of the aggression had risen to 32,845 deaths and 75,392 injuries since the seventh of last October.

Here are the latest developments: Two citizens were martyred, and others were injured, as a result of the Israeli bombing a vehicle in the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip.

At dawn on Monday, the Israeli forces withdrew from Al-Shifa Medical Hospital and its surroundings, after a storming and siege that lasted two weeks, while hundreds of bodies were found inside the complex and in the surrounding area.

The Israeli forces headed south, where there was a camp where tanks and bulldozers were stationed in the area between the Sheikh Ajlin and Tal Al-Hawa neighborhoods.

The withdrawal was sudden and coincided with gunfire and the firing of tank shells towards residential buildings in the vicinity of the medical complex.

The withdrawal comes after an Israeli attack on the complex and its surroundings for two weeks, which led to the death, injury, and arrest of hundreds of Palestinians.

Israeli Army Radio said that the army killed 200, arrested 500 others, and detained about 900 for investigation during its operation in the medical complex and its surroundings.

Hundreds of bodies

Scenes from Al Jazeera showed the spread of charred bodies of deaths in the streets and roads surrounding the Shifa Medical Complex, while medical sources reported that hundreds of bodies of martyrs were found in the complex and the streets surrounding it following the withdrawal of the Israeli forces.

The sources said that the Israeli forces burned the buildings of the medical complex and caused it to be completely out of service, stressing that the extent of the destruction in the complex and surrounding buildings was very large.

Hundreds of Palestinians flocked to inspect the destruction in the complex's buildings, and some families rushed to evacuate injured and sick people who were trapped inside the hospital.

During the period of the Israeli attack, some deaths were recovered, while many bodies remained lying on the ground around the complex and residential buildings, whether in the Al-Nasr neighborhood or Al-Wahda Street, as well as in the southern beach and the western sands, areas that were besieged by the Israeli forces.

Throughout this period, the Israeli army was obstructing the arrival of relief teams and representatives of international organizations to the area to carry out humanitarian missions or evacuation operations, which led to a humanitarian and health crisis in the vicinity of the complex.

Humanitarian corridor

Hours before the withdrawal of the Israeli forces, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called on Israel to open a humanitarian corridor to the complex and facilitate access to it urgently so that the organization and its partners can evacuate and rescue patients.

Ghebreyesus pointed out that 21 patients have died since the start of the siege of Al-Shifa Complex on March 18.

He said that there are 107 patients in an inappropriate building within the complex who lack medical care and the necessary supplies. Among them are 4 children and 28 patients in critical condition. Some patients have suffered from wound infections, especially in light of the scarcity of water to clean them, and there are no diapers or urine bags. .

The Director of the World Health Organization added that since Saturday, there has been only one bottle of water left for every 15 people, and infectious diseases have spread due to unsanitary conditions and water shortages.

This Sunday evening, the new nineteenth Palestinian government headed by Dr. Muhammad Mustafa was sworn in before the President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah.

Mustafa stressed that his government will serve all Palestinians, and that the government’s political reference is the Palestine Liberation Organization, its political program, its international obligations, and the letter of assignment addressed to the government by President Mahmoud Abbas.

Mustafa reviewed the broad outlines of his government's programme.

After taking the constitutional oath, President Mahmoud Abbas chaired a meeting of the new government, where he delivered a speech in which he said:

Children of our great people in the homeland and diaspora,

President and members of the government,

Based on our commitment to the highest interests of our Palestinian people, preserving their gains, protecting, developing and advancing their achievements, and achieving their national goals as approved by the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole legitimate representative of our Palestinian people, the Declaration of Independence, the decisions of the National Councils, and the articles of the Basic Law, in a way that ensures the exercise of the full powers that It enables the government to perform the tasks required of it. We reaffirm all the provisions that came in the letter of assignment for this 19 government, which was formed as a technocratic government of national competencies whose mission includes the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.

In this context, I would like to clarify the following:

- The government has full powers to carry out its tasks in accordance with the law, within a framework of governance, transparency and accountability, and to ensure the dignity and steadfastness of citizens, by raising the performance of services provided in all sectors, which requires enabling it to perform its tasks by releasing all seized funds and lifting the stranglehold on The Palestinian economy from the occupation forces, and providing Arab and international funding for its budget and programs for relief, reform, reconstruction and economic revival.

At the top of these tasks: broad reforms, unifying institutions between the governorates of the country, maximizing humanitarian relief efforts in the Gaza Strip, assisting displaced persons returning to their areas, providing shelter, establishing infrastructure and basic services, restoring the educational process, health services, water, electricity, etc., in order to restore Reconstruction and economic revival throughout the country.

We also stress the importance of supporting the justice sector, strengthening the judiciary and its independence, advancing the process of building all state institutions, empowering youth and women, respecting freedoms, and strengthening partnership with the private sector, civil society, and all of our people in all segments and categories without discrimination, and in the diaspora camps and our communities. Outside.

- This is in addition to advancing the national economy and investments, strengthening international and economic relations with countries of the world, continuing to defend Jerusalem and its people, supporting their steadfastness, and defending our Islamic and Christian sanctities.

One of the tasks of this government is also to prepare for holding legislative and presidential elections in all governorates of the country, especially East Jerusalem.

sisters and brothers,

While we emphasize the government's broad tasks and powers, and the full powers it assumes in accordance with the law, we point out that the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, remains the body responsible for Palestinian political affairs, negotiations, and reconciliation, and in this regard, we work with Arab and international parties. And in international forums, around the clock, in order to stop the aggression against our people in the Gaza Strip, complete withdrawal of the occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, prevent displacement, and stop all criminal practices and attacks by the occupation forces and terrorist settlers in the West Bank, including Jerusalem.

Our political goal, which we seek and work to achieve, remains achieving freedom, independence, and salvation from occupation, and we are working with the concerned Arab and international parties to ensure that the State of Palestine obtains full membership in the United Nations, by decision of the Security Council, and to achieve more recognition of the State of Palestine.

We will also continue to work to unify our land and people and achieve Palestinian national reconciliation, which we hope will happen as quickly as possible, and on the basis of political programs and the international commitments of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole legitimate representative of our Palestinian people, and all relevant points, in order to face the coming challenges and serve our people. Achieving independence and sovereignty over the land of the State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, along the 1967 lines.

May God grant you success in serving the sons and daughters of your Palestinian people and raising the status of its national institutions on the path to freedom, independence and sovereignty.

Glory and eternity to our righteous martyrs, recovery to our brave wounded, and freedom to our heroic prisoners.

The nineteenth government was composed of:

- Muhammad Abdullah Muhammad Mustafa, Prime Minister/Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants.

- Sharhabeel Youssef Saad Al-Din Al-Zaim, Minister of Justice.

- Ziad Mahmoud Muhammad Hab Al-Rih, Minister of Interior.

- Omar Akram Omran Al-Bitar, Minister of Finance.

- Wael Muhammad Mahmoud Zaqout, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation.

- Sami Ahmed Arif Hijjawi, Minister of Local Government.

- Majid Awni Muhammad Abu Ramadan, Minister of Health.

- Amjad Saad Suleiman Barham, Minister of Education and Higher Education.

Enas Hosni Abdel-Ghani Dahadha, Minister of Labour.

- Muhammad Mustafa Muhammad Negm, Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs.

- Arafat Hussein Suleiman Asfour, Minister of Industry.

- Mohamed Youssef Mohamed Al-Amour, Minister of National Economy.

- Abdel Razek Maher Abdel Razek Natsheh, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy.

- Ahed Faeq Atef Bseiso, Minister of Public Works and Housing.

- Samah Abdel Rahim Hussein Hamad, Minister of Social Development.

- Rizq Abdel Rahman Salem Salimiya, Minister of Agriculture.

- Hani Naji Atallah Abdel Masih “Al-Hayek”, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities.

- Ashraf Hassan Abbas Al-Aawar, Minister of Jerusalem Affairs.

- “Imad Al-Din” Abdullah Salim Hamdan, Minister of Culture.

- Tareq Hosni Salem Zorob, Minister of Transport and Communications.

- Mona Muhammad Mahmoud Al-Khalili, Minister of Women’s Affairs.

- Farsin Aghabkian Shaheen, Minister of State for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.

- Basil Abdel Rahman Hassan Nasser “Al-Kafarna”, Minister of State for Relief Affairs.

- Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, Ambassador Dawas Dawas.

This evening, Sunday, 4 citizens were injured in a settler attack on the Arab Rashaida community adjacent to the Auja Spring, north of Jericho.

The general supervisor of the "Al-Baidar" organization for defending the rights of Bedouins, Hassan Malihat, said that settlers attacked the Arab Rashaida community adjacent to the Al-Auja Spring area, and attacked citizens by beating them with sticks and stones, which led to 4 citizens suffering bruises and wounds.

He added that these settlers tried to steal the people’s sheep, and that these attacks came after the visit of the extremist Israeli Minister Smorich and the head of the settlement council in the West Bank to the area, and their announcement of control over the Al-Auja water spring and carrying out expansion work in it.

James Elder, spokesman for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), warned on Sunday that "children in the Gaza Strip are still exposed to the horrors of war and hunger, while the world watches."

This came in a post on the UN account via the X platform, accompanied by a live broadcast showing what is happening in the besieged sector.

Elder added, "The ceasefire has not been implemented yet."

He said, "The children of the Gaza Strip are still exposed to the horrors of war and hunger, while the world watches."

The spokesman stressed "the necessity of a ceasefire in Gaza now."

Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza, leaving tens of thousands of civilian casualties, most of them children and women, and massive destruction and famine that claimed the lives of children and the elderly, according to Palestinian and UN data.

Israel continues this war, despite the UN Security Council issuing, on Monday, a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire during the month of Ramadan, and the trial of Tel Aviv, for the first time, before the International Court of Justice on charges of committing “genocide.”

People were killed and injured in Israeli raids in Han Yunis and the surrounding areas, while Israeli army forces targeted areas near Al-Aqsa University. The Israeli army also claimed that it targeted an Islamic Jihad operations room in the courtyard of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah.

This came as the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip entered its 177th day today, Sunday, as the Israeli army continued its air and ground bombardment of various areas in the Strip, causing dozens of killed and hundreds of injuries.

During the last 24 hours, the Israeli army committed 8 massacres in the Gaza Strip, resulting in 82 killed and 98 injuries, bringing the toll since October 7 to 32,705 killed and 75,190 injuries.

The Israeli army continues to target the health sector and hospitals in the Gaza Strip and its siege of the Al-Shifa Medical Complex for the second week in a row, where 1,050 homes in the vicinity of Al-Shifa were destroyed, burned, and targeted, more than 400 people were killed, and hundreds of patients, displaced people, and medical staff were arrested and tortured.

Today, Sunday, the occupation forces arrested a mother and her two children from the Al-Thawri neighborhood, and two young men from the Shuafat Camp and the town of Al-Tur in occupied Jerusalem.

Local sources reported that the Israeli forces arrested Jerusalemite Ikram Shweiki and her two sons, Zamzam and Bashar Shweiki, from their home in the Al-Thawri neighborhood in Jerusalem.

Local sources reported that the Israeli forces arrested the young man, Hisham Mutawer, after storming his house and destroying its contents in the Shuafat refugee camp, northeast of Jerusalem.

In the town of Al-Tur, east of occupied Jerusalem, Israeli intelligence arrested the young man, Ahmed Abu Al-Hawa, after storming his house.

American military experts say that the plan of the administration of US President Joe Biden to establish a floating dock off the coast of Gaza as part of a large-scale international initiative to “feed the hungry Palestinians” will “endanger US military service members who must build, operate and defend the dock from any possible attack,” which is dangerous. "The political consequences for the president must be a disaster," according to the Washington Post.

American officials say these efforts could provide up to two million meals a day in Israel's war-torn territories, where fears of famine are growing amid ongoing Israeli bombing and the occupation army's strict restrictions on the flow of food, medicine and other humanitarian aid.

While the Pentagon maintains that no US troops will be deployed to Gaza, it has revealed little about how long the operation could last and how it intends to ensure the safety of participants, alarming some in Congress and other critics of President Biden's plan. Military officials declined to answer The Washington Post's questions about where the pier would be located and what security measures would be in place, citing their desire not to telegraph their plans.

They warn that the Americans' constant proximity to the fighting and the intense anger at the United States for its unconditional support for Israel will make the "sea dock" a tempting target for Hamas fighters or other armed groups in the region. They also believe that missile launches, attack drones, divers or speedboats transporting explosives would all pose a threat.

Paul Kennedy, a retired Marine general who led major humanitarian operations after natural disasters in Nepal and the Philippines, called it a “worthy goal” for the United States to alleviate civilian suffering in Gaza, “but he questioned whether the US military is the appropriate entity to participate according to the newspaper."

"If a bomb exploded at that site, the American public would wonder: What were they doing there in the first place?" he said.

It is noteworthy that John Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said last week that assembling and operating the pier will provide relief to thousands of Gaza residents, which is a very important mission that will “make a big difference” in the lives of citizens.

“But we know that such missions are never without risk,” Kirby said. “This is especially the case in a war zone like Gaza. There will be no American troops on the ground, and we know that our military commanders will do everything they can to ensure their safety as they build and operate this dock.”

The newspaper's report is based on interviews with eight current and former US national security officials familiar with the ongoing planning for the Gaza operation or familiar with the complex coordination required to safely conduct humanitarian missions of this scale.

Those who defended the plan said the risk was real, but manageable, and that the United States was showing leadership by finding new ways to feed Palestinians trapped by the fighting.

However, many have cited the deadly bombings in Beirut in 1983, which left 241 US service members dead, and the US evacuation of Afghanistan in 2021, which killed 13 US soldiers along with an estimated 170 Afghans, (which remains a point low for the Biden administration and the focus of an ongoing oversight investigation in the Republican-controlled House), as examples of the enormous difficulty of protecting U.S. service members during extended stays in fragile conditions.

President Biden announced the deployment of the Gaza dock during his State of the Union address on March 7, saying it would allow for a "tremendous increase" in humanitarian aid. Over the past few weeks, the United States and other countries have dropped air aid into Gaza, but these efforts have not met the demand.

The dock idea has been met with mixed reactions, with the International Rescue Committee and other aid organizations saying the United States should use its influence to pressure Israel to allow more humanitarian aid in by land. Israeli officials have refused to open the northern crossing into Gaza, citing security concerns, while the arduous inspection process in the south has limited the amount of aid that can enter.

Israel accused the UN agency responsible for distributing most aid within the Strip of diverting supplies to Hamas, and said the delay resulted from logistical problems among relief organizations, including a shortage of drivers.

According to experts, the Army-led operation will include about 1,000 US soldiers and four Army ships that will be deployed from southeastern Virginia on March 12. After an estimated 30 days, the ships are expected to be towed offshore, where soldiers will build the floating steel vessels. An 1,800-foot-long, two-lane structure and bridge extends from the edge of the Mediterranean Sea to the bridgehead.

All deliveries will be organized and inspected in Cyprus before being loaded onto ships that carry them to the dock. Defense officials said American personnel would move supplies to the bridge, but would not leave it.

For his part, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant expressed his support for the naval plan in Washington last week, saying that Israeli forces will ensure that aid reaches whom it should reach.

On Sunday, the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip entered its 177th day, as the Israeli army continued its air and ground bombardment of various areas in the Strip, causing dozens of martyrs and hundreds of injuries.

The Israeli army continues to target the health sector and hospitals in the Gaza Strip and its siege of the Al-Shifa Medical Complex for the second week in a row, where 1,050 homes in the vicinity of Al-Shifa were destroyed, burned, and targeted, more than 400 martyrs were killed, and hundreds of patients, displaced people, and medical staff were arrested and tortured.

The Israeli army committed 8 massacres in the Gaza Strip, resulting in 82 killed and 98 injuries during the last 24 hours, bringing the toll since October 7, 2023 to 32,705 killed and 75,190 injuries.

Negotiations aimed at reaching an exchange and truce deal between Israel and the Hamas movement in Gaza will resume in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, in the latest attempt to reach an agreement by Egypt and Qatar, which are playing a mediating role in this regard, as they continue their joint efforts to achieve progress in the negotiations between the two sides.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave the green light to hold new talks with the aim of reaching a truce in the besieged Gaza Strip, which is subject to continuous bombardment, while its residents face the threat of “imminent famine,” according to the United Nations.

Today, Sunday, settlers attacked a sheep herder in the village of Afqqis, west of the town of Dura, south of Hebron, and threatened to shoot and kill him.

Local sources said that the settlers of the "Najhot" settlement, which was violently established on citizens' lands in the town of Dura, beat a citizen while he was grazing his sheep on the village lands, and he was taken to a hospital due to injuries and bruises.

He pointed out that the settlers threatened to shoot and kill him if he continued to graze on these lands.

Farmers and sheep herders in southern Hebron and Masafer Yatta are subjected to daily persecution, assault, and expulsion from their pastoral lands.

Evidence indicates that US President Joe Biden is facing a new critical moment of “truth” in the war that Israel has been waging against Gaza for six months without respite, as Israel confirms that it will move forward with the invasion of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, in which about 1.5 million people are besieged. One million Palestinians, most of them displaced.

According to all assessments, such an invasion will come at a time when American rejection of Israel’s actions reaches unprecedented levels, as a poll conducted by Gallup last week showed the extent of the erosion of traditional American support for Israel, as the death toll in Gaza exceeded 32,000, most of them women. And children under six months.

The Gallup poll showed that more Americans, by about 20 points, now disapprove of Israeli military operations in Gaza.

The poll also showed that 55% of Americans do not agree with this, while only 36% agree with it. Back in November, a poll conducted by the same organization found that a small majority of Americans approved of Israel's actions, 50% versus 45%.

The roar of opposition from Democratic voters has become louder. Three out of four Democrats said they now disapprove of Israel's actions, according to the Gallup poll, while only 18% agree. Seven percent did not express any opinion.

Pollsters also noted that Biden's behavior regarding the Gaza conflict was "the lowest of five issues tested in the poll." This is “because far fewer Democrats (47%) approve of how he has handled the situation between Israelis and Palestinians than with his handling of the economy, environment, energy policy and foreign affairs more broadly,” they said.

This poll is the latest development in a series of political moments that have shown Democrats' growing anger at the actions taken by the Israeli government led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - a government that is widely viewed as the most right-wing in Israel's history.

In November, organizers said a massive march in solidarity with Gaza was the largest pro-Palestinian demonstration in US history. Later that same month, pro-Palestinian demonstrators clashed with police at the Democratic National Committee headquarters.

In February, more than 100,000 people voted “noncompliant” in Michigan’s Democratic primary, a choice that was widely seen as a protest vote against Biden’s policies on Gaza. Shortly thereafter, the percentage of “uncommitted” voting in Minnesota was higher, about 19%, than the 13% in Michigan.

Left-leaning voices have become increasingly assertive in demanding that Biden and his administration do more to limit Israel's actions.

Senator Bernie Sanders (from Vermont) last week repeated his call for the Netanyahu government not to receive “another dollar” from the United States in exchange for what Sanders described as its “immoral war against the Palestinian people.” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) described Israel's actions in Gaza as "unfolding genocide" in a recent speech in the House of Representatives.

But it was Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) who underscored how even traditional Democrats now feel acute concerns about Netanyahu's behavior, with Schumer, the country's top Jewish-American elected official, criticizing the Israeli prime minister in a speech in mid-Month. March, when he said that “Netanyahu has lost his way” and called for new elections.

None of that affected Netanyahu, who responded to Schumer's speech by calling it "totally inappropriate."

Netanyahu also expressed his determination to continue plans to invade Rafah, where it is estimated that more than a million Palestinians are taking refuge. He and his allies say such a step is necessary to defeat Hamas.

Experts believe that the invasion will increase the pressure on Biden even more. At the same time, he must contend with a number of Democrats who remain hardline supporters of Israel. At the same time, Republicans are ready to accuse Biden and his party of abandoning Israel and tolerating terrorism.

Biden has significantly modified his rhetoric since the early months of the Israeli campaign, when he strongly embraced Netanyahu. One of the key moments showing the shift (in Netanyahu's speech) came in early February, when Biden described Israel's response to the October 7 attacks as "exaggerated."

Substantively, the biggest shift came last week when the United States facilitated the passage of a UN Security Council resolution (Resolution 2827) calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, as well as the release of hostages. The United States used its veto three previous times against previous United Nations resolutions calling for a ceasefire.

The American refusal to use the veto on this occasion sparked an angry reaction from Netanyahu, who canceled a scheduled trip to Washington for two senior figures in his government, Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer and National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi, (but he reversed his decision and rescheduled the visit for both Dermer and Hanegbi. To Washington this week.)

It is noteworthy that in an interview with MSNBC on March 8, Biden at the same time referred to the Israeli invasion of Rafah as a red line, but added that he would never abandon Israel.

Biden also proved that he does not pay attention to the demands of progressive Democrats to impose stricter conditions on aid to Israel. He supports a proposal to provide Israel with an additional $14 billion in military aid.

The administration has generally been reluctant to specify exactly what it will do in response to the attack on Rafah.

In turn, Vice President Kamla Harris told ABC News' "This Week" on March 24 that a major Israeli operation in Rafah would be a "huge mistake," and said that in terms of consequences, "I'm not ruling anything out."

But what these consequences might be remains a mystery. Biden's political fate may depend on coming up with a convincing answer.

Today, Sunday, settlers attacked citizens’ vehicles with stones on the road between Hawara and Qalqilya.

According to local sources, a number of settlers attacked vehicles with stones, near the town of Madama, south of Nablus, after the road between Hawara and Qalqilya was opened to citizens, after it had been closed since the seventh of last October.

“We have no other choice. We will work to replace you with Netanyahu immediately,” a statement said by the families of the Israelis detained in Gaza - yesterday, Saturday - in a statement, according to what was reported by Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper. They described the behavior of (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu as a crime and unimaginable, which is the obstacle to reaching an agreement with Hamas.

Yesterday, thousands of people went out in massive demonstrations in front of the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv to overthrow the Netanyahu government, and the demonstrations witnessed confrontations between the police and protesters who were demanding an immediate deal to release detainees in Gaza.

The statements of the families of the prisoners received great interaction on social media platforms at the global and Arab levels, and some activists described the statement of the families of the Israeli prisoners as unusual and with strong language against Netanyahu.

On the other hand, others saw that the current international system has reached a firm conviction that the Palestinian issue today needs a path to solve it, and the Palestinians must be granted their rights, or even part of them. One of them said, “One of the expected outcomes is that Israel will find itself facing one of two options: either confront the international will.” Or confront the internal will, represented by the right, and both are difficult. Will Israel choose to confront the world or itself?! “And in both cases, it will lose.”

It is noteworthy that indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas are taking place, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, with the aim of reaching a prisoner exchange deal and a second truce between the two parties, after the first, which lasted a week until the beginning of last December, and resulted in a prisoner exchange and the entry of limited aid into the Strip.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said that the Israeli government has failed for 6 months to return Israeli detainees in the Gaza Strip, and demanded the government’s departure and early elections.

This came in a blog post he published on his account on the

Lapid said that the ministers of the government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu were taking turns attacking the families of the kidnapped people on air on television stations, adding, "They have lost their minds."

He continued, addressing the ministers, "Are you crazy? Girls, the elderly, and children were kidnapped during your rule, and for half a year you failed to return them to their families, and then you blame their families?"

He described Netanyahu's government as a "government of destruction" and called for its departure and immediate elections.