The USA makes a prisoner exchange proposal. Hamas announces the death of a hostage. More information in the news blog.
The most important things at a glance
US Vice President Harris criticizes Israel
5:52 p.m.: Kamala Harris has sharply criticized Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip. “A major military operation in Rafah would be a big mistake,” the US Vice President told ABC News. She cannot rule out that an attack could have consequences from the USA.
A few weeks ago, US President Joe Biden also expressed “deep concern” about Netanyahu’s plans. The Israeli head of government had announced that he wanted to attack the refugee town of Rafah. “I looked at the cards,” Harris said. “These people have nowhere to go. They are in Rafah because they were told to go there.”
Israel launches new military operation in Khan Yunis
1:22 p.m.: The Israeli army says it has begun a new military operation in Khan Yunis in the south of the Gaza Strip. The aim of the operation in the west of the city is to “continue to destroy terrorist infrastructure and eliminate terrorists in the area,” the military said in a statement. The operation began with “a series of air strikes on around 40 terrorist targets.”
The Palestinian Red Crescent emergency service reported that Israeli troops had surrounded two hospitals in Khan Yunis. There is heavy shelling. In Al-Amal Hospital, a paramedic was fatally injured by gunfire and another suffered a gunshot wound to the head.
Germany wants to take in 147 people from Gaza
7.25 a.m.: Since the beginning of the most recent escalation in the Middle East, the Federal Ministry of the Interior has agreed to accept 147 people from the Gaza Strip into Germany in order to protect the political interests of the Federal Republic. However, the approval of these people proposed by the Foreign Office is subject to the condition that no findings arise in individual cases that would conflict with this, the ministry said in an answer to a written question from Bundestag member Andrea Lindholz (CSU). The answer available to the German Press Agency referred to the period between October 7th – the day of the Hamas attack on Israel – and March 14th.
The deputy chairwoman of the Union parliamentary group also wanted to know how it could be ensured that these people did not have anti-Semitic attitudes. The ministry said that admissions from Gaza generally take place via Egypt. Discussions would be held there to clarify whether there were any exclusions. “Before making the final admission decision, the security authorities check whether there are security concerns in individual cases,” the ministry said in response. The ministry told MPs how many of the people for whom admission was declared had already entered the country was not statistically recorded.
US shoots down Houthi drones
4.10 a.m.: US forces have shot down six Houthi unmanned aerial vehicles over the southern Red Sea, according to US Central Command. Five of the drones crashed into the Red Sea and one flew inland into the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
Rockets fired at Israel
2:11 a.m.: The Lebanese Hezbollah militia said it fired more than 60 Katyusha rockets at an Israeli rocket and artillery base in Yoav and the Kaila barracks. This is a response to the Israeli “bombing of a location in the city of Baalbek,” says the Islamist militia allied with Iran and the radical Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas.
USA proposes prisoner exchange
12:20 a.m.: The US is proposing a hostage-to-prisoner ratio in Gaza ceasefire talks, according to an insider. “During the negotiations, significant differences emerged over the issue of the relationship between the prisoners to be released and the 40 hostages whose release is under discussion,” said an Israeli official who requested anonymity. “The United States put a stopgap proposal on the table, to which Israel responded positively.” Hamas’ response is still pending. The official did not provide details about the US proposal.
