Famine in Gaza Signals Imminent Mass Casualties, IPC Warns
Plus: Israel storms Al Shifa Hospital; Death of senior Hamas leader uncertain; Blinken begins sixth tour in the Middle East, China-Hamas talks, Canada stops new arms exports to Israel, and more.
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Gaza's Famine Signals Imminent Mass Casualties, IPC Warns
Severe food shortages in parts of Gaza have reached famine levels, risking mass casualties without a ceasefire and increased food aid.
The Integrated Food-Security Phase Classification (IPC) reports that 70% of northern Gaza residents face critical food scarcity.
Although exact death rates are unknown, an estimated two people out of 10,000 are expected to die daily due to starvation or related illnesses.
Gaza's health ministry confirms 27 child deaths from malnutrition.
Overall, 1.1 million Gazans, half the population, suffer catastrophic food shortages, with 300,000 facing famine-like conditions.
This crisis has sparked strong criticism of Israel from Western allies since the conflict escalated.
Israeli Forces Storm Gaza's Al Shifa Hospital
Israeli forces raided Gaza's Al Shifa Hospital this week, claiming to have killed over 20 gunmen, resulting in multiple casualties and a fire. One Israeli soldier died in the clash.
Al Shifa, Gaza's largest hospital, housed displaced civilians. Communication was cut off, trapping individuals in surgery and emergency units.
Hamas reported suffocation among sheltering women and children due to a fire at the hospital entrance and condemned the Israeli military's actions, alleging disregard for patients, staff, and displaced persons.
Death of Senior Hamas Leader Uncertain Amid Alleged US Announcement
The death of a senior military leader within the Palestinian group Hamas has drawn attention following an unusual announcement by the United States, with both Hamas and Israel choosing to remain silent on the matter.
During a press briefing on Monday, March 18, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated, "Israel has made significant strides against Hamas... Marwan Issa, ranked third within Hamas, was reportedly killed in an operation last week."
Issa, 59, is deputy to Mohammed al-Dief, the general commander of the al-Qassam Brigades, serving as his right-hand man. However, despite his prominent role, little information is available about him.
While Israel has acknowledged an attempted assassination targeting Issa, it has refrained from confirming his death definitively. Hamas, on the other hand, has yet to issue an official statement regarding the death of Issa, which is reported to have occurred between March 10 and 11 in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.
The Israeli military's history includes three failed attempts to assassinate Issa in 2006, 2014, and 2021.
Blinken Begins Sixth Middle East Tour to Broker Ceasefire Amid Escalating Tensions
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken began a tour of the Middle East this week, with discussions in Saudi Arabia, aiming to broker a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict amid growing tension between Washington and its ally, Israel.
Blinkes has also stopped in Egypt, where he is scheduled to meet with foreign ministers from Qatar and Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and the secretary-general of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, and he is set to visit Israel.
Read more on Reuters and AP News.
China Engages Hamas in Talks Over Gaza Conflict
China's Foreign Ministry confirmed this week a meeting between diplomat Wang Kejian and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar, marking the first such encounter since the Israel-Hamas war began in October. They discussed ending the Israeli offensive in Gaza and providing humanitarian aid. China, aiming to increase its influence in the Middle East, facilitated the Iranian-Saudi normalization deal in 2023 and expressed willingness to mediate the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Since October, China has called for a ceasefire and supported a two-state solution but has not explicitly condemned Hamas.
Canada Halts New Arms Exports to Israel for Review
Canada has suspended approving new arms export permits to Israel, with the government saying that this freeze will continue until they're satisfied the weapons comply with Canadian regulations.
This decision comes amid tensions in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Canadian parliament recently passed a non-binding motion urging the government to stop future arms exports to Israel related to the Gaza conflict.
Canada, a minor arms supplier to Israel, had previously paused non-lethal military exports due to the rapidly changing situation.
Earlier this month, a lawsuit was filed by Canadian pro-Palestinian and human rights groups seeking to block military exports to Israel, pointing out that since the October attacks, Canada had approved over $21 million in new permits, exceeding the prior year's total.
EU, Egypt Forge €7.4 Billion Deal to Strengthen Ties and Tackle Migration
In a move to strengthen ties, the European Union (EU) and Egypt signed a €7.4 billion ($8 billion) financial agreement on March 17.
The deal aims to boost Egypt's economy, increase energy exports to Europe, and tackle irregular migration. It includes billions in loans spread over several years and focuses on enhancing natural gas and energy flows to Europe, intending to decrease reliance on Russian gas. This agreement follows similar deals with Libya, Tunisia, and Mauritania,
all aimed at reducing irregular migration across the Mediterranean Sea.
In 2016, the European Council and Turkey reached an agreement to stop irregular migration from Turkey to Europe, worth €6 billion ($6.5 billion).
However, Human Rights Watch criticized the EU's approach, labeling it as "cash-for-migration-control" and arguing it strengthens authoritarian regimes while undermining human rights defenders and activists.
This deal aims to bolster Egypt's economy, increase energy exports to Europe, and address irregular migration.
Iraq bans PKK
Iraq's government has prohibited the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in anticipation of an upcoming visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan next month. This move coincides with Turkey's anticipated launch of another significant offensive against its historical Kurdish adversary within Iraq this summer. While Iraq's ban on the PKK falls short of designating it as a terrorist organization, it represents a significant concession, possibly in the hope of Ankara reciprocating on crucial matters such as trade and water resource management. The PKK and Turkey have engaged in a protracted conflict over Kurdish independence for decades. However, much of the active hostilities have unfolded in Iraqi Kurdistan in recent years.
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My name is Dario Sabaghi, and I am a freelance journalist interested in international news focusing on the MENA region.
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Cover photo | Loay Ayyoub for The Washington Post