In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set fire to residential tents in Bruqin. Israeli forces continue raids in Jenin and Jenin refugee camp for the 58th day in a row, setting fire to homes and issuing demolition notices for 66 homes in the refugee camp. Israeli forces also continue raids in Tulkarm, Tulkarm refugee camp, and Nur Shams refugee camp for the 52nd day in a row, demolishing 6 residential buildings in Nur Shams refugee camp and issuing evacuation orders for areas of Tulkarm refugee camp. Elsewhere, Israeli forces raid Ein Beit al-Ma’ refugee camp, killing a Palestinian man, injuring 3 others, and displacing 80 Palestinian families from their homes at gunpoint. Israeli forces also shoot and injure a Palestinian child and a man during a raid in Beit Furik. Meanwhile, Israeli forces open fire at a Palestinian vehicle in ‘Abda. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanun, Rafah, Khan Yunis, Nuseirat refugee camp, al-Mawasi, and Gaza City, killing more than 100 people, including a Bulgarian UN worker at a UN facility in Dayr al-Balah. Israeli forces also restart the ground invasion of Gaza, separating the northern and southern parts with soldiers along the Netzarim Corridor. In Rahat, Israeli authorities demolish 10 homes belonging to the same family, displacing around 50 Palestinians. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Rashidieh. In Yemen, U.S. forces bomb Hodeidah and Sanaa, injuring 9 people. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/19; AJ, AP, AP, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA 3/20; UNOCHA 3/25; UNOCHA 3/27)
More than 49,547 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 17,881 children and 12,749 women, and around 112,600 have been injured since 10/7/2023. In addition, 14,222 Palestinians who have been missing are presumed dead. 935 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. Before midday, the Gaza Health Ministry says 436 Palestinians have been killed since 3/18, including 183 children and 94 women. The Red Crescent says Al-Quds Hospital in the western part of Gaza City will reopen on 3/21. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, WAFA, WAFA 3/19)
Hamas Political Bureau co-chairperson Khalil al-Hayya speaks with Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan. PLO secretary-general Hussein al-Sheikh meets with Fidan in Ankara, discussing the resumption of Israeli attacks on Gaza. PA prime minister Mohammad Mustafa meets with Japanese assistant foreign minister Ando Toshihide in Ramallah. The U.S. State Department says its new ceasefire proposal is still on the table but that the window for entering a deal was “closing fast.” (AJ, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA 3/19)
Jordanian king Abdullah II meets with French president Emmanuel Macron in Paris. Abdullah II calls on the international community to push for a resumption of the ceasefire deal and the implementation of the second and third phases while Macron calls the resumption of Israeli attacks “a dramatic step backwards.” Macron also speaks with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, discussing a joint conference on the 2-state solution. EU high commissioner for foreign affairs Kaja Kallas says she has told Israel that the situation in Gaza is unacceptable. (AJ, AP, REU 3/19; AJ 3/20)
U.S. senator John Fetterman (D-PA) meets with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. (HA 3/19)