Here’s how things stand on Monday, March 25, 2024:
Fighting and humanitarian crisis
- Israel said on Sunday it has killed dozens of fighters and arrested 450 in the week-old operation in and around al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, adding that it located military equipment and infrastructure in the area.
- The Israeli military has claimed that Hamas fighters have barricaded themselves inside al-Shifa Hospital and are throwing explosives from inside the maternity ward and emergency room. Al Jazeera could not independently verify the Israeli claims.
- Palestinians who fled the continuing Israeli siege of al-Shifa Hospital say Israeli tanks and armoured bulldozers drove over at least four bodies and ambulances.
- During the week, Israel extended its attacks on medical complexes to al-Amal and Nasser hospitals in Khan Younis.
- Palestinians have accused Israel of repeatedly targeting hospitals during its nearly six months of bombardment. The United Nations health agency was forced to end its mission at al-Shifa Hospital due to the Israeli attacks.
- Separately, the Palestinian Red Crescent said on Sunday that one of its staff and a displaced person have been killed in al-Amal amid heavy bombardment and gunfire.
- Khan Younis residents said on Sunday troops also advanced and formed a cordon around Nasser Hospital under cover of heavy air and ground fire.
- The UN agency for Palestinian refugees says Israel will no longer allow its food convoys to enter northern Gaza, where people are dying of hunger. Sam Rose, the Director of Planning at the UNRWA, says Israel’s decision is a death sentence for Palestinians.
Diplomacy and regional tensions
- Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is set to arrive in Egypt today to meet with Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry for another round of crisis talks on Gaza.
- The UN Security Council is scheduled to vote on a draft ceasefire resolution at 10am New York time (14:00 GMT) today.
- Meanwhile, in the United States, Vice President Kamala Harris said it would be a “huge mistake” for Israel to move into Rafah with any type of major military operation.
- “We have been clear in multiple conversations and in every way that any major military operation in Rafah would be a huge mistake,” Harris told ABC News in an interview.
