The Israeli military on Monday indicated it could soon launch another major offensive in Rafah and ordered most of the southernmost city in the Gaza Strip evacuated.
Israel ended its ceasefire with Hamas and renewed its air and ground war earlier this month. At the beginning of March it cut off all supplies of food, fuel, medicine and humanitarian aid to the territory’s roughly 2 million Palestinians to pressure Hamas to accept changes to the truce agreement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has nominated a new domestic security chief, after he moved to fire the current one over a crisis of confidence that critics say was politically motivated.
___
Here's the latest:
3 suspects arrested in Lebanon over rocket attacks on Israel
Lebanese security officials said they have arrested two Lebanese and one Syrian in connection with rocket attacks from southern Lebanon into Israel.
At least eight rockets were launched into Israel on March 22 and 28. The militant group Hezbollah denied involvement, and no group claimed responsibility. In response, Israel carried out strikes in southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as in Beirut’s southern suburbs. They were first strikes there since ae ceasefire took effect between Israel and Hezbollah in late November.
The security officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
— By Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut
Netanyahu's Likud Party slams arrest of top aide to prime minister
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party has slammed the arrest of a top aide to the Israeli leader, saying it is part of a civil servant-driven effort to topple Netanyahu’s rule.
The Likud named the adviser arrested as Jonatan Urich, a longtime aide to Netanyahu. It said in a statement that his arrest was “a new low in the political witch hunt” against the Israeli leader.
Police said earlier Monday it had arrested two suspects in connection with an investigation looking into ties between the Gulf state of Qatar and people in Netanyahu’s close orbit.
Israeli police arrest 2 suspects linked to investigation into ties between Qatar and Netanyahu
Israeli police say they have arrested two suspects in connection with an investigation into ties between the Gulf Arab state of Qatar and the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The case is under a sweeping gag order and police did not name the suspects in their announcement on Monday.
The investigation is looking into accusations that Qatar, which is a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, hired people in Netanyahu’s orbit to manage public relations campaigns.
The alleged Qatar links are also being investigated by the country’s internal security agency.
Netanyahu moved to dismiss the agency’s head earlier this month, saying he had lost confidence in the official in part because of the security failures leading up to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack.
Critics accuse Netanyahu of trying to derail the Qatar probe and undermine state institutions that check his authority.
Israeli military orders evacuation of most of Rafah
The Israeli military on Monday issued sweeping evacuation orders covering most of the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip.
Israel ended a ceasefire and renewed its air and ground war against the Hamas militant group earlier this month.
Israel launched a major operation in Rafah, on the border with Egypt, last May, leaving large parts of it in ruins.
Israeli forces seized a strategic buffer zone along the border and did not withdraw from it as called for in the ceasefire agreement. Israel said it needed to maintain a presence there to prevent weapons smuggling.
Former Israeli hostage calls on Trump to end war in Gaza
A former Israeli hostage who learned upon his release that his wife and two young children were killed in captivity in Gaza called on U.S. President Donald Trump to bring an end to the war in Gaza.
In his first media interview since being freed in a ceasefire last month, Yarden Bibas told CBS’ 60 Minutes on Sunday that Trump was “the only one” who can convince Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas to halt the renewed fighting.
He said as a hostage, as he was held in Hamas’ underground tunnels, Israeli strikes were terrifying. “You’re afraid for your life,” he said. “Everything could collapse at any moment.” He said his captors, who had taunted him over his family’s fate, told him “you’ll get a new wife. New kids. Better wife. Better kids.”
“Please stop the war and help bring all the hostages back,” Bibas called on Trump.
UN releases footage from Gaza operation to recover first responders killed by Israeli forces
The United Nations has released footage from the operation to recover 15 first responders killed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip.
The footage released Sunday showed members of the Civil Defense, first responders who operate under the Hamas-run government, exhuming a body from a mound of sand. The body was wearing the same orange vest as the rescuers.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies called it the deadliest attack on its workers since 2017.
Israel said its forces opened fire on several vehicles that raised suspicions by advancing without headlights or emergency signals. The military said a Hamas operative and eight other militants were among those killed.
The United Nations humanitarian office said eight Red Crescent workers, six members of the Civil Defense and a U.N. worker were killed.
The shooting occurred when Israeli forces launched a surprise ground incursion into the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah on March 23.
Starmer ‘angry’ over illegal migration as he reveals 24,000 deportations under Labour
Police recover stolen jewellery worth more than £1 million
Musk claims the left doesn’t know what Nazism is after allegedely giving Nazi salutes
Ukraine-Russia live: Trump accuses Zelensky of trying to ‘back out’ of minerals deal
Marine Le Pen guilty of embezzling funds. This is what you need to know
King to begin normal week of official duties after cancer treatment side effects
