Main events on March 31st
- Israeli forces continue bombarding Gaza, killing at least 34 Palestinians across the Strip on Monday, according to medics.
- Thousands of Palestinians are fleeing Rafah in southern Gaza, many of them on foot, after the Israeli military issued a forced evacuation order for all of the city and launched deadly attacks there.
- The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has buried 15 emergency workers, including eight medics, who were killed by Israeli forces as they tried to rescue civilians wounded in attacks on March 23.
- Antigovernment protesters in Israel have rallied outside the parliament building in West Jerusalem, demanding an end to the war in Gaza and a return to the ceasefire deal.
- UNICEF says at least 322 children have been killed and 609 others wounded since Israel resumed its war on Gaza on March 18.
- Yemen’s Houthis say US forces launched two raids on Kamaran Island in the Red Sea, as US President Donald Trump warned the rebel group to halt attacks on shipping or face “real pain”.
Israel proposes 40-day Gaza ceasefire deal for release of 11 captives: Report
Haaretz, citing a senior Israeli official, reports that Israel has offered Hamas a ceasefire through mediators Egypt and Qatar in exchange for the release of 11 living captives and the return of 16 bodies, in addition to providing information on the remaining captives in Gaza.
Israel would also release an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners from its jails, the newspaper said.
The official said that on the fifth day of the deal, Israel would request information from Hamas regarding the rest of the captives in its custody.
Under the Israeli proposal, Tel Aviv would ask Hamas to release the bodies of 16 Israeli captives on the 10th day of the agreement. Israeli estimates indicate that 59 captives remain in Gaza, including 24 who are alive.
No comments have been issued by Israel, Hamas or the mediators on the report.
US blames Hamas for Israel’s killing of 15 emergency workers in Gaza
US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce made the comments when asked about Israeli forces killing the humanitarian workers and destroying their vehicles last week.
“Every single thing that is happening in Gaza is happening because of Hamas,” Bruce told reporters. “All of this could stop in a moment if Hamas returned all the hostages and the hostage bodies they are still holding and put down its weapons,” she said.
“All loss of life is regrettable,” Bruce added, “whoever it is, wherever they live”. However, she said “for too long, Hamas has abused civilian infrastructure, cynically using it to shield themselves”, and their “actions have caused humanitarians to be caught in the crossfire”.
Hamas denies the claim, while experts say Israel’s claim that the Palestinian group uses civilians as human shields does not hold up to scrutiny, as Israeli forces have bombed hospitals, ambulances and schools on numerous occasions, causing mass casualties, without evidence of fighters being in the vicinity. And even if the claim were true, they say it is not enough to justify or explain the magnitude of death and destruction in Gaza.
Palestinian authorities say Israeli forces have killed 1,402 medical personnel and 111 emergency workers since launching the war on Gaza.
United States of Israel is now fully Netanyahu's propaganda machine.
