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Hamas Video Identifies Israeli Captives Bohbot and Ohana from Nova Festival
Israeli media has identified two captives featured in a Hamas-released video on March 24, 2025, as Elkana Bohbot and Yosef Haim Ohana, both abducted from the Nova Music Festival during the October 7, 2023, attack. The roughly three-minute video, reported earlier, shows the men sitting on the floor, speaking in Hebrew to the camera.
In the footage, the captives stated that their lives improved and they felt safer in Gaza during the truce that Israel ended on March 18, 2025, highlighting the stark contrast in their conditions before and after the ceasefire’s collapse.
UNRWA: 124,000 Displaced in Gaza Amid Israel’s Relentless Bombing
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) reported that 124,000 Palestinians have been displaced in Gaza in recent days due to Israel’s unyielding bombardments. In a statement on X, UNRWA highlighted the dire situation, noting that families are fleeing “with no shelter, no safety, and nowhere left to go.” The agency described the crisis as a “humanitarian catastrophe,” pointing to Israel’s blockade that has severed all aid, leaving food scarce and prices soaring. UNRWA urgently called for the siege to end, emphasizing the catastrophic impact on Gaza’s civilians.
124,000 people in #Gaza have been displaced in just days, forced to flee relentless bombardment. Families carry what little they have with no shelter, no safety, and nowhere left to go.
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) March 24, 2025
The Israeli authorities have cut off all aid. Food is scarce and prices are soaring. This is… pic.twitter.com/QlXsU2gbwv
Israel Inks Multi-Million Dollar Deal with Sikorsky for Helicopter Upgrades
Israel’s Defence Ministry has signed a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars with Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin unit, to integrate advanced Israeli systems into 12 CH-53K Pere helicopters currently under construction. Announced on March 24, 2025, the deal—part of a Foreign Military Sales agreement with the U.S. from years prior—will equip the helicopters with Israeli avionics, navigation, and electronic warfare systems, as required by the Israeli Air Force.
The new Pere helicopters are set to replace the aging Yas’ur fleet, modernizing Israel’s aerial capabilities amid ongoing regional tensions.
UN Slashes Gaza Presence After 5 Staff Killed in Israeli Offensive
The United Nations announced a significant reduction of its operations in Gaza following the deaths of five staff members from its Palestinian relief agency, UNRWA, amid Israel’s intensified military campaign. A UN spokesperson stated, “The Secretary-General has taken the difficult decision to reduce the Organisation’s footprint in Gaza, even as humanitarian needs soar and our concern over the protection of civilians intensifies.”
Despite the pullback, the UN emphasized its unwavering commitment to delivering aid to Gaza’s civilians, who are grappling with escalating violence and a deepening humanitarian crisis.
Disney’s $250M ‘Snow White’ Flops Hard at Box Office, Sparks Outrage
Disney’s live-action ‘Snow White’ remake, boasting a staggering $250 million budget, crashed at the box office with a dismal $43 million opening weekend in the U.S. and Canada, despite topping the domestic charts, per the Los Angeles Times. Adding $44 million overseas, the global debut reached $87 million—far below the $85 million projected just last month. Compared to Disney’s past hits like ‘The Lion King’ ($191M in 2019) and ‘Beauty and the Beast’ ($174M in 2017), per Forbes, this is a shocking letdown.
Critics slammed the film, giving it a 44% Rotten Tomatoes score, with reviews calling it a “strange, hot mess” (Huffington Post) and criticizing its “stiff” acting (Associated Press). Vanity Fair’s Richard Lawson quipped,
“A theatrically released feature that cost $250 million? Oh dear.”Controversies fueled the fire: lead actress Rachel Zegler’s 2022 D23 expo comments trashing the 1937 classic’s plot—“a guy who stalks her, weird!”—drew fan backlash, as did her anti-Trump Instagram rant post-2024 election, later apologized for. Zegler’s anti-Israel stance clashed with co-star Gal Gadot’s Israeli roots, while the portrayal of the Seven Dwarfs stirred further debate, sinking the film’s reputation.
Israeli Settler Killed in Haifa Attack; MSF Warns of West Bank Crisis
An Israeli settler was killed and several injured in a combined ramming, stabbing, and shooting attack in Yokneam Illit, east of Haifa, on March 24, 2025, according to Israeli media. The attacker, a Palestinian from the 1948 occupied territories, drove into settlers at Tishbi Junction, then opened fire after exiting his vehicle, per Israel’s Kan channel. Magen David Adom reported the assailant was shot dead at the scene.
Meanwhile, Israel’s "Iron Wall" campaign intensifies in the West Bank, targeting Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams camps, amid its genocidal war in Gaza. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned of a dire humanitarian crisis, with 40,000 Palestinians displaced since January 21. MSF described conditions as “extremely precarious”, with an “alarming” mental health toll, urging Israel to stop and allow aid.
Qassam Brigades Shares Captives’ Video Testimony
The Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, released a video featuring two captives who claimed their lives improved during the truce Israel ended on March 18, 2025. Identified as “Prisoner Number 21” and “Prisoner Number 22,” the captives spoke from a cramped space, seated side by side. “Until yesterday, I had a name and identity, but today I’m just a number,” one lamented, expressing lost hope. They clarified that Hamas did not force them to speak.
Describing pre-truce hardships, one said, “Crossings were closed, conditions were harsh, food was scarce, and safety was nonexistent.” He added that after the ceasefire began, “Hamas fighters cared for us—crossings opened, hunger eased, and we breathed fresh air.” The captive called Israel’s truce violation a “severe blow” to their well-being.
Israel Silent on Egypt’s Truce Plan, Vows to Intensify Gaza Fight
Israel has yet to officially respond to Egypt’s latest truce proposal for Gaza, leaving its stance unclear. Anonymous Israeli officials, quoted by local media, claim ignorance of the proposal’s details, focusing instead on pressuring Hamas to accept a US-backed plan. This plan would extend the ceasefire’s initial phase rather than advancing to a second stage.
The officials stressed Israel’s intent to escalate military operations with full force until Hamas yields. Meanwhile, Hamas has welcomed Egypt’s proposal, signaling a positive reception to its terms, highlighting a stark contrast in positions as the conflict persists.
CPJ Slams Israel’s Killing of Journalists as a War Crime
Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), has fiercely denounced Israel’s killing of Al Jazeera journalist Hossam Shabat in Gaza, labeling it “devastating.” Speaking to Al Jazeera, Ginsberg revealed that CPJ had interviewed Shabat for reports on Israel’s northern Gaza offensive, conducted amid a “news void” as Israel allegedly conceals its ethnic cleansing. She highlighted that Shabat was among six Al Jazeera journalists falsely branded “militants” by Israel’s military—a recurring tactic seen in this and past conflicts.
“He appears to have been deliberately targeted with a direct hit on his vehicle,” Ginsberg said. She stressed that such intentional attacks on journalists or civilians constitute war crimes, noting CPJ’s ongoing probes into multiple instances of Israel targeting media workers. “Journalists and civilians must never be targets,” she asserted.
Israel’s Deadliest Day in Gaza: 51 Killed, Journalists Targeted
On March 24, 2025, Israel unleashed a barrage of attacks across the Gaza Strip, killing at least 51 Palestinians in what medical sources told Al Jazeera is one of the deadliest days since the ceasefire with Hamas collapsed on March 18. The strikes, which hit northern, central, and southern Gaza, are part of a relentless campaign that has claimed 50,021 confirmed lives and wounded 113,274 since October 2023, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Palestinian officials and humanitarian groups insist the real toll is far higher, with countless bodies buried under rubble and entire families erased.
The day’s carnage included targeted killings of journalists, a hallmark of what critics, including Amnesty International, describe as Israel’s genocidal intent to silence witnesses and erase Palestinian narratives:
- Khan Younis Journalist Assassination: Mohammad Mansour, a correspondent for Palestine Today, was killed alongside his wife and son when Israeli forces bombed their home in southern Khan Younis. The strike left no survivors, obliterating a family reporting on the war’s toll.
- Beit Lahiya Air Strike: Just 30 minutes before this update, Hossam Shabat, a 23-year-old Al Jazeera Mubasher reporter, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on his car in northern Gaza’s Beit Lahiya. Previously wounded in an earlier attack, Shabat refused to abandon his mission, documenting Israel’s siege. Witnesses reported no warning before the strike, which also wounded pedestrians nearby. His death marks the 208th Palestinian journalist killed since October 2023, per Al Jazeera’s tally—a systematic targeting that UN experts have called a war crime.
Other strikes painted a grim picture of civilian suffering:
- Rafah Drone Attacks: Nour Issa Mekawi, fleeing Rafah after Israeli evacuation orders, described to Al Jazeera a nightmarish escape under drone fire: “Missiles and quadcopters attacked us. I saw innocent martyrs everywhere—children killed, women slaughtered. Where are the Arab countries?”
- Shujayea Neighborhood Devastation: In Gaza City, four Palestinians died in a 4:05 AM airstrike on a home. Survivor Maha Alarqan told Al Jazeera, “Dust was everywhere, rubble scattered, everyone screaming. We’re innocent people attacked without warning.”
Since breaking the January 2025 ceasefire—brokered by the US after months of negotiations—Israel has killed over 730 Palestinians in six days, predominantly women and children, per Gaza’s Health Ministry. The resumption of hostilities followed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rejection of Hamas’s terms for a lasting truce, a move critics say prioritizes political survival over peace. The scale of destruction, targeting of civilians, and blockade of essentials like food, water, and medicine have led human rights groups to accuse Israel of genocide—a charge bolstered by the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) ongoing investigation into Israel’s actions since October 2023.
Nasser Hospital and Beyond: Deliberate Destruction of Life-Saving Infrastructure
A chilling example of Israel’s strategy unfolded on March 23, 2025, when an airstrike hit Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, killing Hamas leader Ismail Barhoum and a 16-year-old patient recovering from surgery. Verified footage from Al Jazeera revealed the male surgical ward reduced to rubble—collapsed ceilings, shattered windows, and smoke-filled corridors. Dr. Feroze Sidhwa, a volunteer trauma surgeon, told Al Jazeera:
“The ward is destroyed. The electrical system is gone, every door blown off its hinges, the ceiling collapsed. We lost 30 beds in a hospital already overwhelmed. The boy I operated on March 18 would’ve gone home tomorrow—he’s dead now.”
Sidhwa called the attack a violation of the 1864 Geneva Convention, which protects medical facilities in wartime. “You don’t bomb a hospital, no matter what,” he said, dismissing Israel’s claim that targeting Barhoum justified the strike. Eight other patients, all injured from prior attacks, were wounded in the raid, which halted operations for an hour as staff extinguished fires.
This wasn’t an isolated incident. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported on March 24 that its Rafah office was damaged by an explosive projectile, impairing its aid efforts. “This has a direct impact on our ability to operate,” the ICRC stated, noting the office was clearly marked. Gaza’s healthcare system is collapsing under a 21-day Israeli blockade of medical supplies and border crossings, with hospitals like Nasser and Al-Shifa overwhelmed by casualties and lacking basics like bandages and antibiotics. The UN warns that over 2 million Palestinians face imminent health crises, with diseases spreading amid the siege.
Israel’s pattern of targeting hospitals—documented by Human Rights Watch since October 2023—suggests a deliberate effort to render Gaza uninhabitable, a key criterion of genocide under international law. The blockade, cutting off electricity, water, and fuel since early March, has been labeled a potential war crime by Amnesty International, amplifying calls for accountability.
EU Rejects Hamas Role in Gaza’s Future Governance
During a visit to Israel, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas spoke on the ongoing crisis in Gaza, where Israel has resumed heavy airstrikes and ground operations. Kallas expressed support for an Arab-led plan to rebuild Gaza but emphasized the need for further action on funding and governance issues. “The European Union sees no place for Hamas in Gaza’s future governance,” she stated, highlighting the urgency of planning the region’s political future. “We’re prepared to join those discussions.”
She outlined key priorities: reinstating a ceasefire, securing the release of all captives, and restoring humanitarian aid flows to achieve a lasting peace. Kallas added, “The EU stands ready to assist, whether by reviving our Rafah border mission or increasing aid efforts.”
Egypt’s Defiance: Rejecting the Ethnic Cleansing of Palestinians
As Israel’s security cabinet advances a plan to forcibly displace Gaza’s population—echoing US President Donald Trump’s call to relocate them to Egypt and Jordan—Egypt has drawn a firm line. On March 23, 2025, Egypt’s State Information Service rejected Israeli media claims that Cairo would accept 500,000 Palestinians in North Sinai for economic aid. “Forced displacement represents a liquidation of the Palestinian cause and a threat to Egyptian national security,” the statement declared, reaffirming Egypt’s refusal to allow any relocation “forcibly or voluntarily” outside Gaza.
“Egyptian foreign policy has never bargained supreme Egyptian and Arab interests for anything,” the statement added, per Reuters. This stance counters Trump’s proposal, which Palestinians denounce as ethnic cleansing aimed at erasing their presence from Gaza. Jordan and other Arab nations have also rejected the plan, with Jordan’s Foreign Ministry on March 23 calling it a “crime of forced displacement” under international law. Palestinians vow to remain on their land, presenting a counter-proposal to rebuild Gaza without relocation—a vision starkly at odds with Israel’s actions, including the recognition of 13 new illegal West Bank settlements on March 20.
West Bank: Settlement Surge and a Humanitarian Catastrophe
In the occupied West Bank, Israel’s settler expansion has reached unprecedented levels since Trump’s January 2025 inauguration. Peace Now reports 10,503 new housing units approved this year—outpacing 2024’s 9,971—with 1,344 more slated for approval on March 26. The group calls it a “surge” fueled by Trump’s pro-Israel stance, which during his first term upended US policy by endorsing Israel’s claims to seized territories.
The settlement boom follows incidents like the March 23 seizure of a Palestinian home in Hebron’s Tel Rumeida. Settlers occupied the property during the family’s Iftar meal, claiming a purchase the family denies—a claim backed by Israeli forces who barred the homeowners’ return. Peace Now warned: “A handful of messianic settlers are dictating Israel’s security policy. The government must act.”
Meanwhile, the “Iron Wall” operation, launched January 21, 2025, has killed dozens and displaced over 44,000 Palestinians across Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams camps. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) describes an “extremely precarious” situation, with destroyed homes, blocked access, and a mental health crisis gripping the region. The death of a 17-year-old Palestinian in Israel’s Megiddo Prison on March 23—raising the toll of prisoners killed since October 2023 to 63—underscores the occupation’s brutality.
US Escalates in Yemen as Houthi Support for Gaza Grows
The US has intensified airstrikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who resumed Red Sea ship attacks over Israel’s Gaza blockade. On March 23, a strike on Sanaa killed one civilian and wounded 13, including three children, per the Houthi Health Ministry. Additional raids hit Saada province on March 24, with no immediate casualty reports. The Houthis, rejecting US claims of military targets, vowed continued solidarity with Palestine and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, stating: “These attacks won’t deter us.”
Since March 15, US strikes have killed at least 53 Yemenis, per AFP, escalating a proxy conflict tied to Gaza’s plight. The US Central Command (CENT defends the raids as protecting navigation, but the civilian toll fuels accusations of complicity in Israel’s broader campaign.
Israel’s Internal Chaos: Netanyahu vs. Shin Bet
Amid the genocide allegations, Netanyahu faces domestic turmoil. On March 20, he moved to sack Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, who probed far-right infiltration of police and corruption in Netanyahu’s government. The Supreme Court blocked the dismissal, prompting Netanyahu to deny authorizing Bar’s investigation of far-right Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. “Another exposed lie,” he said on March 23, per Reuters. Ben-Gvir called Bar a “criminal” in Maariv, alleging illegal spying—a clash exposing the fragility of Israel’s coalition as protests demand a ceasefire return.
Global Outcry: A World Watches in Horror
The international response grows urgent:
- Germany: On March 24, Foreign Ministry spokesman Christian Wagner called Gaza’s civilian deaths “extremely worrying,” urging a ceasefire and condemning West Bank settlements as undermining peace.
- EU: Foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned Israel’s strikes on Lebanon—killing eight in Tyre—and Syria risk “further escalation,” despite a November ceasefire with Hezbollah.
- Lebanon: Leaders contacted the US, France, and UN to avert an Israeli attack on Beirut, per AFP, after weekend strikes.
- France: The French-Jewish council distanced itself from Israel’s invite to far-right leaders for an anti-Semitism conference, citing historical distrust.
In Gaza, six paramedics went missing in Rafah on March 23 amid Israeli incursions, per the Civil Defence Agency, while a car-ramming near Haifa by a Palestinian citizen of Israel killed one and wounded another, reflecting domestic fallout.
The Genocidal Pattern: A Historical Echo
Israel’s actions echo historical atrocities. The blockade, hospital bombings, and mass displacement mirror tactics of ethnic cleansing, as documented by UN reports since October 2023. The targeting of journalists—208 killed—recalls efforts to suppress evidence, while the settler surge in the West Bank aims to erase Palestinian claims to their land. With over 50,000 dead, 2 million displaced, and a healthcare system in ruins, the ICJ’s genocide probe looms large. Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz claims efforts to avoid civilian harm, but the reality—730 killed in six days—tells a different story.
What’s Next?
As Gaza burns, Yemen bleeds, and the West Bank crumbles, the Middle East teeters on the brink. Will global pressure force accountability, or will Israel’s genocidal campaign continue unchecked? The silence of Arab nations, as Mekawi cried, and the West’s tepid response raise urgent questions.
Act Now: Bookmark this page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram for real-time updates, and share this page with your friends. Demand justice for Gaza’s 50,000 dead and counting—your voice can break the silence on this genocide!
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