Israeli tanks open fire near Rafah crossing

An Al Jazeera correspondent has reported that Israeli tanks are firing “heavily” near the Rafah crossing in southern Gaza.

Israeli drone attack kills two Palestinians in Rafah

As we reported a short while ago, there have been reports of Israeli tanks opening fire in Rafah, southern Gaza. Our colleagues now report that at least two Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli drone attack on a group of people in the area.

‘Intensive’ Israeli gunfire continues near Rafah

We have been reporting on the ongoing Israeli attacks in Rafah in southern Gaza, including a drone attack on a group of Palestinians that killed two people.

The Quds Press Agency is now reporting that Israeli military vehicles are carrying out “intensive and continuous gunfire” in al-Salam neighbourhood, east of Rafah city. No further casualties have been reported so far.

Number of Gaza dead reaches 48,453

Palestinian rescue teams have recovered seven more bodies from the rubble in Gaza, pushing the overall death toll from Israel’s war to 48,453, Gaza’s Health Ministry says.

Another six Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire in the past 48 hours, a ministry statement said. Eight wounded people were also admitted to hospitals, increasing the number of injured in the war to 111,860.

Hamas says Gaza aid block impacts Israeli captives

The Palestinian group once again accused Israel of “committing the war crime of collective punishment” by halting aid to Gaza for a seventh day, saying it also affected Israeli captives still held there.

Hamas said: “The repercussions of such crime extend beyond our people in Gaza to include the occupation’s prisoners [captives] held by the resistance, who are also affected by the lack of food, medicine and healthcare.”

The movement said Netanyahu “bears full responsibility” for the consequences of the aid block and accused him of “indifference” towards the captives held in Gaza.

On Sunday, Israel announced it was blocking aid deliveries to Gaza until Palestinian fighters accepted its terms for an extension of the ceasefire which had largely halted more than 15 months of fighting.


_{Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza was one of the main areas pounded by Israeli bombardments}

Fire breaks out in Gaza warehouses containing food supplies: Civil defence

Gaza’s civil defence says it is trying to contain a “huge” fire that broke out in warehouses containing food supplies on Al-Nasr Street, north of Gaza City.

“Our crews [faced] major obstacles in extinguishing the fire,” the civil defence said. “Only two fire engines participated in extinguishing the huge flames after the Israeli occupation destroyed most of the civil defence vehicles.”

People in Gaza salvage from the ruins to rebuild their homes

Many displaced Palestinians who returned to find their homes in ruins say waiting for help to arrive isn’t an option. Instead, they are finding whatever materials they can to build rooms and shelter in the winter months.

UN’s Albanese calls for Israel’s suspension from the UN

The United Nations special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory has said that Israel is “targeting Palestinians as a people, and this is what defines the crime of genocide”, according to the Palestinian media.

In an interview with Palestine TV, Albanese stressed that while she does not believe Israel wants to kill every Palestinian, the aim is to annihilate the concept of Palestinian existence in the occupied territory.

“Israel has violated the UN Charter, and it must be held accountable for its actions,” she said.

Albanese added: “I have called for the suspension of Israel’s credentials in the UN because of its disregard for international rules and laws. Israel has destroyed or damaged UN premises, targeted shelters, and accused the UN of terrorism.”


Azerbaijani FM calls for solution to Gaza crisis

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has called for a resolution to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza based on international law.

“During this holy month of Ramadan for the entire Islamic world, we hope for the resolution of the disturbing humanitarian situation in Gaza and the Middle East, guided by the principles of international law,” Bayramov said on X.

Main events on March 8th

Hamas calls for immediate negotiations on phase two

Hamas says its officials have met with the head of Egypt’s general intelligence agency, Hassan Mahmoud Rashad, in Cairo, to discuss progress on implementing the Gaza ceasefire.

“The delegation emphasised the necessity of adhering to all terms of the agreement, proceeding immediately to initiate negotiations for the second phase, opening the border crossings, and allowing the entry of relief materials into Gaza without any restrictions or conditions,” it said.

Hamas also backed the Egypt-led proposal for Gaza’s reconstruction, including its call for a transitional government to manage the territory until elections can take place.

“The delegation confirmed the movement’s approval to form a Community Support Committee composed of independent national figures to manage Gaza until the Palestinian house is organised and general elections at all national, presidential, and legislative levels are conducted,” it said.

Families of Israeli captives pile pressure on Netanyahu

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office has released a statement confirming that Israel will dispatch a negotiating team to the Qatari capital Doha to meet with mediators to see what’s going to come next as part of the ceasefire deal.

Israel says they want to extend phase one of the deal in order to bring about the release of as many captives as possible, but without committing to phase two.

Hamas has said previously that this is a red line for them, that they entered into this deal that’s in multiple phases to reach an end of the war.

But Israel has gone so far as to cut off all humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip for around a week now, to put that pressure on Hamas to cave to Israel’s demands.

Nonetheless, there’s still so much pressure on the Israeli prime minister from family members of Israeli captives who are accusing the premier of prolonging the war for his own personal and political gain.

They say that phase two of this deal is the only way to ensure the release of the remaining captives in Gaza.

‘Donald Trump is threatening to kill my family. Will the world stop him?’

“To the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD! Make a SMART decision. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!”

These were not the words of some far-right provocateur lurking in a dark corner of the internet. They were not shouted by an unhinged warlord seeking vengeance. No, these were the words of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, the most powerful man in the world. A man who, with a signature, a speech or a single phrase, can shape the fate of entire nations. And yet, with all this power, all this influence, his words to the people of Gaza were not of peace, not of diplomacy, not of relief – but of death.

THIS IS A WARZONE: Israeli Jew in Jenin Refugee Camp

As an Israeli Jew, despite multiple warnings and having to circumnavigate the entire country to get there, I visited Jenin Refugee Camp, Palestine.

In late February 2025, Israeli forces deployed tanks to Jenin - the first such deployment since 2002 - as part of a broader operation aimed at dismantling militant groups (Hamas and Islamic Jihad) in the region. This operation, expected to last up to a year, has resulted in the displacement of approximately 40,000 Palestinians, marking the largest displacement since 1967.

The refugee camp is completely demolished and has become a ghost town. Come along as we meet the Palestinians of Jenin, listen to their stories, and witness reality unfolding.

‘One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This’ - Author Omar El Akkad on Gaza

“I think operating under the systems of power that we have generally, relies in large extent on looking away, and this was much, much more difficult to look away from.”

Acclaimed author and journalist Omar El Akkad joined Mehdi Hasan to talk about Gaza and how people have shamelessly looked away from the first “live-streamed genocide” in history.