The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) affirms that the targeting of its ambulance convoy by Israeli forces in the Al-Hashasheen area of Rafah on March 23 constitutes a full-fledged war crime, and it reflects a dangerous pattern of repeated violation of international humanitarian law. This massacre claimed the lives of eight members of the PRCS emergency medical teams: Mustafa Khafaja, Ezz Al-DeenShath, Saleh Muammar, Rifaat Radwan, Mohammad Bahloul, Ashraf Abu Labda, Mohammad Al-Heela, and Raed Al-Sharif. The fate of medic Asaad Al-Nassasrah remains unknown to this day. We therefore call on the occupying authorities to immediately disclose his whereabouts. Video footage, documented by our late colleague and medic Rifaat Radwan, shows the final moments of the team as they drove clearly marked ambulances with flashing emergency lights toward the site where the first ambulance had been targeted. Despite the clear identification of the vehicles and teams, the convoy came under heavy gunfire for approximately five minutes, as shown in the published footage. Furthermore, communication between the team and the Central Dispatch Center confirms that the gunfire continued for no less than two hours, with continuous shooting heard until contact was completely lost with one of the medics. PRCS affirms that this was neither a random incident nor an individual error, but rather a series of deliberate attacks. The first was the shooting of an ambulance en route to evacuate casualties after a home was bombed in the Al-Hashasheen area.
Daily Archives: 7. April 2025
Israel controls 50% of Gaza after razing land to expand its buffer zone
When Israel resumed the war last month, it doubled the size of the buffer zone, pushing it as far as 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) into Gaza in some places, according to a map issued by the military.
The buffer zone and the Netzarim Corridor make up at least 50% of the strip, said Yaakov Garb, a professor of environmental studies at Ben Gurion University, who has been examining Israeli-Palestinian land use patterns for decades.
The Perimeter – Soldiers‘ testimonies from the Gaza Buffer Zone 2023-2024
The testimony collection that follows includes testimonies by soldiers and officers who took part in creating the perimeter and turning it into a zone of total destruction. (…)
The testimonies demonstrate that soldiers were given orders to deliberately, methodically, and systematically annihilate whatever was within the designated perimeter, including entire residential neighborhoods, public buildings, educational institutions, mosques, and cemeteries, with very few exceptions. Industrial zones and agricultural areas which served the entire population of Gaza were laid to waste, regardless of whether those areas had any connection whatsoever to the fighting. In their testimonies, soldiers
describe the systematic way in which the creation of the new buffer zone was planned and executed. One example of this was the way designated areas were divided into defined sections — „polygons“ — within which soldiers were ordered to destroy structures. The military dedicated enormous resources to this endeavor, including the extensive use of bulldozers (excavators, D9 bulldozers, and other heavy equipment), along with thousands of mines and explosives.
Israeli soldiers reveal systematic destruction of Palestinian property to create Gaza buffer zone
In its place, the Israeli military has established a roughly 1-kilometer-wide buffer zone (about 0.6 miles) from which it has banished Palestinians and killed or fired at those who do set foot within its unmarked perimeter – all of which it has never officially acknowledged.
Now, in interviews with CNN and testimonials to an Israeli watchdog group, Israeli soldiers who were deployed to Gaza are revealing how the military carried out the destruction of civilian infrastructure to create the buffer area and the loose rules of engagement that have allegedly resulted in Israeli troops firing on and killing unarmed Palestinians.
PJS: Israel has killed 209 journalists since onset of aggression on Gaza
RAMALLAH, April 7, 2025 (WAFA) – Israel has killed 209 journalists since the onset of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, according to the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate (PJS).
The PJS denounced in a press statement the Israeli attack near Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, which targeted reporters sheltering in a tent in the hospital courtyard, killing two journalists identified as Ahmad Mansour and Hilmi al-Faqaawi and left nine others wounded, including six serious injuries.
Lebanon says two killed in Israeli strike on south
„Two Syrians were killed on a motorcycle, and one citizen was injured in an enemy strike on the Dardara road“ in Lebanon‘s southern Marjayoun district, the official National News Agency said.
Furious row after Labour MPs denied entry to Israel – as Lammy criticises ‚disgraceful‘ Badenoch response
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy criticised Ms Badenoch‘s comments, writing in a post on X: „It‘s disgraceful you are cheerleading another country for detaining and deporting two British MPs. Do you say the same about Tory MPs banned from China?“
Ms Badenoch retorted, saying: „Unlike China, Israel is our ally and a democracy. A good Foreign Sec would be able to make that distinction.“
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch slammed for siding with Israel over UK MPs in deportation row
In an interview with the BBC‘s Laura Kuenssberg, the Tory leader threw her support behind Israel‘s decision, arguing that „every country should be allowed to police its own borders“.
The MPs were travelling to the occupied West Bank, which the UK government recognises as occupied Palestinian territory.
„If you look at the reasons why the Israeli government has given for why they’re not letting them in, they don’t believe that they’re going to comply with their laws,“ Badenoch added.
Two MPs ‚astounded‘ after being denied entry to Israel
Two Labour MPs say they are „astounded“ to have been denied entry to Israel while on a trip to visit the occupied West Bank.
Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang said it was „vital“ parliamentarians were able to witness the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory first-hand.
Israel Turns Away 2 British Lawmakers
Britain and Israel traded sharp criticisms this weekend after Israel blocked two British lawmakers from entering the country and sent them back to London.
The members of Parliament, Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang, both of whom belong to the governing center-left Labour Party, said in a joint statement on Sunday that they had been “astounded” to be denied entry to Israel the previous day.
Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Belgian Prime Minister De Wever
(April 4, 2025)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever today in Brussels and discussed shared priorities including NATO defense spending, China, and counternarcotics. They also reviewed ongoing coordination to enhance stability and security in Europe and around the world.
U-turn: Brussels won’t arrest Netanyahu, Belgian PM says
(April 4, 2025)
France, Hungary and Poland are among the countries that said they would not act on the arrest warrant. Germany and Italy criticized the warrant without explicitly saying they would ignore it. The Netherlands and Austria are among the countries that criticized it but said they would act on it.
Belgium would likely not arrest Israeli PM Netanyahu – De Wever
(Friday, 4 April 2025)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently under an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). However, on Thursday night Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) said he would likely not be detained if he were on Belgian soil, sparking outrage from the Green opposition on Friday.
Israeli Ambassador to Ethiopia Expelled from African Union Headquarters
The participation of the Israeli ambassador was unexpected, according to Al-Jazeera’s correspondent, who spoke to diplomatic sources at the meeting.
The sources said that delegations from several African countries objected to his presence, and the meeting was paused until his departure.
The African Union is reportedly conducting an investigation to determine who invited him.
Gaza death toll surpasses 50,700
At least 57 people have been killed and 137 others injured in Gaza over the past 24 hours, according to the latest update from Gaza’s Government Media Office.
LIVE : Jerusalem Protest Targets Netanyahu Over Hostages | NewsX World
Streamed live 8 hours ago #srael #protest #jerusalem
Israeli protesters demonstrated outside Prime Minister Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem, demanding the immediate release of 59 hostages still held in Gaza. Marking 18 months since the October 7 Hamas attacks, the protest highlighted public frustration, with pleas to both Israeli and U.S. leaders to end the war and secure freedom.
Protest Outside Israel PM Netanyahu‘s Residence In Jerusalem Ahead of His Meeting With Trump In U.S.
Apr 7, 2025 #netanyahu #israel #trump
A few dozen protesters gathered outside the residence of the Israeli prime minister in Jerusalem on Monday to mark the passing of one and a half years since Palestinian militants launched their unprecedented assault on southern Israel. The protesters read out the names of hostages still being held in Gaza and called for a deal securing their release.
Trump, Netanyahu to meet at White House
The two leaders are also expected to discuss major geopolitical issues including the war in Gaza, tensions with Iran, Israel-Turkey ties and the International Criminal Court, which issued an arrest warrant against the Israeli leader last year. Trump in February signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the ICC over its investigations of Israel.
Netanyahu’s flight to US takes a different route to evade ICC arrest warrant: Report
According to the report from Haaretz, Israel believed that Ireland, Iceland and the Netherlands could have acted to enforce the warrant.