by Online Editorial Staff
News on the Israel-Hamas conflict on Friday 29 March, live
• the 170th day of war: At least 32,552 people killed in Gaza and 74,518 wounded since October 7.
• Netanyahu: Israel is preparing to enter Rafah.
• Hamas: Not very optimistic about a ceasefire agreement.
• WHO: Famine plagues Gaza.
07.43 am – Biden: Israel’s anger is understandable, but too many innocent victims
There are too many innocent victims, Israeli and Palestinian. We must provide more food, medicine and supplies for the Palestinians. US President Joe Biden said this when speaking about the war in the Gaza Strip during a fundraising event in New York.
Biden stressed that we cannot forget that Israel’s very existence is at stake. The Israelis were massacred. Imagine if this happened to us in the United States. It’s understandable that Israel has such deep anger. But we must stop the war effort that causes significant deaths of innocent civilians.
07.27 am – UN: Israel must allow aid to pass through Gaza
Israel defends itself, saying that the accusations of blocking aid are “unfounded”. He also denied South Africa’s accusations of genocide and pointed the finger at the UN for problems over aid distribution in Gaza. The Hague court’s ruling comes after South Africa asked to strengthen the order issued to Israel in January to take all measures to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza. The International Court of Justice issues binding orders, yet the court lacks the tools to force them to be implemented.
06.53 am – Syria: 38 dead in the Israeli attack on Aleppo
Tonight’s Israeli attacks on the northern Syrian city of Aleppo killed 38 people, including five members of the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah: this was stated by local security sources, quoted by the British news agency Reuters.
05.06 am – USA: Israel has not received all the weapons it requested
The highest-ranking US military officer said Israel has not received all the weapons it requested, partly because limited supplies of some of them could compromise the US military’s preparedness. Even though we supported them with our endowments, they did not receive everything they asked for,” said General Chief of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Q. Brown quoted by the international media. “Part of that is because they’ve asked for things that we don’t have the capacity to provide or aren’t willing to provide at this time,” Brown said, speaking at an event hosted by the Defense Writers Group. A spokesperson for Brown later specified that the general’s comments referred to standard practice before providing military aid to any US ally or partner. “We evaluate U.S. stockpiles and any possible impacts on our preparedness in determining our ability to provide the assistance requested,” Capt. Jereal Dorsey said in a statement. There is no change in American policy: The United States continues to provide security assistance to our ally Israel as it defends itself from Hamas, Dorsey added.
03.23 am – Syria: Dozens dead in the Israeli raid on Aleppo
The Syrian Defense Ministry says several civilians and soldiers have been killed following attacks by the Israeli army and a militant group in the northern city of Aleppo. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights speaks of around 30 deaths.
03.18 am – Al Jazeera: 8 dead in Israeli attack on Maghazi refugee camp
The Arab broadcaster Al Jazeera says that at least eight people have died and several others have been injured in an Israeli bombing that hit a house in the Maghazi refugee camp in the center of the Gaza Strip this evening.
3.15am – Pro-Gaza protesters interrupt Biden’s event in New York
Pro-Gaza protesters disrupted a fundraising event in New York attended by Joe Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. You have blood on your hands, one person shouted from the audience while others accused the three US presidents of being out of their minds.
02.56 am – Here is the video of the explosions in Aleppo, Syria
02.22 am – Syria, explosions at Aleppo airport: Israeli attack
Large explosions are reported in Aleppo, northern Syria, in what is described as an Israeli attack. The attack would have targeted the city’s main airport, a target in recent years due to other Israeli attacks. Unverified videos show a large fireball rising over the city.
02.20 am – USA, 4 drones launched by Houthi rebels destroyed over the Red Sea
US Central Command (Centcom) reports that its forces have successfully destroyed four drones launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The drones, explains a note, were aimed at a Coalition vessel and a US warship and were engaged in a self-defense action on the Red Sea. No injuries or damage to U.S. or coalition ships were reported.
01.36 am – Islamic Jihad militant admits to having raped an Israeli on 7 October
An Islamic Jihad militant has reportedly admitted raping an Israeli woman during the October 7 massacre and killing civilians. This was reported by unit 504 of the intelligence directorate of the Israeli Defense Forces. Manar Mahmoud Muhammad Kasem, an officer of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization’s naval force, was arrested in early March by soldiers of Unit 504 operating under the 98th Division in the Khan Yunis area. In his interrogation, he described in detail the atrocities committed, according to him: The devil took possession of me, I laid her down, began to undress her and did what I did.
00.42 am – Wafa Agency: 12 dead in Israeli attack on a house in Kahn Yunis
The Palestinian news agency Wafa says at least 12 people died in an Israeli air strike that hit a house near Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip last night. Victims were also reported in Jabalia, in the north of the Palestinian enclave.
00.31 am – Political: USA, hypothesis of a multinational force to stabilize Gaza
US government officials are exploring options to fund a multinational or Palestinian-led force to stabilize Gaza once the Israeli invasion ends. Politico reports this, citing White House and Pentagon officials. The talks include the White House, the Department of Defense and the State Department on the American side and their foreign counterparts, Politico says. We are working with partners on various scenarios for interim governance and security structures in Gaza once the crisis recedes, a senior White House official said. The options under discussion will not concern the American presence on the ground. The Pentagon will provide part of the funding, while the rest will come from Washington’s partners, none of which have confirmed participation.
00.30 – Israel: we will promote new initiatives to increase aid to Gaza
Israel will continue to promote new initiatives and expand existing ones to enable and facilitate the flow of aid to the Gaza Strip in a continuous and extensive manner, by land, air and sea, together with United Nations bodies and other partners in the international community. This includes continued efforts to increase the reach and means of access for such aid, despite operational challenges on the ground and Hamas’s active and abhorrent efforts to commandeer, hoard and steal aid. This was written by Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lior Haiat, who also accused South Africa of having made cynical attempts to exploit the world court to undermine Israel’s right to self-defense and to obtain the release of the remaining hostages. The International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to take steps to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, including opening more land crossings to allow food, water, fuel and other supplies into the war-torn enclave.
March 29, 2024 (modified March 29, 2024 | 07:44)
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED