Israeli airstrikes kill 20 in Rafah and central Gaza, Al-Jazeera journalist is released

The New Arab's live blog on the war in Gaza has now ended, and will resume at 0800am. Thank you for following.

Israel early on Tuesday launched missiles at several military targets outside the Syrian capital Damascus resulting in some "material damage," Syria's defense ministry said.

Syrian air defenses intercepted Israeli "missiles and shot down some of them," the ministry added in a statement.

The US military said on Monday it destroyed seven anti-ship missiles, three drones and three weapons storage containers in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

"It was determined these weapons presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region," the US military's Central Command said in a statement on the social media site X.

Israeli forces have shelled a house in Jabalia in northern Gaza on Monday evening, killing at least eight Palestinians, including children, according to the Palestinian Wafa news agency.

Citing witnesses, the agency said the house belonged to the al-Banna family and was destroyed completely. Many others were wounded, it said.

Twenty Palestinians were killed in the early hours of Tuesday in Israeli air strikes on Rafah and central parts of the Gaza Strip, Gaza health officials said.

In the southern Gaza city of Rafah near the Egyptian border, where over 1 million Palestinians have sought shelter, 14 people were killed and dozens others wounded in strikes that hit several houses and apartments, Gaza medical officials said.

Six more people died in another air strike on a house in Al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza Strip, they added.

In Deir Al-Balah, a town in central Gaza about 14 km (8.6 miles) south of Gaza City, the sounds of explosions mixed with thunder, and rain added to the miseries of displaced families in tent camps.

“We are no longer able to distinguish between the sounds of thunder and bombings,” Shaban Abdel-Raouf, a father of five in Deir Al-Balah, said via a chat application.

Pro-Iranian Lebanese Mayadeen television station said on Tuesday explosions were heard in the vicinity of the Syrian capital Damascus.

It gave no further details, but the Syrian army said on Sunday that Israel had hit areas in southern parts of the country. 

Israel's  Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) is claiming that 222 trucks entered the Gaza Strip today, carrying humanitarian aid.

It said 66% of the trucks carried food, the rest carried medical supplies, water and shelter equipment.

Israel has a track record of blocking a large number of aid trucks intended for Gaza throughout the war.

UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator said that the international community should "hang its head in shame" after saying that a famine in Gaza is imminent.

He said more than one million Palestinians are at risk because they have been cut off from aid, markets have collapsed and fields have been bombed.

"I renew my call to the Israeli authorities to allow complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods," he urged.

The UN children's agency said on Sunday over 13,000 children have been killed in Gaza in Israel's offensive, adding many kids were suffering from severe malnutrition and did not "even have the energy to cry."

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell did not provide a source for the child fatality figure during an interview with CBS News.

When asked if Russell was referring to the agency's own estimate or was basing the figure on reporting from authorities in Hamas-governed Gaza, a UNICEF spokesperson pointed to a press statement by the UN children's agency that attributed the figure to Gaza's health ministry.

"Thousands more have been injured or we can't even determine where they are. They may be stuck under rubble ... We haven't seen that rate of death among children in almost any other conflict in the world," Russell told CBS News' "Face the Nation" program.

"I've been in wards of children who are suffering from severe anemia malnutrition, the whole ward is absolutely quiet. Because the children, the babies don't even have the energy to cry."

Russell said there were "very great bureaucratic challenges" moving trucks into Gaza for aid and assistance

Israel has vowed to let Palestinians crammed into southern Gaza leave before its planned invasion of Rafah, but experts have warned it was practically impossible to get those civilians out of harm's way.

The roughly 1.5 million Gazans in the territory's southernmost tip have the Mediterranean Sea to their west and sealed borders to the south and east, while Israeli forces are poised to push in from the north.

"Where will we go if they enter Rafah, and where will we get a tent, mattress and blankets?" said Sabah al-Astal, 50, already displaced inside Gaza by the Israel-Hamas war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted on sending troops into Rafah to root out Hamas in the area that borders Egypt and Israel.

But Netanyahu has also pledged to enable Gazans to leave, saying Sunday that his troops would not move in "while keeping the population locked in place".

Israel, though, remains vague regarding how or when this massive evacuation would take place, a challenge that aid experts consider impossible in the devastated territory.

"People don't know where to go. There's nowhere safe in Gaza," said Nadia Hardman, an expert on refugees at Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Ismail al-Ghoul, an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent who was beaten and detained by Israeli troops during their raid of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, has been freed after 12 hours in Israeli custody, the Qatari broadcaster reported.

Israel killed the Hamas militant group's third-in-command last week, the White House said Monday, after Israel previously said he had been targeted in a Gaza airstrike but did not confirm his death.

"Hamas's number three Marwan Issa was killed in an Israeli operation last week," National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said as he gave a readout of a call between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Sullivan said Israel had also "broken a significant number of Hamas battalions, killed 1000s of Hamas fighters including senior commanders."

"The rest of the top leaders are in hiding, likely deep in the Hamas tunnel network, and justice will come for them too," he added.

US senator Bernie Sanders has criticised Washington for its continued support of Israel's right-wing government, saying the country "is virtually alone in the world" in doing so.

Sanders says there has been a "bipartisan consensus" on US foreign policy for decades and that consensus has almost always been wrong, whether on Vietnam or Iraq or many other issues, in a new article written for Foreign Policy on Monday.

This pattern is happening again right now with what is unfolding in the Gaza Strip as a result of Washington’s unwavering support for Israel, the US senator writes in Foreign Affairs magazine.

The Israeli government has placed the blame the head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, after he was denied entry into the Gaza Strip amid a worsening humanitarian crisis.

Israel’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), which is tasked with coordinating aid, claimed Lazzarini’s request "was not submitted by the necessary coordination processes and channels".

"This was promptly communicated to the relevant UN bodies. This is another attempt by UNRWA to blame Israel for their own mistakes."

US President Joe Biden told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Monday he was deeply concerned by Israeli plans for a ground operation in Gaza's Rafah, adding that an offensive would be a "mistake," the White House said.

Netanyahu had also agreed to Biden's request to send a delegation of senior Israeli officials to Washington to discuss the plans and a possible "alternative approach," National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said.

EU foreign ministers on Monday have "unanimously" approved sanctions against violent settlers that harass Palestinians in the West Bank, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told reporters after meeting with his EU counterparts in Brussels.

"Today, we have approved, unanimously, the sanctions against the violent settlers that harass the Palestinians in the West Bank," he said.

Israel is committed to achieving all its war aims against Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US President Joe Biden in a Monday call as Israel faces international pressure to ease its operations in Gaza.

In their first call in more than a month, with Biden increasingly vocal about the war's impact on civilians, Netanyahu reiterated "Israel's commitment to achieving all of the war's objectives," the Israeli leader said in a statement.

Netanyahu cited the objectives as eliminating Hamas, release of all the hostages and "ensuring that Gaza will never present a threat to Israel."

He also pointed to the provision of "essential humanitarian aid that helps achieve these aims."

Netanyahu and Biden last spoke on February 15.

The Israeli leader has rejected pressure from Washington, most recently saying that Israel would push ahead with a plan for an offensive to crush Hamas in Gaza's southern city of Rafah, where around 1.5 million people are sheltered.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has called for an immediate ceasefire following the publication of an IPC report that warned Gaza would enter a famine between mid-March and mid-May.

Sam Duerden, IRC Team Lead for the occupied Palestinian territory called the looming famine "shocking", saying that "Children are starving due to an entirely man-made and preventable crisis. There is no excuse. A ceasefire must be implemented immediately, and Israel must end its arbitrary denial of food, water, fuel and essential medicines.

He added that "Only a ceasefire and unhindered aid access will give any kind of meaningful respite to the suffering."

Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) released a statement in response to today's IPC report on imminent famine in Gaza, blaming Israel for using starvation as a weapon of war.

"The Israeli government has created a situation where famine is now imminent in Gaza," MAP CEO Melanie Ward said, adding: "This is not happening because the rains have failed or there has been a poor harvest. It is because starvation is being used as a weapon of war; the Israeli authorities refuse to allow enough food into Gaza to sustain life."

She also said that MAP had warned of the deteriorating food situation in Gaza back in January, saying global leaders have "fiddled at the edges rather than take decisive action which addresses the cause of this starvation." 

"Children in Gaza are being starved at the fastest rate the world has ever known, and their survival depends on more food, fuel, and water entering Gaza immediately, as well as a lasting ceasefire."

“This is not happening because the rains have failed or there has been a poor harvest. It is because starvation is being used as a weapon of war; the Israeli authorities refuse to allow enough food into Gaza."
- @melanie_ward, MAP's CEO

Read more 👉 https://t.co/0JXclQZibv pic.twitter.com/tFfY2rShZ8

— Medical Aid for Palestinians (@MedicalAidPal) March 18, 2024

US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke Monday, the White House said, their first call in more than a month amid growing tensions over Israel's offensive in Gaza.

"President Biden spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to discuss the latest developments in Israel and Gaza, including the situation in Rafah and efforts to surge humanitarian assistance to Gaza," it said in a statement.

Israel has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) not to issue emergency orders for it to step up humanitarian aid to Gaza to address a looming famine, dismissing South Africa's request to do so as "morally repugnant".

In a legal filing to the United Nations' top court, made public on Monday, Israel said it "has real concern for the humanitarian situation and innocent lives, as demonstrated by the actions it has and is taking" in Gaza during the war.

Lawyers for Israel denied allegations of deliberately causing humanitarian suffering in the enclave, where thousands have died and hunger is rising, and said South Africa's repeated requests for additional measures were an abuse of procedures.

The filing said South Africa's accusations in its request for new measures, filed 6 March, are "wholly unfounded in fact and law, morally repugnant, and represent an abuse both of the Genocide Convention and of the court itself".

(Reuters & The New Arab Staff)

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said Monday Israel had blocked him from entering the war-torn and besieged Gaza Strip where the UN has warned of impending famine.

UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said he had "intended to go into Rafah today, but was informed my entry had been declined," speaking in a Cairo joint press conference with Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.

Lazzarini later wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that he had been denied entry by "Israeli authorities", a claim Israel did not immediately comment on.

He added that "this man-made starvation under our watch is a stain on our collective humanity."

On the day new data is out on famine in #GAZA, the Israeli Authorities deny my entry to Gaza.

-Famine is imminent in the northern Gaza Strip, expected to arrive between now and May.
- Two million people= the entire population of Gaza is facing crisis levels of food insecurity…

— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) March 18, 2024

Al Jazeera has demanded the release of its journalist Ismail Al-Ghoul who was detained by the Israeli army in Al-Shifa hospital earlier today, the news agency announced in a statement.

"Al Jazeera Media Network demands the immediate release of its correspondent and the other journalists who were detained alongside him, and holds the occupation forces fully responsible for their safety," the statement said. 

"Ismail Al-Ghoul was arrested this morning inside Al-Shifa Hospital along with a number of journalists while covering the Israeli occupation forces' attack on the hospital. According to eyewitnesses, Ismail was severely beaten and taken to an unknown location," the statement added.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Monday said a report backed by the global agency saying that famine is now imminent in northern Gaza was an "appalling indictment" of conditions on the ground.

"This is an entirely manmade disaster — and the report makes clear that it can be halted," Guterres told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York, calling on Israel to ensure access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza. 

(Reuters)

US President Joe Biden was expected to speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, Axios news outlet reported, amid tensions between the countries after the top US Senate Democrat sharply criticized the Israeli leader.

The call will be the first between the two leaders since 15 February.

The World Health Organization chief voiced alarm Monday after Israeli forces launched an operation at Gaza's largest hospital, Al-Shifa, warning the fighting was "endangering health workers, patients and civilians".

"We are terribly worried about the situation at Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote on X, formerly Twitter. He cautioned that "any hostilities or militarisation of the facility jeopardise health services, access for ambulances, and delivery of life-saving supplies".

Hospitals should never be battlegrounds. We are terribly worried about the situation at Al-Shifa Hospital in northern #Gaza, which is endangering health workers, patients and civilians.

The hospital has only recently restored minimal health services. Any hostilities or…

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) March 18, 2024

Humanitarian aid organisation Mercy Corps said that it cannot wait for the declaration of a famine in Gaza in order to act to prevent deaths from starvation.

The comments were made following the recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report that warned between mid-March and mid-May northern Gaza would enter a famine and that over 1 million people across the enclave are facing "catastrophic hunger". 

Tjada D'Oyen McKenna, Chief Executive Officer of the organisation said: "Today's report lays bare that people across Gaza are suffering from starvation, and are truly desperate as they seek any way possible to feed their families."

"The ongoing denial of humanitarian access constitutes a grave violation of International Humanitarian Law, depriving civilians of the most essential relief and the most fundamental human right: the right to life.

"We cannot wait for an official famine declaration in Gaza to act when it is abundantly clear that people are and will continue dying from hunger and malnutrition," she added, saying: "Today's report must be a wake-up call for all parties with leverage over Israel to dramatically change course."

Famine is imminent in #Gaza’s north, warns new IPC acute food security analysis, with one third of the population already facing famine conditions.

We need an immediate #CeasefireNOW

Read our statement: https://t.co/EkCsLoZtky pic.twitter.com/OzClvXkkuK

— Mercy Corps - Europe (@mercycorps_uk) March 18, 2024

The rate of Palestinian unemployment in the occupied West Bank and Gaza is now above 50%, the International Labour Organization said on Monday.

Already more than half a million jobs have been lost since 7 October 2023, when Israel began an indiscriminate military campaign in Gaza after Hamas militants launched deadly cross-border attacks, the new report showed. If the conflict continues until end-March then the unemployment rate will soar to 57 percent, it said.

ILO Regional Director for Arab States Ruba Jaradat said that the destruction of infrastructure and schools, hospitals and business in Gaza had "decimated entire economic sectors and paralyzed labour market activity, with untold repercussions on the lives and livelihoods of Palestinians for generations to come."

In Gaza, some 200,000 jobs have been lost, accounting for about two-thirds of total employment in the enclave.

In the West Bank, the report described "near lockdown" conditions with more than 650 permanent and temporary checkpoints across the territory having significant negative effects on the economy. More than 300,000 jobs, or about a third of total employment, have already been lost there, it said. 

(Reuters)

The United States must make clear to Israel what the consequences of a military operation in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip would be, as the US has voiced opposition to such a move, Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry said on Monday.

"It is not enough for rhetoric, it is not enough to state opposition, it is also important to indicate what if that position is circumvented, what if that position is not respected," Shoukry said at a news briefing with United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) chief Philippe Lazzarini in Cairo.

He also warned that the humanitarian consequences and the loss of lives that would result in the situation would be "catastrophic".

The Israeli army have arrested Al Jazeera Arabic reporter Ismail al-Ghoul from inside Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza city, according to the news agency.

He was allegedly beaten by Israeli soldiers during the arrest according to journalist Imad Zaqqout who spoke to the Al Jazeera.

Famine is expected between now and May in the north of the Gaza Strip where 300,000 people remain trapped by fighting, a UN-backed report said on Monday.

Across the whole of the Gaza Strip, the number of people facing "catastrophic hunger" has risen to 1.1 million, about half the population, the report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said.

"Famine is now projected and imminent in the North Gaza and Gaza Governorates and is expected to become manifest during the projection period from mid-March 2024 to May 2024," it said.

(Reuters)

The head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency said on Monday the hunger in the Gaza Strip is "man-made".

"We are engaged in a race against the clock to try to reverse the impact of the spreading hunger and the looming famine in the Gaza Strip," UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said during a press conference in Cairo with Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry.

The crisis can be resolved and reversed through proper political will and Gaza can be "flooded" with food through the crossings, he added. 

(Reuters)

The number of Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza has reached 250 since ground operations in the territory began in late October, according to the latest toll on the army's website on Monday.

The 250th soldier was killed on Monday in what a security source said was the operation centred on the Al-Shifa hospital complex, Gaza's largest.

Israel's military on Monday called on Gazans to evacuate the area in and around the territory's largest hospital as battles raged at the complex crowded with patients and displaced people.

"In order to maintain your security, you must immediately evacuate the area," army spokesman Avichay Adraee said on social media platform X, instructing "all those present" to head west and then south to a "humanitarian area".

Israel is provoking famine in Gaza and using starvation as a weapon of war, the EU's foreign policy Chief Josep Borrell said on Monday.

"In Gaza we are no longer on the brink of famine, we are in a state of famine, affecting thousands of people," Borrell said at the opening of a conference on humanitarian aid for Gaza in Brussels.

"This is unacceptable. Starvation is used as a weapon of war. Israel is provoking famine."

(Reuters)

Gaza's health ministry have announced that 81 people have been killed by Israel in the past 24 hours, with a further 116 injured.

As a result, the total number of people killed rose to 31,726, with a further 73,792 injured, the ministry added.

Israel will send a high-level delegation headed by its Mossad chief to Qatar on Monday for mediated talks with Hamas designed to secure a six-week Gaza truce under which the Palestinian militants would free 40 hostages, an Israeli official said.

This stage of the negotiations could take at least two weeks, the official estimated, citing difficulties that Hamas' foreign delegates may have in communicating with the group in the besieged enclave after more than five months of war.

(Reuters)