KEY POINTS
- Over 33,000 dead from Israel-Hamas war: Hamas-run Gaza health ministry
- Israeli army begins preparing for ground raid of overcrowded Rafah
- Fatah-Hamas conflict reportedly escalates, raising questions about post-war Gaza's future
The war in Gaza is now on its 185th day – an Israeli strike early Monday killed field commander Ali Ahmed Hassin of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah's elite Radwan unit, raising fears of a potential all-out war in the fraught Israel-Lebanon border.
Back in war-torn Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has withdrawn all of its ground troops from the southern end of the strip in a "tactical" move while a "significant force" will continue operating in other parts of the Strip.
- Iran suffers widespread internet outages: Reports
- Rocket sirens sound in northern Israel after Hezbollah commander's killing
- Iraq to send 10 million liters of much-needed fuel to Gaza
- Hezbollah confirms Radwan commander's killing
Over in Cairo, "no progress" was made in talks for a potential ceasefire, a Hamas official said despite other reports that there were positive signals from the latest round of discussions. Delegations from the U.S., Qatar and Israel were in Egypt Monday to discuss a possible truce, but more than six months since Hamas' Oct. 7 massacre in Israel, the fate of some 130 hostages remaining in Gaza still hangs in the balance.
Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi rebels have resumed their rampage in Middle Eastern waters as the rebel militia claimed to have attacked a British ship and two "Israeli" vessels in the Red and Arabian Seas and the Indian Ocean over the weekend. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed that a merchant ship was attacked near Aden.
On the other side of the world, Nicaragua called on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to halt Germany's arms support for Israel, accusing the European nation of "facilitating the commission of genocide" against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Six months of hostilities in Gaza stem from the violent history of the Israel-Palestine conflict that has left thousands dead and injured from both sides, with Palestinian civilians suffering a disproportionate majority of the casualties.
Hezbollah confirms top commander's killing
The Lebanon-based terror group on Monday afternoon confirmed the killing of a top commander in its Radwan Force, alongside another Hezbollah member.
Hassin (Ali Ahmad Hussein) was killed in an Israeli airstrike earlier in the day.
Iraq to send much-needed fuel to Gaza
Iraq will send 10 million liters of fuel to Gaza to show support for Palestine, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudan said. The country will also receive injured Palestinians and treat them in government and private hospitals.
The country's commitment come amid the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. A critically-low supply of fuel has crippled the enclave's health system and made it difficult for bakeries to continue operating.
Sirens sound in northern Israel
Rocket sirens sounded in Israel Monday afternoon local time, as per Israeli outlets. This comes amid continuing fire exchanges between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah.
🚨Rocket sirens sound in northern Israel
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) April 8, 2024
Widespread internet outages across Iran: Reports
Multiple outlets are reporting widespread internet disruptions across Iran Monday afternoon, some citing Arab sources. The Iranian government has yet to deny or confirm the reports.
The cause of the disruptions, if confirmed, is unclear at this point.
Fatah-Hamas tensions reportedly escalating
Tensions between the Gaza Strip's main powers, Fatah and Hamas, have escalated, local media reported Monday.
Hamas has been pushing for a role in governing the Gaza Strip after the war ends, but Israeli allies, led by Washington, have repeatedly said they would back a reformed Palestinian Authority (PA) in a post-war Gaza.
The conflict escalated after Hamas accused some PA intelligence operatives of cooperating with Israel. A Fatah spokesperson has said PA intel operatives were only in Gaza to distribute aid relief to civilians.
Israel begins preparations for Rafah raid
Israel has started preparing for its planned ground incursion of Rafah, an overcrowded city in southern Gaza where more than a million Palestinians have been sheltering since the war started.
The country's defense minister hinted Monday that the reason IDF troops left Khan Yunis, southern Gaza's main city, was "to prepare for future missions, including... in Rafah."
The Israeli government has repeatedly said a Rafah incursion was necessary to defeat Hamas, but Israeli allies, including the U.S., have repeatedly warned against a raid that does not include a solid plan to protect civilians.
Read the full story here.
Gaza death toll passes 33,000-mark: Hamas-run health ministry
Gaza's health ministry, which is run by Hamas, said Monday that the death toll from the Israel-Hamas war has now reached 33,207. The number of injured has climbed to 75,933, it added.
Nicaragua drags Germany to UN top court over Israel arms exports
Nicaragua on Monday filed a complaint against Germany at the ICJ, demanding that the European country be barred from supporting exporting arms to Israel. "By sending military equipment and now defunding UNRWA ... Germany is facilitating the commission of genocide," Nicaragua's submission states.
Germany has since rejected Nicaragua's allegations, saying it did not violate any international and humanitarian laws. It is expected to respond in court Tuesday.
Read the full story here.
Missiles fired toward merchant ship: UKMTO
The UKMTO said Sunday that container ship Hope Island was attacked by two missiles off Aden in Yemen. One missile was intercepted by coalition forces, while the second hit the waters near the ship.
No damage was caused to the Hope Island and its crew were reported safe.
20240407-UKMTO_Daily_Summary-Ohttps://t.co/DQ9L4E6Ddt#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/18yOJX0wdn
— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) April 7, 2024
Houthis run amok in Middle Eastern waters
The Iranian-backed terror militia resumed attacks in seas across the Middle East over the weekend. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sare'e said the group attacked "British" merchant ship Hope Island using naval missiles.
Two "Israeli ships" namely the MSC Grace F and MSC Gina were also attacked over the weekend in the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea respectively, Sare'e said.
Houthis pledged solidarity with the Palestinian people and said they will continue to attack American, British and Israeli commercial vessels until Israel ends its military offensive in Gaza.
Truce talks still in a deadlock: Hamas official
There was no progress made in talks for a potential ceasefire in Cairo Monday, Reuters reported, citing a Hamas official who asked not to be identified. "There is no change in the position of the occupation and therefore, there is nothing new in the Cairo talks. There is no progress yet," the official said.
Israeli, Qatari and American delegations arrived in Egypt over the weekend, including CIA Director Bill Burns, to discuss a possible ceasefire deal. The Hamas official's comments came amid reports that the Monday discussions yielded positive signals.
Israeli army withdraws from southern Gaza
The IDF has pulled out its ground forces from southern Gaza. However, Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant hinted that the withdrawal of troops from the region's main city of Khan Yunis was so that soldiers can "prepare for future missions, including...in Rafah."
IDF strike eliminates top Hezbollah elite force leader
An Israeli army airstrike in the As-Sultaniyah area in southern Lebanon killed Hassin early Monday, the IDF said. It also published footage of the airstrike that supposedly assassinated the Radwan Force field commander.
Hassin "served as a veteran and senior official in the terrorist organization, equivalent in rank to the rank of brigadier general," the Israeli army noted.
מטוסי קרב של חיל האוויר תקפו וחיסלו הלילה באזור א-סלטניה שבלבנון את עלי אחמד חסין, מפקד מרחב ההתקפה חג׳יר (רכס רמים) של כוח רדואן בארגון הטרור חיזבאללה.
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) April 8, 2024
עלי אחמד חסין שימש גורם ותיק ובכיר בארגון הטרור, מקביל בדרגתו לדרג מח״ט>> pic.twitter.com/YNUnNoc83k
Hassin's killing is expected to escalate tensions in the area further as he is the highest-ranking Hezbollah official in recent weeks that the IDF assassinated.
