Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has canceled a high-level delegation’s deliberate go to to Washington after the U.S. determined to not use its veto energy on Monday’s U.N. Safety Council decision for a direct cease-fire in Gaza.
After vetoing three earlier resolutions calling for a cease-fire, the U.S. choice to abstain comes at a time of rising tensions between President Joe Biden’s administration and Netanyahu over Israel’s prosecution of the warfare, the excessive variety of civilian casualties and the restricted quantities of humanitarian help reaching Gaza.
Worldwide support officers say the whole inhabitants of the Gaza Strip — 2.3 million individuals — is affected by meals insecurity and that famine is imminent within the hard-hit north.
Greater than 32,000 individuals have been killed within the territory, and greater than 74,000 wounded, in line with Gaza’s Well being Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants in its counts. It says girls and kids make up two-thirds of the useless.
Some 1,200 individuals have been killed on Oct. 7 when Palestinian militants launched a shock assault out of Gaza, triggering the warfare, and kidnapped one other 250 individuals. Hamas continues to be believed to be holding some 100 Israelis hostage, in addition to the stays of 30 others.
Presently:
— Palestinians describe our bodies and ambulances crushed in Israel’s ongoing raid at Gaza’s important hospital.
— U.N. passes decision demanding a cease-fire in Gaza throughout present Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
— 1000’s of Christians attend Palm Sunday celebrations in Jerusalem in opposition to a backdrop of warfare.
— Israeli airstrike in northeastern Lebanon wounds three individuals, native official says.
— Discover extra of AP’s protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.
Right here’s the newest:
WHITE HOUSE SURPRISED BY ISRAEL’S RESPONSE TO U.N. VOTE
WASHINGTON — White Home nationwide safety spokesman John Kirby mentioned the response by Israel to the U.N. decision was stunning. “We’re sort of perplexed by this,” he mentioned.
He mentioned the Israelis have been “selecting to create a notion of daylight right here after they don’t want to do this.”
In response to a U.S. official with direct information of the talks, American officers have been in contact with Israel all through the weekend to make the U.S. place identified on the Safety Council decision, and to articulate that it was not a change in coverage or in assist for Israel. The official spoke to The Related Press on situation of anonymity to debate the delicate discussions.
Netanyahu didn’t discuss to Biden earlier than he canceled the delegation’s journey, and Biden doesn’t have any quick plans to telephone Netanyahu, the official mentioned.
In the meantime, Israeli Protection Minister Yoav Gallant was set to satisfy with U.S. Nationwide Safety Adviser Jake Sullivan and others Monday in Washington the place discussions would proceed. The U.S. official mentioned the plan by Israel to enter Rafah was not imminent and there would nonetheless be time for ongoing talks — regardless of the canceled journey.
Eytan Gilboa, an knowledgeable on U.S.-Israel relations at Bar Ilan College, mentioned Netanyahu’s choice to cancel the diplomatic delegation to the US was a mistake and demonstrates the strain between the US and Israel at this second.
Gilboa mentioned Biden is attempting to placate voices inside the Democratic get together that oppose his assist of Israel, whereas Netanyahu is attempting to point out his potential to face as much as American insurance policies he considers anti-Israel.
“If home issues are dominating choice making within the warfare, you will have very harsh exchanges of rhetoric,” he mentioned.
___
Related Press author Colleen Lengthy in Washington contributed.
‘REASONABLE GROUNDS’ TO BELIEVE ISRAEL IS COMMITTING GENOCIDE IN GAZA, INDEPENDENT U.N. EXPERT SAYS
GENEVA — An unbiased knowledgeable working with the U.N.’s prime human rights physique says there are “cheap grounds” to imagine Israel has been finishing up genocide in Gaza.
Israel’s authorities rapidly rejected the report.
The report from Francesca Albanese, the U.N. particular rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, cited Israeli polices and the “patterns of violence” throughout Israel’s navy operation within the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7.
It accused Israeli navy forces and authorities leaders of getting deliberately violated the legal guidelines of warfare and protections that they confer, “in an try to legitimize genocidal violence in opposition to the Palestinian individuals.”
“By analyzing the patterns of violence and Israel’s insurance policies in its onslaught o Gaza, this report concludes that there are cheap grounds to imagine that the edge indicating Israel’s fee of genocide is met,” mentioned the report, entitled “Anatomy of a Genocide.”
The report was drawn up below a mandate from the Human Rights Council., the U.N.’s prime human rights physique. It lays out a number of the most methodical reasoning but into claims of genocide in opposition to Palestinians which have been raised by critics of Israel and others.
The Israeli diplomatic mission in Geneva, the place the council relies and is at the moment in session, mentioned the report “brings disgrace” on the 47-country rights physique and blasted Albanese for a “marketing campaign of delegitimizing the very creation and existence of the State of Israel.”
“Because the warfare, she has continued this marketing campaign unabated, excusing and legitimizing the assaults of Oct. 7, dismissing their antisemitic nature and dismissing any concrete proof of acts of savagery that have been perpetrated on that day,” the mission mentioned.
“It’s clear from the report that the Particular Rapporteur started with the conclusion that Israel is committing genocide, after which tried to show her distorted and politically-driven views with weak arguments and justifications,” it added.
U.N. human rights officers have been cautious to say that solely a reliable courtroom could make the ultimate dedication about genocide, and that’s particularly onerous throughout ongoing battle just like the one in Gaza.
Albanese is an outdoor knowledgeable and doesn’t converse for the United Nations.
JORDAN AND TURKEY PRAISE U.N. CEASE-FIRE RESOLUTION
ANKARA, Turkey — Jordan and Turkey have welcomed the U.N. Safety Council’s decision on Gaza, with each nations saying Israel should adjust to the decision’s calls for.
Turkish Overseas Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli mentioned in a press release that the decision was “a constructive step.”
“We name on the worldwide group to take a united stand in opposition to Israel to finish the humanitarian disaster in Gaza and to discover a lasting answer to the Israeli-Palestinian battle,” the spokesman mentioned.
Jordan’s Overseas Ministry spokesman Sufyan Al-Qudah famous the decision “emphasizes defending civilians and permitting the unhindered supply of humanitarian support.”
HAMAS WELCOMES U.N. CEASE-FIRE RESOLUTION BUT WANTS TRUCE TO BE PERMANENT
CAIRO — Hamas mentioned it welcomed the choice by the United Nations to name for a cease-fire however mentioned the truce must everlasting.
“We affirm our readiness to have interaction in a direct prisoner alternate course of that results in the discharge of prisoners on each side,” the Palestinian militant group mentioned Monday.
Israel is in search of the discharge of the greater than 100 hostages nonetheless held in Gaza by Hamas, whereas Hamas desires an finish — not a short lived pause — to the warfare together with the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Hamas additionally desires Israel to launch giant numbers of Palestinian prisoners.
Worldwide mediators, led by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt, have been engaged on a cease-fire to pause or finish the warfare in Gaza.
WHITE HOUSE SAYS U.S. POLICY HAS NOT CHANGED, AFTER ABSTAINING ON U.N. CEASE-FIRE RESOLUTION
WASHINGTON — White Home nationwide safety spokesman John Kirby insisted the the U.S. abstaining from a U.N. decision on Gaza cease-fire, permitting the decision to move, was not a change in American coverage.
“There isn’t any cause for this to be seen as an escalation. Nothing has modified about our coverage,” he mentioned.
Kirby mentioned the decision known as for each a cease-fire and the discharge of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. “And that’s, broadly talking, consistent with what has been our coverage.”
Kirby mentioned the U.S. was dissatisfied in Israel’s choice to cancel this week’s diplomatic delegation to Washington, however mentioned the discussions with Israeli Protection Minister Yoav Gallant would doubtless embrace a few of what the U.S. had hoped to debate with the delegation on Israel’s deliberate floor assault on the Gaza metropolis of Rafah.
He mentioned he wouldn’t talk about whether or not the U.S. would contemplate withholding assist if the Israelis have been to proceed.
The White Home was aiming to speak to the Israelis about doable alternate options to a floor invasion of Rafah, however Kirby wouldn’t get into specifics.
NETANYAHU CANCELS ISRAELI DELEGATION’S TRIP TO WASHINGTON IN PROTEST OF U.N. CEASE-FIRE VOTE
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has canceled a deliberate go to to Washington by a high-level delegation to protest Monday’s U.N. Safety Council choice calling for a direct cease-fire.
The decision handed 14-0 on Monday after the U.S. determined to not use its veto energy and as a substitute abstained.
Netanyahu accused the U.S. of “retreating” from what he mentioned had been a “principled place” by permitting the vote to move with out conditioning the cease-fire on the discharge of hostages held by Hamas.
The Israeli delegation was to current White Home officers with plans for an anticipated floor invasion of the strategic Gaza city of Rafah, the place over 1 million Palestinian civilians have sought shelter from the warfare.
U.N. DEMANDS CEASE-FIRE IN GAZA DURING RAMADAN, ITS FIRST DEMAND TO HALT FIGHTING
UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations Safety Council has demanded a cease-fire in Gaza in the course of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, its first demand to halt combating.
The USA abstained on the decision, which additionally demanded the discharge of all hostages taken captive throughout Hamas’ Oct. 7 shock assault in southern Israel.
Nonetheless, the measure doesn’t hyperlink that demand to the cease-fire in the course of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which ends April 9. As a result of Ramadan ends subsequent month, the cease-fire demand would final for simply two weeks, though the draft says the pause in combating ought to lead “to a everlasting sustainable cease-fire.”
Because the begin of the warfare, the Safety Council has adopted two resolutions on the worsening humanitarian state of affairs in Gaza, however none has known as for a cease-fire.
The USA has beforehand vetoed three resolutions demanding a cease-fire in Gaza, the latest an Arab-backed measure on Feb. 20. That decision was supported by 13 council members with one abstention, reflecting the overwhelming assist for a cease-fire.
Russia and China vetoed a U.S.-sponsored decision in late October calling for pauses within the combating to ship support, the safety of civilians and a halt to arming Hamas. They mentioned it didn’t mirror world requires a cease-fire.
They once more vetoed the U.S. decision Friday, calling it ambiguous and saying it was not the direct demand to finish the combating that a lot of the world seeks.
HAMAS ACCUSES U.S. OF DISRUPTING ITS TALKS WITH ISRAEL
CAIRO — Hamas has accused the US on Monday of disrupting cease-fire talks the militant group has been holding with the Israeli authorities.
In a press release, Hamas mentioned the U.S. shouldn’t be a mediator on account of its assist of Israel.
“The American administration is the principle cause for stalling any settlement,” senior Hamas official Husam Badran mentioned in a press release. He additionally described Washington as “navy associate” of Israel, making it unfit to play the position of mediator.
The criticism comes days after a contemporary spherical of cease-fire talks concluded in Doha, Qatar, which included the CIA chief, William Burns.
The U.S. has supplied Israel with key diplomatic and navy assist all through the warfare. It has labored with Qatar and Egypt in mediation makes an attempt to dealer a deal that would come with a pause in combating and the discharge of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
Hamas has demanded ensures for an finish to the warfare, the discharge of Palestinian prisoners and a plan for reconstruction of war-battered Gaza.
Throughout a earlier one-week cease-fire in November, round 100 hostages, principally Israelis, have been launched in alternate for 180 Palestinian prisoners.
Badran additionally claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shouldn’t be fascinated by a deal and is deceiving hostages’ households.
Israeli media have reported that Israel has accepted a components that might launch tons of of prisoners for the hostages and was ready for a response from Hamas.
“The problem shouldn’t be associated to the prisoners and their numbers,” Badran mentioned. “The issue is that the occupation refuses to present any ensures to the mediators on the essential points within the lives of individuals in Gaza.”
Netanyahu has repeatedly accused Hamas of constructing unrealistic calls for.
U.N. CHIEF SAYS AN INVASION OF RAFAH WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC
AMMAN, Jordan — The U.N. secretary-general says there’s a “rising consensus” that an Israeli floor invasion of the southern Gaza metropolis of Rafah can be a “catastrophic humanitarian catastrophe.”
António Guterres, chatting with reporters throughout a go to to a Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan on Monday, reiterated his name for a cease-fire and the discharge of all hostages held by Hamas.
He famous that the US, European and Muslim nations have urged Israel to not increase its floor offensive to Rafah.
Some 1.4 million Palestinians, most of whom have fled combating elsewhere in Gaza, have packed into the southern metropolis on the border with Egypt. Israel and Egypt refuse to just accept refugees, and it’s unclear the place civilians might flee inside the war-ravaged territory.
Israel says Hamas maintains 4 battalions with hundreds of fighters in Rafah, and that it can not defeat the militant group with out crushing them.
“I strongly hope that this consensus that’s rising in the entire of the worldwide group will make Israel mirror and keep away from what can be a dramatic threshold,” Guterres mentioned.
ISRAELIS IN JERUSALEM CELEBRATE PURIM IN THE SHADOW OF WAR
JERUSALEM — Tens of hundreds of Israelis are celebrating the Purim vacation in Jerusalem within the shadow of the warfare in Gaza.
The competition of Purim marks the victory of Jews over a tyrant in historical Persia and is well known with costumes, ingesting and events.
Though many cities throughout Israel determined to cancel the celebrations because of the ongoing warfare, Jerusalem — celebrates Purim sooner or later later than the remainder of the nation — held a standard Purim parade for the primary time in 42 years. It featured giant floats of beloved youngsters’s characters and DJs dressed up as characters from the story of Purim.
About two dozen relations and supporters of the roughly 100 hostages being held in Gaza protested the parade.
“I do know it’s custom to be joyful on Purim, however this 12 months I believe it’s tactless to do these carnivals,” mentioned David Heyd.
Different relations of the hostages kicked off the parade, marching silently on the entrance with an enormous yellow ribbon.
“My daughter, she must be right here, she was imagined to be right here. I’m carrying a shirt she was imagined to put on, and I’m ready for her,” mentioned Meirav Leshem Gonen, whose daughter Romi has been held hostage in Gaza for 170 days.
Because the parade wound its means via the streets of Jerusalem, youngsters in colourful costumes packed the streets consuming sweets and cookies, ready for the floats to move.
“We’re displaying the entire world and our enemies that we’re persevering with to stay, persevering with to have a good time,” mentioned Shabi Levy, a Jerusalem resident who was watching the parade along with his three youngsters.
ISRAELI STRIKES KILL AT LEAST 30 PALESTINIANS IN RAFAH IN PAST 24 HOURS, PALESTINIAN HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY
RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinian well being officers say Israeli strikes have killed a minimum of 30 Palestinians within the southern metropolis of Rafah over the previous 24 hours.
The Abu Youssef al-Najjar Hospital, which acquired the our bodies, mentioned Monday that 10 youngsters and 11 girls have been amongst these killed.
Israel has vowed to increase its floor offensive to Rafah, which is now housing some 1.4 million individuals – greater than half of Gaza’s inhabitants. Most have fled combating elsewhere.
Israel ordered Palestinians to maneuver south within the opening months of the warfare however has continued to hold out strikes in all elements of the territory, together with Rafah.
The USA, Israel’s closest ally, has urged Israel in opposition to launching a significant operation in Rafah, warning of a humanitarian disaster. Israel says it can not defeat Hamas with out going into Rafah, the place it says the group has 4 battalions composed of hundreds of fighters.
Israel’s offensive has killed over 32,000 Palestinians, in line with native well being officers, and pushed a 3rd of Gaza’s inhabitants to the brink of hunger. It was launched in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault into Israel, which killed some 1,200 individuals, principally civilians.
Hamas-led militants additionally took round 250 individuals hostage. It’s nonetheless holding round 100 hostages, and the stays of round 30 others, after many of the relaxation have been freed throughout a cease-fire final 12 months in alternate for the discharge of Palestinian prisoners.
ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE KILLS AT LEAST 21 IN CENTRAL GAZA, PALESTINIAN HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinian well being officers say an Israeli airstrike on an condo block in central Gaza killed a minimum of 21 Palestinians from two prolonged households.
The strike late Sunday killed 10 members of the Salman household and 11 members of the Buhesi household, in line with hospital data. An Related Press reporter noticed the our bodies on the hospital within the central city of Deir al-Balah.
The Israeli navy says it tries to keep away from harming civilians and blames civilian casualties on Hamas as a result of the militants battle in dense, residential neighborhoods. However the navy hardly ever feedback on particular person strikes, which frequently kill girls and kids.
The warfare broke out on Oct. 7. when militants from Gaza stormed into southern Israel, killing a minimum of 1,200 individuals, principally civilians, and taking one other 250 hostage.
In response, Israel launched one of many deadliest and most damaging navy campaigns in latest historical past. Gaza’s Well being Ministry says over 32,000 Palestinians have been killed. It doesn’t differentiate between civilian and combatant casualties however says girls and kids make up round two-thirds of these killed.
AID GROUPS DESCRIBE ‘UNIMAGINABLE’ SITUATION IN GAZA HOSPITAL
RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Assist teams that visited a packed Gaza hospital described an “unimaginable” state of affairs by which giant open wounds have been left untreated.
An emergency medical group organized by three support teams spent two weeks finishing up surgical procedures and different care on the European Gaza Hospital close to Khan Younis. The southern metropolis has seen heavy combating between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants because the begin of the 12 months.
The hospital has expanded to 1,000 beds from its unique capability of 200 to accommodate sufferers from Nasser Hospital, the principle hospital in Khan Younis, which Israeli forces raided final month. There are additionally an estimated 22,000 individuals sheltering on the European Gaza Hospital.
The visiting surgeons “reported giant contaminated open wounds on sufferers and having to manage emergency dietary provides to sufferers as the shortage of meals was jeopardizing affected person therapy.”
In a press release launched Monday, the group mentioned healthcare employees had been pressured to evacuate or have been unable to entry the hospital. It mentioned Israeli restrictions had led to shortages of medical provides, together with fundamentals like gauze and plates and screws used to stabilize damaged bones.
Israel accuses Hamas of utilizing hospitals and different civilian amenities to protect its fighters and has raided quite a lot of medical amenities because the begin of the warfare. Most of Gaza’s hospitals have been pressured to close down, whilst scores are killed and wounded every day in Israeli strikes.
Israel’s offensive has killed over 32,000 Palestinians, and specialists warn that much more are vulnerable to dying from illness and hunger.
The warfare started on Oct. 7, when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel and killed some 1,200 individuals, principally civilians, and kidnapped round 250 individuals.
The emergency medical group was organized by Medical Assist for Palestinians, the Worldwide Rescue Committee and the Palestine Youngsters’s Reduction Fund.
UN SET TO VOTE ON RESOLUTION DEMANDING IMMEDIATE CEASE-FIRE
UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. Safety Council is about to vote Monday on a decision demanding a direct humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza in the course of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The vote comes after Russia and China vetoed a U.S.-sponsored decision Friday that might have supported “a direct and sustained cease-fire” within the Israeli-Hamas battle.
The USA warned that the decision to be voted on Monday morning might harm negotiations to halt hostilities by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar, elevating the opportunity of one other veto, this time by the People.
The decision, put ahead by the ten elected council members, is backed by Russia and China and the 22-nation Arab Group on the United Nations.
THOUSANDS OF CHRISTIANS MARK PALM SUNDAY IN JERUSALEM
JERUSALEM — 1000’s of Christian devoted attended Palm Sunday celebrations at Jerusalem’s sacred Mount of Olives, marking the primary day of Holy Week as battle surges throughout the area.
Pilgrims waved branches and fronds within the air, objects that have been positioned earlier than Jesus’ ft as he was greeted by cheering crowds throughout his entrance into Jerusalem, in line with the Bible. Earlier Sunday, Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre — revered as the location of Jesus’s crucifixion — additionally held a service.
The annual celebration got here because the Israel-Hamas warfare rages on in Gaza. Nonetheless, the battle appeared to have had little impact on the procession, which swelled to an identical dimension as final 12 months.
The celebration marks the start of probably the most somber week within the Christian calendar, which marks Jesus’ crucifixion on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter.
ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE HITS LEBANON, WOUNDING AT LEAST 3 PEOPLE
BEIRUT — An Israeli airstrike deep in northeastern Lebanon early Sunday wounded a minimum of three individuals, a neighborhood official mentioned.
The airstrike close to town of Baalbek, a stronghold of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group, was the newest to hit the world in latest weeks.
The strike occurred a couple of minutes after midnight and wounded three individuals in line with Baalbek’s mayor, Bachir Khodr, who posted the information on X.
It was not instantly clear what was struck. The strike got here hours after Hezbollah mentioned it used two drones carrying explosives to assault an Israeli Iron Dome missile protection system within the northern Israeli city of Kfar Blum.
The Israeli navy mentioned warplanes attacked a workshop utilized by Hezbollah for navy actions. It added that after the strike some 50 rockets have been fired from Lebanon towards Israel, saying some have been shot down and others fell in open areas.