Israel's bloodbath in Gaza soars Palestinian death toll
Israel resumes ground invasion in Gaza's Rafah
Hamas fires rockets at Tel Aviv
Gaza nears famine
For our live updates from Thursday, March 20, click here
March 21, 2025
Israel expands Gaza ground invasion after deadly air strikes
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Grazing, grazing and gone: Israeli settlers use herding to seize Palestinian landsIn recent months, several Israeli far-right politicians have suggested taking advantage of the friendly US administration under President Donald Trump to annex part or all of the occupied West Bank.
Israeli army opens fire on vehicle in southern Lebanon, wounding driverA Lebanese citizen has been wounded by gunfire from the Israeli army targeting his vehicle in the Marjayoun district of southern Lebanon, marking another violation of the ceasefire agreement.
The Lebanese state news agency NNA reported that the Israeli "forces opened fire a short while ago on a civilian's vehicle while it was travelling on the internal road between the towns of Kfarkela and Odaisseh, resulting in his injury."
Israeli army says it intercepted 2 rockets fired from northern GazaThe Israeli army has said it intercepted two rockets that were fired from northern Gaza towards the Ashkelon area in southern Israel.
There were no reports of injuries or damage, according to the Israeli ambulance service, Magen David Adom.
Earlier, the Israeli army said the rocket-in-coming sirens were activated in the Ashkelion area after the rocket firing detection.
UN denounces Israeli destruction of Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital in GazaThe UN has denounced Israel's destruction of the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital in Gaza, which was built by Türkiye and operated by local authorities as a cancer treatment centre.
Responding to Anadolu's question on the attack, UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told a news conference: "We certainly are against any of the attacks on medical infrastructure."
"All attacks against medical infrastructure by any of the parties is a violation of international humanitarian law, and we stand opposed to this," he said.
Türkiye stepping up diplomatic push for Gaza ceasefire, Turkish president saysTürkiye has stepped up diplomatic efforts to restore a ceasefire in the war-torn Gaza strip, the Turkish president has said.
“We have accelerated our diplomatic contacts to restore the ceasefire, end the persecution, and stop the genocide network,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a traditional Nowruz event in Istanbul.
“Türkiye will never allow this criminal squad to turn the region into a sea of blood,” he said, referring to the Israeli government.
Egypt denies claims of plans to relocate 500,000 Palestinians to North SinaiEgypt has "categorically" denied Israeli media reports alleging that Cairo is preparing to temporarily relocate 500,000 Palestinians to a designated city in the North Sinai as part of a plan to rebuild Gaza.
"Egypt categorically and completely denies the claims circulated by some media outlets that it is prepared to temporarily relocate 500,000 Gaza residents to a designated city in North Sinai as part of Gaza’s reconstruction," said Egypt’s State Information Service (SIS) in a statement.
Israel kills three Palestinian children in Gaza city strikeThree Palestinian children were killed and several others wounded after an Israeli air strike targeted a residential apartment in eastern Gaza City, according to medical sources.
The sources said that the strike hit the apartment in the al-Tuffah neighbourhood, and the wounded and the bodies of the victims were transported to Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in central Gaza City.
Putin 'concerned' over Israel's fresh assault on Gaza Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed "concern" over a fresh Israeli assault on Gaza and said Moscow was ready to help "de-escalate" the situation.
In a readout of a phone call between Putin and the Emir of Qatar, the Kremlin said "concern was expressed over the resumption of hostilities in Gaza, and the readiness of both countries to promote de-escalation and long-term normalisation in the region was stressed."
Fewer than half of Red Crescent's emergency vehicles operational in GazaFewer than half of emergency vehicles run by the Palestinian Red Crescent are operational in Gaza due to fuel shortages, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said,
Closure of borders "significantly impacted" the services as only 23 out of 53 emergency vehicles remain operational after the halt of humanitarian aid, including fuel, int o Gaza, IFRC spokesperson Tommaso Della Longa told a UN briefing in Geneva.
Only 'six or so' days of flour remain in Gaza: UNRWA"We can stretch that by giving people less. But, we're talking days now rather than weeks", an official says.
summary
Israel's bloodbath in Gaza soars Palestinian death toll
Israel resumes ground invasion in Gaza's Rafah
Hamas fires rockets at Tel Aviv
Gaza nears famine
For our live updates from Thursday, March 20, click here