The WHO says rising numbers of kids in Gaza are on the ‘brink of demise’ from acute starvation because the UK sends extra support.
Right here’s how issues stand on Wednesday, March 20, 2024:
Preventing and humanitarian disaster
- Explosions and shootings shook the Gaza Strip’s largest hospital and surrounding neighbourhoods as Israeli forces stormed by way of the power for a second day on Tuesday.
- Israel has mentioned “dozens” of individuals have been killed and a few 300 folks arrested throughout its assault on al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza Metropolis.
- The Israeli army mentioned it raided al-Shifa early on Monday as a result of Hamas fighters had grouped within the hospital and have been directing assaults from inside. The Israeli claims couldn’t be independently verified because it has not allowed worldwide journalists to report from the besieged territory. Israel arrested Al Jazeera’s Ismail al-Ghoul throughout its raid on al-Shifa on Monday. Al-Ghoul was launched 12 hours later after worldwide condemnation.
- Individually, the Israeli army has killed not less than 23 folks throughout an assault on the Kuwait Roundabout in Gaza Metropolis early this week, whereas 15 extra have been killed in a strike on a home within the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza on Sunday.
- Dr Margaret Harris, a spokeswoman for the World Well being Group (WHO), mentioned on Tuesday that rising numbers of kids in Gaza are on the “brink of demise” from acute starvation.
Diplomacy and regional tensions
- The UK’s largest support supply to Gaza has entered the Strip, the British International Workplace mentioned on Wednesday.
- Greater than 2,000 tonnes of meals support crossed into Gaza by way of Jordan and is being distributed by the World Meals Programme and can feed “greater than 275,000 folks”, the workplace mentioned.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is anticipated to deal with US Senate Republicans throughout a closed-door convention on Wednesday by way of video. This comes lower than per week after the chamber’s high Democrat, Chuck Schumer, known as for elections to exchange him.
- Netanyahu agreed on Monday to ship a crew of Israeli officers to Washington to debate the upcoming Rafah offensive with Biden administration officers.
- Nevertheless, on Tuesday, he instructed a parliamentary committee that whereas he would hearken to US proposals “out of respect” to Biden, “we’re decided to finish the elimination of those [Hamas] battalions in Rafah, and there’s no method to do that with no floor incursion”.
- US Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, plan to debate securing the discharge of Hamas-held captives and offering humanitarian support to Gaza throughout their assembly in Washington, DC, subsequent week, in response to The Related Press information company.
- Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders has hailed Canada’s Parliament for voting to halt arms gross sales to Israel, saying the US ought to comply with swimsuit and “not present one other nickel for Netanyahu’s struggle machine”.
Canada’s parliament has voted to cease arms gross sales to Israel. They’re completely proper to take action. Given the humanitarian disaster in Gaza, together with widespread and rising hunger, the U.S. mustn’t present one other nickel for Netanyahu’s struggle machine.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) March 19, 2024
Violence within the occupied West Financial institution
- Native media and the Wafa information company reported Israeli army raids in a number of areas throughout the occupied West Financial institution late on Tuesday. They embody Jericho, town of Tulkarem, and the at-Taawon neighbourhood within the metropolis of Nablus.
- A Palestinian man has additionally been arrested after Israeli forces stormed his house within the Jalazone camp, north of Ramallah on Tuesday, whereas confrontations have damaged out between Palestinian resistance teams and Israeli forces within the city of ar-Ram, north of Jerusalem.
