Israel cuts all aid to Gaza; ICRC calls for maintaining the cease-fire | Live

Gaza

Hamas is still pushing for stage two of the cease-fire deal to go into effect, Al Jazeera reports, citing Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem.

“Contacts are ongoing with mediators to ensure the implementation of the remaining stages of the cease-fire agreement,” Qassem said. Fears of Israel restarting the war are heightened as the deal's first stage expired yesterday without any signal from Doha that negotiations for the next stage are underway.

“We hope that the mediators’ ongoing efforts will result in a breakthrough in the situation and oblige the occupation to implement all stages of the ceasefire,” Qassem added.

Israel

Gisha, an Israeli human rights organization, along with four other NGOs filed a motion to the Israeli High Court of Justice calling for an interim order banning the government from cutting of the supply of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, Times of Israel reports. The NGOs warn the step endangers the lives of Palestinian civilians in the territory and therefore violates Israel’s obligations under international law.

Gisha argues that halting the provision of aid is illegal “even if [Israel] claims that the existing aid is sufficient,” and says that recent media reports that six babies in Gaza died of hypothermia in February proved the claim to be false.

“According to humanitarian law, there is an obligation to protect the civilian population and allow the free passage of humanitarian aid to such a population,” writes Gisha in its petition. “These obligations cannot be made conditional on political considerations, and humanitarian aid cannot be used as a tool of war or a way of exerting pressure,” the human rights groups contends.

Israel

Right-wing Argentinian President Javier Milei will visit Israel on March 23 to strengthen ties between the two countries, his spokesperson Manuel Adorni announced in a statement cited by Reuters.

Milei is an ardent supporter of Israel and said he plans to move the Argentinian embassy to Jerusalem, despite most countries refusing to do so due to the illegal occupation of East Jerusalem.

Milei last visited Israel in February 2024, when he made the news for crying during prayers at the Western Wall, a Jewish holy site along the border of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem. His support for Israel has set Argentina apart from many of its Latin American neighbors, which have adopted pro-Palestinian stances.

Lebanon

Israeli jets flew at low altitude over areas of Baalbeck this evening, according to our correspondent in the Bekaa, Sarah Abdallah. Such actions are in breach of the cease-fire deal between Israel and Hezbollah but have been a common occurrence ever since it came into effect.

Gaza

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Gueterres called for the "immediate" resumption of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip following Israel's decision to cut all supplies into the besieged enclave starting this morning.

According to the statement from his spokesperson, Gueterres also called for the release of all hostages and urged all parties to make the necessary efforts to avoid the war reigniting.

Yesterday, Israeli media reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was "not interested" in agreeing to a second phase of the cease-fire that was meant to start today. Instead Netanyahu is reportedly considering either restarting the war or maintaining the cease-fire without hostage exchanges in order to pressure Hamas.

Israel

Over 200 Israeli hostages and their family members have joined the campaign calling for the establishment of a state commission of inquiry, which will investigate, among other things, the way the negotiation for the release of hostages has been conducted, Haaretz reports, citing a statement by the October Council, an organization comprised of hundreds of bereaved families.

Syria

Syria has formed a seven-member committee to draft a constitutional charter for governing its transition to democracy, the presidency said in a statement, cited by Reuters.

The transitional government hosted a national dialogue conference last week attended by around 600 representatives of various communities in the country.

South Lebanon

Hezbollah MP Hassan Ezzedine stated from the town of El Charkiye (Nabatieh) that “Lebanon will never become Israeli,” emphasizing that “the resistance, which has faced the fiercest wars against Israel, America, NATO and other international forces, has proven its success despite their technological and military superiority.”

South Lebanon

In the afternoon, Israeli strikes hit the area around the Bostra farm toward the Shebaa Farms (Hasbaya), according to our correspondent in the south.

Gaza

The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called on Sunday for “every effort to be made” to maintain the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and avoid “plunging people back into despair.”

“Every effort must be made to uphold the ceasefire to spare lives from hostilities, allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, and reunite more families,” Mirjana Spoljaric wrote in a statement released in Geneva, the organization’s headquarters.

Israel

The head of the Metula council in northern Israel, David Azoulay, informed his residents on Sunday morning that although the government is allowing all evacuated northern residents to return to their homes, starting today, the council will not provide them with services until July 1.

This happens against the background of the council filing a petition against the government for not exempting it from the return date, despite the extensive destruction to the district by Hezbollah fire and IDF activity in the area.

Currently, only about 20 residents live in the town, which usually houses a population of about 2000.

Photo provided by our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah

South Lebanon

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement in the Ain al-Hilweh camp mourned the killing of Al-Quds Brigades, Abdul Aziz Ahmed al-Sahli (20 years old), whose body was retrieved from the town of Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil), our correspondent in the south reported.

The mourners, who raised the flags of the Islamic Jihad Movement, began their procession after the afternoon prayer from in front of Al-Noor Mosque in the camp. They marched through the main streets, chanting slogans calling for "support of the resistance and continuing the martyr’s path." 

Gaza

Israel “bears responsibility for the consequences of sabotaging” the truce in the Gaza Strip, Khamis al-Haytham, a senior official in the political bureau of Islamic Jihad for Gaza, said today.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to suspend humanitarian aid to Gaza in an effort to pressure Hamas into accepting a U.S.-brokered ceasefire compromise “is a blow to the agreement sponsored by mediators” in January, according to a statement sent to AFP by Haytham. His movement is allied with Hamas in the war against Israel.

Gaza

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aati announced today that the foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) would meet in Saudi Arabia following the extraordinary Arab summit scheduled for March 4. He made the statement during a press conference in Cairo, as reported by Egyptian and Israeli media.

He stated that the Gaza reconstruction plan had been finalized and would be submitted for approval at Tuesday’s extraordinary Arab summit.

The minister added that Egypt would continue its intensive efforts to initiate the second phase of negotiations on the Gaza ceasefire agreement. He also stressed that Israel’s decision to cut off supplies to Gaza “as a means of collective punishment and starvation” was unacceptable.

South Lebanon

An Israeli soldier fired in the direction of several Lebanese citizens on the road connecting Odaisseh to Kfar Kila, in the Marjayoun district, according to our correspondent. The incident did not result in any injuries.

Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a cabinet meeting that the key points proposed by Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to continue the cease-fire agreement were developed in coordination with U.S. President Donald Trump. He clarified that Witkoff described his proposal as “a corridor for negotiations for the second stage, and we are ready for that,” according to Israeli media.

Netanyahu reiterated that Israel had not violated the agreement, despite not complying with the withdrawal of military forces from the Philadelphia corridor, and emphasized that his government was “determined to bring our hostages back.”

Gaza

Israel denies that a new Egyptian proposal has been presented to extend the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, according to Haaretz.

Gaza

The leader of Yemen’s Houthi group has warned Israel of significant retaliatory measures if hostilities resume in Gaza.

In a televised speech presented last night, the first day of Ramadan, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi stated from Sanaa that any renewed Israeli military operations in Gaza would trigger a military response from the Houthis against Israeli territory, particularly Tel Aviv.

Gaza

The Israeli army said today that it had carried out an airstrike targeting suspects allegedly planting an explosive device near Israeli soldiers deployed in northern Gaza, in an effort to neutralize the threat.

"Earlier today [Sunday], several suspects [...] were identified placing an explosive device" in an area where Israeli troops were stationed in northern Gaza, the army said in a statement. "To counter the threat, the Israeli air force struck the suspects," it added.

Israel

The Israeli army announced that it has completed operational preparations to open the Mount Hermon site to visitors, stating that security conditions are in place to allow residents from across the country to visit, Haaretz reported.

➡️ For more details, read here.

Gaza

Egypt has proposed a new draft agreement for the release of hostages to ensure the continuation of the cease-fire, Egyptian sources told Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, according to Haaretz.

Gaza

Hamas called today on the U.S. government to act as a neutral mediator in the cease-fire negotiations.

“We urge the U.S. administration to end its bias and alignment with the fascist plans of war criminal Netanyahu, who is erasing our people and their existence from their land,” Hamas said in a statement.

The group warned that "any projects or plans that bypass our people, their rights to their land, self-determination, and liberation from occupation are doomed to fail."

“We reaffirm our commitment to implementing the three-phase agreement, and we have repeatedly declared our readiness to begin negotiations for the second phase of the deal,” the statement added.

Gaza

Israeli attacks killed four Palestinians and injured five others in Gaza this morning, according to Al Jazeera.

Gaza’s Civil Defense also reported Israeli artillery and tank fire near Khan Yunis, in the southern part of the enclave.

Gaza

Hamas said today that Israel is responsible for the fate of hostages held in Gaza after its decision to suspend humanitarian aid amid ongoing disputes over the cease-fire’s next steps.

“The occupation [Israel] bears responsibility for the consequences of its decision on Gaza’s population and the fate of its prisoners,” said Hamas spokesperson Hazem Kassem in a statement.

Israel

Einav Zangauker, the mother of a hostage still held in Gaza, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately sabotaging the cease-fire and hostage release deal, as he had promised far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Haaretz reported today.

Meanwhile, protests demanding the continuation of the cease-fire and the hostage deal took place this morning outside the homes of Israeli government ministers.

South Lebanon

Warplanes and drones are flying over multiple areas in southern Lebanon, according to our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah.

Gaza

The Gaza Civil Defense reported Israeli artillery and tank fire near Khan Yunis on Sunday late morning, amid ongoing disputes between Israel and Hamas over the truce’s next steps.

"Artillery shelling and tank fire targeted areas on the outskirts of Abassan al-Kabira, east of Khan Yunis," the Civil Defense said in a brief statement, without providing further details. When asked by AFP, the Israeli army said it was verifying the reports.

Gaza

Israel dismissed as "false" claims that its decision to block humanitarian aid from entering Gaza is pushing the enclave toward famine.

Gaza

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) stated that it continues to provide health services in Gaza “despite challenges” posed by Israel’s October parliamentary ban on its operations in the occupied Palestinian territories.

According to UNRWA, it has provided: 300,000 medical consultations, support for 19,000 high-risk pregnant and postpartum women, treatment for 11,000 dental patients and physiotherapy care for 5,500 people in Gaza.

South Lebanon

Israel and the United States disagree with France over the final phase of the Israeli army’s withdrawal from South Lebanon, where Israeli forces still hold five positions along the border, Haaretz reported. L'Orient-Le Jour had previously covered these developments.

A well-informed source told the outlet that France, which is pushing for a swift Israeli withdrawal, has proposed several solutions to manage these positions.

One option would be to combine the Lebanese army with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Another would involve expanding UNIFIL's presence by enhancing its mandate and equipment.

A third proposal suggests deploying French forces to the five positions in place of the Israeli army, but outside the framework of UNIFIL.

➡️ For more details, read here.

Gaza

Today, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, leader of a far-right party crucial to the government's stability, welcomed the decision to suspend humanitarian aid to Gaza and called for renewed fighting "until total victory" over Hamas.

“The decision [...] to completely halt humanitarian aid to Gaza until Hamas is destroyed or surrenders entirely, and all our hostages are freed, is an important step in the right direction,” Smotrich wrote on Telegram. He urged Israel to “now open the gates of hell as quickly and violently as possible against the ruthless enemy, until total victory.”

“We remained in government to ensure this happens,” he added.

Smotrich was not the only far-right minister to react. Education Minister Yoav Kisch called the aid suspension “an important and correct decision” on X (formerly Twitter), adding, “Israel must continue to pressure Hamas with all the tools at its disposal.”

Meanwhile, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi stated that all hostages must be returned immediately or Israel should unleash "fire and fury" on Hamas "without any mercy."

Gaza

Today, Hamas said that Israel’s decision to suspend shipments of goods into Gaza was hindering cease-fire negotiations, adding that the Palestinian Islamist group would not yield to what it earlier called “blackmail.”

“This decision complicates matters and affects the negotiation process, and Hamas does not respond to pressure,” senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters, as cited by the news agency.

Photo shared by our correspondent Sarah Abdallah

Bekaa

During a commemoration ceremony in Shmustar (Baalbeck district) honoring a Hezbollah member killed in the war with Israel, Hezbollah MP Ibrahim Moussaoui emphasized the “vital role of the party’s martyrs in safeguarding Lebanon’s dignity and sovereignty.”

Moussaoui rejected claims that “the resistance has not protected Lebanon” and criticized the Lebanese government for its “silence,” urging it to shield the nation from Israel. He warned that “if it fails, the people have the right to defend themselves.”

Israel

Protests demanding the continuation of the cease-fire and the hostage release agreement took place this morning outside the homes of Israeli government ministers, Haaretz reported.

Demonstrators gathered in front of the residences of Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Science and Technology Minister Gila Gamliel, Transport and Road Safety Minister Miri Regev, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Interior Minister Moshe Arbel.

Gaza

Israeli forces launched a drone strike on Beit Hanoun, in northern Gaza, killing at least one person and injuring another, according to Al Quds Today and the Shehab Agency.

Gaza

This morning, Hamas called Israel’s decision to block all goods and supplies from entering Gaza a “war crime” and a “violation of the cease-fire agreement.”

“The decision by [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu to suspend humanitarian aid is petty blackmail, a war crime and a flagrant violation of the agreement,” the Palestinian militant group said, urging "mediators and the international community to pressure" Israel into reversing the decision.

Lebanon

No incidents involving Israel, Syria’s new security forces, or any other party were reported overnight along Lebanon’s borders, according to our correspondents stationed in various border regions.

On Friday, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visited southern Lebanon to assess the destruction caused by Israel, which still occupies several strategic positions despite being expected to withdraw by Feb. 18 under its cease-fire agreement with Hezbollah

Syria

Clashes between forces aligned with Syria’s new authorities and Druze fighters left one dead and nine wounded on Saturday near Damascus, according to an NGO.

➡️ More details here

Gaza

“To understand the obstacles that led to the collapse of negotiations in Cairo on Saturday, read this article by Dany Moudallal.”

➡️ Once again, the Philadelphi Corridor disrupts Gaza talks

This morning’s top story is Gaza.

On orders from the Israeli government, the Israeli army has closed all entry points to the besieged and war-torn Palestinian enclave, blocking the entry of humanitarian aid, according to Haaretz. The move comes as the holy month of Ramadan began yesterday.

Yesterday also marked the 42nd day of the cease-fire agreement, under which Israel was supposed to order the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Philadelphi Corridor—a commitment it has yet to fulfill, the Israeli daily reports.

Hamas on Sunday demanded the start of the cease-fire’s second phase in Gaza, which was originally scheduled to take effect today. However, Israel has refused to implement it, instead favoring a last-minute U.S.-backed plan to extend the truce until mid-April due to stalled negotiations.

➡️ More details on the U.S.-approved extension here

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East, including in Lebanon, where the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah — signed on Nov. 27 — officially expired on Feb. 18, yet Israeli forces continue to hold several positions.

We are also tracking developments in Gaza, where the second phase of the truce — initially set to begin Sunday following Cairo negotiations — has been delayed, while the occupied West Bank has seen a month-long Israeli military offensive. Additionally, we are covering the situation in Syria, nearly three months after the fall of the Assad regime on Dec. 8, 2024.