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Gaza
The Israeli army said it had struck “terrorists” in what it presented as a disused hospital used as a base by Hamas fighters, after being accused by Ankara of destroying a Turkish-built hospital in the Gaza Strip.
“Earlier [this Friday], [Israeli forces] struck terrorists in a Hamas terrorist infrastructure that had previously served as a hospital in the central Gaza Strip,” an army spokesman told AFP in response to a question about the Turkish accusations.
Yemen
Yemen's Houthi television channel has reported strikes on an Iranian-backed rebel stronghold, citing “American aggression.” Quoting its correspondent in Saada, northern Yemen, Al-Masirah reported further strikes west of the city.
Gaza
Ankara has condemned an “Israeli attack” on a hospital in the Gaza Strip built by Turkey, deploring “deliberate targeting.”
“We strongly condemn Israel's destruction of the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital,” wrote the Turkish Foreign Ministry in a statement.
Gaza
The Gaza Strip's Civil Defense has told AFP that Israeli strikes on the territory have killed 11 more people since midday. Contacted by AFP, Mahmoud Bassal, spokesperson for this emergency rescue service, reported three deaths in night-time strikes, and eight others killed after daybreak: six, including three minors, in a district of Gaza City, and two others in Abassan, in the south of the territory.
Gaza
The Israeli army has called on residents of the southern Gaza neighborhoods of al-Salatin, al-Karama and al-Awda to evacuate their homes immediately ahead of a strike in the area.
“To everyone in the area bounded by the localities of al-Salatin, al-Karama and al-Awda, this is a pre-strike warning. Terrorist organizations are returning and firing rockets from populated areas ... For your safety, head south immediately, towards the shelters listed,” Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said in a message posted on X.
South Lebanon
The Israeli army opened fire on a citizen in his car on the Kfar Kila, Adaysseh road, local residents told our correspondent. The man was wounded and taken to a hospital in Nabatieh.
Our correspondent also reports that Israeli soldiers in Tallet al-Hamames, south of Khiam, fired machine-gun bursts.
Israel
Israel's Attorney General has warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he is forbidden to recruit a new head of the Shin Bet (Internal Security) following the Supreme Court's decision to freeze the government's decision dismissing the current incumbent, Ronen Bar.
“According to the Supreme Court's decision, it is forbidden to take any action that undermines the status of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar,” Gali Baharav-Miara wrote in a message addressed to Netanyahu and made public via a statement. “It is forbidden to appoint a new head of the Shin Bet, nor is it permitted to conduct interviews for the position,” she added. She is also the government's legal advisor and the target of impeachment proceedings launched by the executive branch, which she annoys with her opinions.
Gaza
Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his “concern” at the resumption of the Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip, saying he was ready to help bring about a “de-escalation.”
The Kremlin said the Russian leader had, in a telephone conversation with the Emir of Qatar, “expressed his concern over the resumption of hostilities in the Gaza Strip.” According to the Russian presidential statement, the two leaders also expressed their “readiness to promote de-escalation."
Gaza
The Israeli army announced that it had intercepted two “projectiles” fired from the Gaza Strip after anti-aircraft sirens went off in Ashkelon, a coastal town a few kilometers north of the Palestinian territory.
“Two projectiles fired from the north of the Gaza Strip were intercepted,” said a brief military statement. These were the second rockets fired from Gaza into Israel since the latter broke the truce with Hamas on Tuesday, carrying out bombardments that killed several hundred people in the Gaza Strip, before launching new ground operations.
The Israeli army struck the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital near the Netzarim Corridor in the central Gaza Strip, Haaretz reported.
The hospital was previously used as a military post by Israeli forces in the area.
The Israeli army spokesperson said the strike targeted terrorists who were in "a Hamas terrorist facility in an area that previously served as a hospital."
"The building that was attacked has not been used as an active hospital for over a year," he added.
Gaza
Paris expressed "its dismay after two French nationals, employees of the United Nations, were seriously injured" by airstrikes on two buildings housing UN personnel, in which a Bulgarian employee was killed.
In a statement, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs called "for a swift investigation into the responsibilities of this incident," reminding that "the protection of humanitarian personnel, who have already paid a heavy toll in Gaza, must be guaranteed under all circumstances, in accordance with international humanitarian law."
Israel assured on Wednesday that it would investigate "the circumstances" of the incident after its army denied any responsibility.
The UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) had earlier announced the death of one of its members, a Bulgarian national, in an agency building in Gaza, describing "an explosive device (...) dropped or fired onto the building" which "exploded inside."
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it is "fully mobilized" to assist the two French nationals and praised "the immense courage of humanitarian personnel, who risk their lives to help civilian populations in Gaza and around the world."
Gaza
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot reiterated that France is "opposed to any form of annexation" of the West Bank or Gaza, shortly after the Israeli Defense Minister's order to "seize more territory in Gaza" which could then be "annexed," reports AFP.
"France is opposed to any form of annexation, whether it concerns the West Bank or Gaza," said Barrot.
The French foreign minister was reacting to the announcement from Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, who stated he had ordered the army to "seize more territory in Gaza," which, according to him, could be "annexed" to Israel if Hamas does not release the hostages.
"We have a very clear vision of what the future of the region should be," Barrot responded. "It is a two-state solution, living peacefully side by side, with mutual recognition and security guarantees. This is the only path for lasting peace and stability in the region," he added.
Israel
Israeli government set to hold a "vote of no confidence" on Sunday against Israel's Attorney General, who is also the government's legal advisor, according to the agenda for the Sunday Cabinet meeting available on the Prime Minister's Office website.
This vote against Gali Baharav-Miara is expected to trigger a lengthy impeachment process against the strong advocate for judicial independence, who has repeatedly criticized the government's plans. At a time when Netanyahu is accused by the opposition of adopting an autocratic approach, Baharav-Miara had recently warned against the plan to dismiss the head of Shin Bet (Internal Security), a decision that was ultimately approved by the government in the early hours of Friday.
Israel
Israeli Supreme Court has suspended the decision by Benjamin Netanyahu's government to dismiss the head of National Security (Shin Bet), Ronen Bar, reports AFP.
Gaza
Hamas stated on Friday that it is still reviewing U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff's proposal, along with other ideas, in hopes of reaching an agreement to release prisoners, end the war in Gaza, and secure the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian enclave.
Last week, Witkoff introduced a "bridge" plan to extend the ceasefire in Gaza through April, beyond Ramadan and Passover, to allow time for negotiating a permanent end to hostilities.
Gaza
Cease-fire progress ‘being reversed’, says UNRWA.
Sam Rose, Director of Planning at UNRWA, expressed serious concern over the situation in Gaza, citing significant lack in aid distribution. "This is the longest period since the conflict began in October 2023 that no supplies have entered Gaza. The progress we made over the last six weeks during the ceasefire is being reversed," Rose told reporters from Gaza.
Gaza
Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, ordered the army to "seize" more territory in Gaza, with plans to annex the land, reports AFP.
According to statements quoted in Haaretz, Mr. Katz said he had "instructed to capture new territories in Gaza, while evacuating residents and to expand security zones " around the enclave in order to ensure the protection of Israeli communities and soldiers, through Israel's permanent control of the territory."
"As long as Hamas continues to refuse to release the hostages, it will lose more and more territories, which will be annexed to Israel," said the Israeli minister. "We call on the U.S. president's envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, to release all hostages, both alive and dead, in two phases with a ceasefire, without compromising Israel's security interests."
Iran
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, stated that U.S. threats against his country would "lead nowhere," as Iran considers its response to a letter from President Donald Trump calling for negotiations on nuclear issues, according to AFP.
"The Americans must know that threats will lead them nowhere in the face of Iran. They and others must understand that they will receive a severe slap if they harm the Iranian nation," he declared in a speech broadcast live on television.
Israel
Israeli opposition and an NGO have announced that they are filing appeals against the decision made overnight by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to dismiss the head of Shin Bet, Israel's internal security agency, according to AFP.
The Movement for a Quality Government condemned the "illegal decision [...] which poses a real risk to national security" in a statement. The center-right Yesh Atid party, led by opposition leader Yair Lapid, also announced that it had filed an appeal on behalf of several opposition factions, denouncing the "decision made due to a blatant conflict of interest by the Prime Minister, based on foreign considerations."
Israel
Israeli government confirmed the dismissal of the head of the Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet), Ronen Bar, whose investigation points to a responsibility of the authorities in "the events that led to October 7."
Arab plan for reconstruction of Gaza
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he would visit Egypt on April 7 and 8, where he will discuss, among other topics, the Arab plan for the reconstruction of Gaza.
"We are advocating for a ceasefire, which is essential," he emphasized, as well as "the release of all hostages by Hamas, which is a necessity, and a two-state political solution," for both Palestine and Israel.
Yemen/Israel
Israeli military reported intercepting a missile fired by Houthi rebels from Yemen, during the night from Thursday to Friday.
Gaza/Israel
Yesterday afternoon, Hamas's military wing claimed to have targeted Tel Aviv, with rockets in retaliation for what it described as "massacres of civilians" committed by Israel in Gaza. The Israeli Air Force stated it intercepted one projectile and added that two others fell in uninhabited areas.
On Thursday, Hamas urged the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to exert pressure to "end the genocide" in the Gaza Strip.
Gaza/Israel
Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed being "troubled" by the resumption of fighting, in a rare criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "It is impossible not to be deeply troubled by the harsh reality unfolding before our eyes," said Herzog in a video statement, though he did not directly mention the Prime Minister.
After two months of a fragile truce, Israel launched massive airstrikes on Palestinian territory on Tuesday, followed by ground operations since Wednesday, to pressure Hamas to release the 58 hostages it still holds. However, Herzog stated, "It is unthinkable to resume fighting while continuing the sacred mission of bringing our hostages home."
Lebanon
The Israeli military continues to carry out airstrikes in Lebanon, claiming to target "Hezbollah infrastructure." Two air raids were conducted in the Bekaa Valley, and four missiles struck a forest area near the village of Jbaa in the Iqlim al-Touffah (Nabatieh) region, according to our local correspondents.
Gaza
Israeli military continues its ground operation in the southern Gaza Strip, where it announced conducting "ground operations in the Shaboura area of Rafah," at the southern tip of Palestine. It also added that operations are ongoing "in the north and center" of Gaza.
Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer stated that the military "now controls the center and south of Gaza" and is creating a buffer zone "between the north and south."
Good morning! Thank you for joining us for today's live coverage.
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