In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian man near Salem. Israeli settlers also kidnap, undress, and beat a Palestinian man near the Homesh settlement outpost, handing the man to Israeli forces after several hours. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers bring their sheep to graze on Palestinian crops in al-Fakhit, causing damage. Israeli settlers also set up a tent and a caravan in Sinjil. Israeli forces seize a tractor in the Masafer Yatta area. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers vandalize 10 tombstones at the Bab al-Rahma cemetery. Israeli forces assault Palestinians at the entrance to the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Nuseirat refugee camp, Rafah, Dayr al-Balah, Khan Yunis, Jabalia refugee camp, and Gaza City, killing at least 82 people. 2 people die of starvation at the Kamal Adwan Hospital and al-Shifa Hospital, bringing the death toll from starvation to at least 25. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Khirbet Selm, killing 5 people, including 2 children. Israeli forces also open fire at a joint UNIFIL-Lebanese army convoy, causing damage. Hezbollah forces attack Israeli soldiers in the Shebaa Farms area. In the Red Sea, the U.S. military says its forces shot down 28 drones launched from Yemen. (AJ, AJ, AJ, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/9; WAFA 3/10; UNOCHA 3/11; HA 3/12)
More than 30,960 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 13,400 children and 8,900 women, and around 72,524 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 7,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 417 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 108 children. More than 4,665 people have been injured. Israel reports that 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,400 have been injured in Israel since 10/7/2023, including Israeli soldiers. In addition, 246 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,469 injured in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27/2023. Over 1.93 million Palestinians, nearly 85% of the population of Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7/2023. There has been a complete electricity blackout in Gaza since 10/12/2023 due to the Israeli blockade. At least 70,000 housing units have been destroyed and 290,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7/2023, constituting over 60% of all housing units. 136 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. U.S. forces airdrop 41,000 meals in northern Gaza. (AJ, HA, WAFA 3/9; UNOCHA 3/11; UNOCHA 3/13)
Hamas says Israeli forces killed 7 Israeli captives last week during bombardments of Gaza. Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh calls on Arab and Muslim countries to “work at political, legal, and diplomatic levels to stop the onslaught of our people.” (AJ, HA 3/9)
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office releases a statement saying Hamas is not interested in a ceasefire deal and that CIA director Bill Burns meet with Mossad director David Barnea on 3/8, discussing the topic. (AJ, AX, HA 3/9)
Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz tweets that Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan is “one of the greatest oppressors and anti-Semites in history” after Erdogan compares Prime Minister Netanyahu to Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin, calling the Israeli government the “Nazis of our time.” (AJ 3/9; HA 3/10)
Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi says in a speech that he will not allow “the separation of Palestinians from their land” and estimates that the rebuilding of Gaza would cost more than $90 million. (AJ 3/9)
U.S. president Joe Biden says in an interview with MSNBC that Prime Minister Netanyahu is hurting Israel more than helping and that Israel invading Rafah is a red line but that he would not cut off all arms transfers to Israel. (HA, MSNBC 3/9; AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AX, HA, NYT 3/10; HA 3/11; AX 3/12)
Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez says he will push the Spanish Congress to recognize the State of Palestine before his mandate ends in 2027. (AJ, AP 3/9; WAFA 3/10)
Sweden resumes funding UNRWA, providing $19.4 million to the agency. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, NYT, NYT, WAFA 3/9)