US openly attacking the UN to please Netanyahu

Francesca Albanese’s tenure is sign of UN ‘bias against Israel’, says US

The US Mission to the United Nations has “strongly denounced” the tenure of Francesca Albanese, the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in Palestine.

In a statement, the mission said the Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC) support for Albanese was another “example of why President [Donald] Trump ordered the United States to cease all participation in the HRC”.

“Ms. Albanese’s actions also make clear the United Nations tolerates antisemitic hatred, bias against Israel, and the legitimization of terrorism,” the statement added.

Shortly after Trump took office in January, he cut funding to three UN bodies: the UNHRC, UNESCO and the agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

An executive order the president signed outlined that the agencies had acted “contrary to the interests of the United States while attacking our allies and propagating antisemitism”.

US sends more bombs and weapons to Israel

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reports that dozens of flights with military transport planes loaded with ammunition have landed in recent days at the Nevatim Airbase in Israel.

Today, six planes loaded with MK-84 bombs, cluster munitions, and other combat supplies for Gaza landed in Israel.

The ammunition that arrived in Israel comes as part of the preparations for more attacks on Gaza, as well as for potential attacks on Iran if negotiations fail, Israeli media reported.

This comes shortly after the US Department of State approved the sale of engines used on military vehicles to Israel in a deal worth $180m.

The administration of US President Donald Trump has accelerated weapons transfers to Israel despite the mounting toll in Gaza, including a limited number of offensive arms exports halted by Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden.

More bombs to do this stuff with

Israeli air strike kills two at Yarmouk Stadium housing displaced Palestinians

An Israeli air strike has targeted Yarmouk Stadium in Gaza City, which houses thousands of displaced people, our correspondent on the ground reports. The Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza said its aid workers recovered two people killed and seven others wounded after tents were targeted.

Our colleague also reported that the Israeli army blew up residential buildings north of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

Israeli drone attack kills child

A Palestinian child was killed after an Israeli drone attack hit a house near Nasser Medical Complex, west of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, our correspondent on the ground reports.

Israeli raids hit Lebanon’s Nabatieh

Israeli warplanes carried out three consecutive raids targeting Wadi Mazlam on the outskirts of the town of Ramya in southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh, according to the country’s National News Agency (NNA).

An Israeli drone was also reported to fly at low altitudes over Tyre and its surroundings, also located in southern Lebanon. As we reported earlier, the Israeli military said it killed a Hezbollah commander when it targeted an area near Aitaroun in the south.

Houthis report new US air strikes on Yemen

The Houthi-affiliated media outlet Al Masirah TV has reported that new US air strikes are hitting Yemeni cities.

At least 15 air attacks hit the island of Kamaran, located in the province of Hodeidah in western Yemen, a location that has been repeatedly targeted in the past few weeks.

The outlet also said “US aggression” targeted the al-Zahir district in al-Bayda governorate.

There were no immediate reports about potential casualties, but the ministry has reported more than 120 people have been killed as a result of US air strikes since last month.

More US air strikes hit Yemen’s Sanaa, Sadaa

A series of new US air strikes have targeted Yemeni cities, according to Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV.

Fast boats open fire on vessel east of Yemen: UKMTO

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reports that armed individuals on small boats opened fire on a vessel some 100 nautical miles (185km) off the coast of the Yemeni city of Aden, but there were no casualties.

Yemen’s Houthis, who have vowed to keep launching attacks to thwart Israel and the US in Gaza and across the region, have not yet commented on the incident.

20250415_UKMTO_WARNING_INCIDENT 009-25https://t.co/yo0ifPJbtT#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/gXW7xPMVrm

— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) April 15, 2025

Main events on April 15th

Father of US-Israeli captive asks how Netanyahu plans to free captives without ending war

As we’ve been reporting, the armed wing of Hamas said it lost contact with the team guarding US-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander in Gaza after “direct Israeli bombardment” targeted their location.

The announcement comes after Adi Alexander, Edan’s father, spoke to US television network NewsNation about his son’s captivity.

“And to Prime Minister [Netanyahu], the question is still remain the same one: How do you plan to get the last hostage out without ending this war and without committing to the second phase of this deal?” Alexander said in the interview on Monday.

Alexander also said he wondered “when President Trump will lose patience with the situation”, referring to Netanyahu restarting the war.

The interview came after Hamas released a video giving proof of life for Alexander on Saturday, which was filmed sometime last week.

Fear Netanyahu will use possible captive death in Israeli strike to continue genocide

There is a genuine belief among Palestinians across the Gaza Strip that there is an American interest in securing the release of Edan Alexander from captivity in the Gaza Strip.

But there was a statement just in the past couple of hours that the Qassam Brigades lost communication with, or contact with, the group or guards securing the location [where Alexander was held] after it was bombed relentlessly.

If his death is confirmed, it means that no pressure is going to be applied on Netanyahu and his government.

It is also worrying people that this might be an excuse for Netanyahu to prolong the genocidal acts across the Gaza Strip, using it as an excuse to continue with the air strikes and the ground invasion.

Belief that dual-national captives ‘targeted deliberately’ to ease foreign pressure on Netanyahu

Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Gaza City, Hani Mahmoud, says there are many questions regarding the fate of US-Israeli captive Edan Alexander following an Israeli strike on the location where he was being held in the enclave.

The attack came after Hamas released a video of Alexander being alive.

“There was a video released as proof by the Qassam Brigades to prove confirmation that Edan Alexander was still alive or still alive at that moment,” Mahmoud said.

Questions regarding Alexander’s wellbeing also come as Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is being accused of prolonging the war on Gaza for personal political reasons, and suspicion that dual-national captives in Gaza may be a hindrance to Netanyahu’s plans for the territory.

“Israeli officials also accused Netanyahu of using [the war] for political gain and there is a wide belief that dual nationals in captivity in Gaza are being targeted deliberately to remove the pressure from their own governments on Netanyahu,” Mahmoud said.

Israel is trying to use aid blockade to extort a ceasefire deal

More than a month after Israel closed all border crossings preventing any food or other goods from entering Gaza, Palestinians are struggling to find any food to eat. Now, Israel is using the blockade to try to extort a temporary ceasefire deal in exchange for allowing critically needed aid back into Gaza.


_{Palestinians wait in long lines for hot meals distributed by an aid organisation in Deir el-Balah, Gaza on Tuesday}

Talks of ceasefire as Palestinians in Gaza face ‘death and starvation or ethnic cleansing'

Efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza are running into challenges. Israel is trying to extort a temporary ceasefire deal in exchange for allowing critically needed aid back to Gaza. On the ground, Palestinians are desperate. They need a ceasefire to survive.

Israel will also only promise to discuss ending its genocidal war on Gaza if Hamas agrees to disarm and exile up to 200 of its members from the Strip. Hamas has shown flexibility on many issues but the movement says laying down its arms without ending the occupation is a red line.

But Hamas is running out of options. Gaza is in ruins. People are running out of hope and patience. And even if Hamas agrees to surrender and transform politically, Palestinians fear Israel will not end the genocide.

As offers and counteroffers are exchanged, the UN says the viability of life itself in Gaza is fading.

It all seems like a dead end. Hamas is being asked to self-destruct without any guarantees of a political breakthrough. Israel enjoys American political and military support. All while the Palestinians are staring into the abyss – death and starvation or ethnic cleansing.

 
Troops will remain in Gaza ‘security zones’ indefinitely: Israeli defence minister

“Unlike in the past, the [Israeli military] is not evacuating areas that have been cleared and seized,” Israel Katz has said in a statement.

Israeli forces “will remain in the security zones as a buffer between the enemy and [Israeli] communities in any temporary or permanent situation in Gaza – as in Lebanon and Syria.”

Israeli forces have taken over large areas of Gaza in recent weeks in a renewed campaign to pressure Hamas to release the remaining captives after they ended the ceasefire unilaterally last month.

Israel has also refused to withdraw from some areas in Lebanon following a ceasefire with Hezbollah last year, and it seized a buffer zone in southern Syria after the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad.

No humanitarian aid will enter Gaza: Israeli defence minister

“Israel’s policy is clear and no humanitarian aid will be allowed into Gaza,” Israel Katz said in a statement on X. Preventing humanitarian aid from entering the Strip “is one of the main pressure tools that stops Hamas from using this means against the population,” Katz said.

“In the current reality, no one is going to allow any humanitarian aid into Gaza, and no preparations are being made to allow any aid of this kind,” he said.

Israeli authorities have blocked all aid from entering Gaza for more than six weeks, worsening the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza. Earlier today, charity Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, denounced the “full siege” of Gaza, which has depleted food, fuel and medical stocks.

How much more proof of intent for genocide does the ICJ need?

Families of captives slam decision to leave troops in Gaza indefinitely

As we reported earlier, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that troops will remain in Gaza “security zones” indefinitely. The families of the captives, who are still waiting for the government to agree to a new deal to bring their loved ones home, did not welcome the news.

“They promised that the kidnapped come first. In practice, Israel is choosing to seize territory over the kidnapped,” read a statement from headquarters of the Hostages and Missing Families Prisoners Forum.

“It is time to stop with the false promises and slogans. It is impossible to continue the war and at the same time release all the kidnapped,” it said. The only feasible solution, the statement added, is that all captives are freed as part of a deal “even at the cost of ending the war”.

Autopsies confirm Gaza medics were shot in head, chest: Report

The New York Times is reporting that most of the paramedics and rescue workers who were killed in Gaza last month were shot in the head or chest, confirming reports they were “executed” by Israeli forces.

The New York Times says it saw autopsy reports for 14 of the 15 aid workers killed in the attack, not including one UN worker who was also killed.

The autopsies were performed by Dr Ahmad Dhair, the head of the Gaza Health Ministry’s forensic medicine unit, after the bodies were recovered from where Israeli soldiers buried them in southern Gaza, alongside their ambulances.

Top UK barrister: Israel is carrying out ‘destruction of humanity’ in Gaza

Ten British citizens, including dual nationals, who have served in the Israeli army are being accused of war crimes in Gaza.

They are suspected of acts such as “murder, extermination, attacking civilians, and deportation or forcible transfer of population”, according to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights and the UK-based Public Interest Law Centre, which submitted a 240-page report to the Metropolitan Police’s War Crimes Unit last week.

Michael Mansfield, 83, a leading barrister who has worked on several high-profile cases throughout his career and is dubbed “the king” of human rights work, was among those who handed over the dossier that took a team of lawyers and researchers in the UK and The Hague six months to compile.

Dozens of other lawyers, researchers and human rights practitioners have signed a letter of support, urging the Met’s war crimes team to investigate the complaints.

Gaza, a ‘mass grave’ for Palestinians and those helping them: MSF

Palestinian lives are being systematically destroyed as Israel’s continued bombardment of the Gaza Strip shows a “blatant disregard” for the safety of humanitarian workers, Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, has warned.

“Gaza has been turned into a mass grave of Palestinians and those coming to their assistance. We are witnessing in real time the destruction and forced displacement of the entire population in Gaza,” said Amande Bazerolle, MSF’s emergency coordinator in the enclave.

Medical facilities are not exempt from attacks and evacuation orders by Israeli forces. MSF teams have had to leave many facilities, while others continue operating with staff and patients trapped inside, unable to leave safely for hours at a time, a statement from the charity reads.

Operating inside Gaza has become extremely challenging, and according to the group:

Israeli helicopters, artillery attack southern Gaza homes, refugee camps

Palestinian media also report that Israeli attack helicopters are firing on Rafah city in the southern Gaza Strip, and the town of Abasan al-Kabira has also come under heavy Israeli artillery attack in nearby Khan Younis.

Artillery attacks have also been reported in the last hour on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, as well as the Bureij camp.

We reported earlier that three people were killed in an attack on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza earlier this morning, and six were killed overnight in an Israeli attack on the Hassouna family in the Tuffah neighbourhood of Gaza City.

Palestinian journalist, 10 family members killed in Israeli air strike

A Palestinian journalist and 10 members of her family were killed in an Israeli air strike that targeted their home in Gaza City, Wafa news agency is reporting.

The report said that Israeli warplanes bombed the home of journalist Fatima Hassouneh in Tuffah neighbourhood, east of Gaza City, killing her, alongside her relatives.

Since the war on Gaza began, more than 210 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed by Israeli attacks.

 
Gaza death toll rises to 51,025

Here are some figures from the enclave’s Health Ministry:

Israeli forces raid towns and villages across the West Bank

Our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic are reporting that Israeli soldiers have launched raids across the occupied West Bank tonight.

Raids were reported in: