Gaza detainees are subject to forced disappearance: Rights group
According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society, Israeli authorities are refusing to disclose any information related to their arrest.
“The longer it takes to not know about their fate, the more our concern grows. This is especially in light of the testimonies that are surfacing about torture and executions carried out against Gaza detainees since the ground invasion began,” it said.
“We are not surprised by media reports that 27 Gaza detainees have died in detention, but rather constituted additional evidence of the level of horrific crimes carried out by the occupation.”
Israeli military confirms high-ranking commando killed in Gaza
The Israeli military confirmed Major Amishar Ben David has been killed during fighting in southern Gaza. It identified the 43-year-old as the head of the Commando Brigade’s forward command team. He was from the illegal settlement of Eli in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Ben David is the 248th soldier killed since Israel’s ground invasion of the besieged enclave was launched in October.
Hamas identifies 7 captives killed in Gaza in Israeli attacks
The military wing of Hamas released a short video that divulges the names and images of all seven captives it said last week were killed by Israeli bombardment. Hamas identified four previously unidentified captives as Itzik Jarat, Alex Densig, Ronin Tommy Angel, and Eliyahu Margalit. It earlier said Chaim Gershon Peri, 79, Yoram Itak Metzger, 80, and Amiram Israel Cooper, 85, had been killed in Israeli attacks.
“We tried to keep them alive, but Netanyahu insisted on killing them,” said the Hamas video in Arabic, Hebrew and English.
Israeli military says plans approved for ‘continuation of war’
The Israeli military says high-level officials have “approved plans for the continuation of the war” in a meeting. It released a short clip and pictures that showed military chief of staff Herzi Halevi, Shin Bet internal security chief Ronen Bar, and Israeli Southern Command chief Yaron Finkelman meeting to discuss battle plans.
This comes after the armed wing of Hamas said on Friday it will only agree to a deal if Israel withdraws from the Gaza Strip and there is a lasting ceasefire.
הרמטכ״ל ור׳ השב״כ קיימו היום אישור תוכניות להמשך המלחמה בפיקוד הדרום, יחד עם מפקד פיקוד הדרום, סגן ר׳ השב״כ ומפקדים נוספים pic.twitter.com/ts5Tk4k8D6
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) March 9, 2024
Israel ‘deepening operations’ in Hezbollah border fighting
Shortly after the Israeli military’s Southern Command convened to discuss plans for continuing the war in Gaza, a similar message is being sent on fighting to the north with Hezbollah.
General Ori Gordin, chief of the Northern Command, held a meeting with security coordinators of regional councils in northern Israel. “A discussion was held in which he presented the main points of the situational assessment and the processes of increasing readiness for the continuation and deepening of operations in the north,” the military said.
Gordin said he wants to bring back the tens of thousands of Israelis forced to flee the area because of fighting with Hezbollah.
“My commitment is to change the security situation in order to bring the residents back home.”
The Commanding Officer of the Northern Command met with the security coordinators of regional councils in northern Israel.
A discussion was held in which he presented the main points… pic.twitter.com/fct9D3s3Kh
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 9, 2024
