In the West Bank, Israeli settlers raid Khirbet al-Marajim in Duma, setting fire to 6 homes and a vehicle and opening fire at homes. Israeli settlers also bring their sheep to graze on Palestinian crops in Maeen in the Masafer Yatta area. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers with a military escort raid Kifl Haris. Israeli forces continue raids in Jenin and Jenin refugee camp for the 53rd day in a row, demolishing homes in the refugee camp. Israeli forces also continue raids in Tulkarm, Tulkarm refugee camp, and Nur Shams refugee camp for the 47th day in a row. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian man during a raid in Salem. Israeli forces also shoot and injure a Palestinian man and injure others with tear gas during a raid in Beita. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently disperse Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum with tear gas. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces shell a fishing boat, killing a Palestinian man. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Gaza City, killing 4 children. Israeli forces also shell homes east of Rafah, injuring 3 Palestinians. (HA 3/13; AJ, AP, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/14; UNOCHA 3/18; UNOCHA 3/20)
More than 48,524 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 17,881 children and 12,749 women, and around 111,955 have been injured since 10/7/2023. In addition, 14,222 Palestinians who have been missing are presumed dead. 933 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 186 children. More than 6,500 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, 408 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 2,579 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. 92% of all housing units in Gaza have been destroyed or severely damaged since 10/7/2023.
Hamas says in a statement that it has agreed to release American Israeli captive Edan Alexander and the bodies of 4 other captives with dual nationalities. Spokesperson Hazem Qassem says the decision was meant as a “positive gesture” and not as a signal that Hamas wants to renegotiate the already existing ceasefire agreement after the U.S. demand that a different ceasefire agreement be negotiated. U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff threatens Hamas in a statement, saying that if it does not accept the new U.S.-Israel temporary ceasefire proposal by the end of the Ramadan and Passover holidays then “we will respond accordingly.” Al Jazeera reports that Israel has killed 98 Palestinians in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect on 1/20. (HA 3/13; AJ, AJ, AP, AX, NYT, REU, REU 3/14)
A video of Israeli soldiers firing aimlessly at Gaza from Israel while 1 of the soldiers reads the Book of Esther wearing a clown hat circulates on social media. (HA 3/15)
AP reports that the U.S. and Israel have discussed displacing Palestinians from Gaza to Sudan, Somaliland, and Somalia with officials from those countries. Somalia says it will not take in Palestinians as the plan undermines the Palestinian people’s right to live in their ancestral land. Sudan reportedly also rejects the idea, while Somaliland says it has not had any talks on the subject. (HA 3/13; AJ, AJ, AP, HA, REU, REU 3/14)
The G7 changes the standard language it uses relating to Palestine and Israel in its final draft statement from a summit in Quebac, stressing the need for a “political horizon for the Palestinian people” rather than calling for a 2-state solution. The PA calls on the world to keep the 2-state solution alive in response to the change of language. (HA 3/13; AJ, WAFA 3/14; AJ, WAFA 3/15)
U.S. secretary of homeland security Kristi Noem says a Columbia University student known for pro-Palestinian activism self-deported on 3/11 and that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested a Palestinian student from the West Bank for overstaying her visa. The student was also arrested during pro-Palestine protests at Columbia University in April 2024. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says more student visas will be revoked over pro-Palestine protests. AP reports that the U.S. government has demanded that Columbia University’s Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies Department be placed under “academic receivership for a minimum of five years,” and that the university must adopt a new definition of anti-Semitism. (HA 3/13; AJ, AX, HA 3/14; AJ 3/15; AX, NYT 3/17)