Israel-Hamas War: What happened on day 170?

Alarms indicating a possible terrorist infiltration sounded in areas near the Gaza Strip on Monday morning, Israeli media reported.

Later, the Sderot municipality and the IDF confirmed that the reports of a potential terrorist infiltration were false. The IDF added that soldiers were deployed in the area.

Israel is currently trying to find a bypass to obtain weapons and raw materials from non-American outlets to overcome the material gaps of critical combat equipment, KAN News reported on Monday morning.

KAN cites a security official as claiming that the "increasing criticism and delegitimization fueled by both Muslim groups and antisemites endanger the transfer of US-backed ammunition and warfare.

There is concern that the tensions with the US are stimulated by the entry of Israeli troops into Rafah alongside the humanitarian issue in Gaza.[These factors] will affect Americans' willingness to continue assisting Israel with the same intensity."

There are currently multiple countries that do not provide warfare to Israel and do a "quiet boycott," which states that [these countries] are bound by state laws to sell weapons to countries in conflict.

Hamas is holding civilians, including medical staff, as human shields in Gaza’s Shifa Hospital while simultaneously targeting the medical institution, Israeli military officials reported on Sunday and Monday.

Reportedly, Hamas fired mortars at the hospital on Sunday.

During his Sunday evening public address, IDF spokesperson R.-Adm. Daniel Hagari stated, “Terrorists hiding around the hospital fired mortars at our forces, causing extensive damage to the hospital buildings. I repeat: Hamas is firing mortars at the Shifa hospital.”

Shortly after midnight on Monday, Hamas admitted on its Telegram channel that it had fired mortar shells at IDF troops in the vicinity of Shifa Hospital.

“Al-Qassam Brigades, in conjunction with the al-Quds Brigades, are attacking enemy forces penetrating the vicinity of al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City with mortar shells,” Hamas wrote.

Hagari added that the Gaza-based Islamist terror organization was destroying the hospital and had caused “extensive damage” to hospital infrastructure as it attempted to target IDF troops operating in the area.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said during a visit to Jordan on Monday that there is growing international consensus to tell Israel that a ceasefire is needed and that an assault on Rafah would cause a humanitarian disaster.

 This is a developing story.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said during a visit to Jordan on Monday that there is growing international consensus to tell Israel that a ceasefire is needed and that an assault on Rafah would cause a humanitarian disaster.

 This is a developing story.

After more than 24 hours of letting the story run freely, Qatari mouthpiece Al Jazeera deleted the page featuring their former story, which accused Israeli soldiers of allegedly perpetrating rape against women during the IDF’s latest excursion against Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists who barricaded themselves inside the former hospital-gone-terror headquarters.

Although the Qatari mouthpiece has yet to officially refer to the retraction, all content related to the allegation has been reportedly deleted.

Al Jazeera columnist and former director Yasser Abuhilalah also tweeted, admitting that “It was revealed through Hamas investigations that the story of the rape of women in Al-Shifaa hospital was fabricated… The woman who spoke about rape justified her exaggeration and incorrect talk by saying that the goal was to arouse the nation’s fervor and brotherhood,” adding critically that “As if more than thirty thousand martyrs, ninety thousand wounded, about a million displaced people, and comprehensive destruction were not enough!”

◾️◾️تبين من خلال تحقيقات حركة حماس إن قصة اغتصاب النساء في #مستشفى_الشفاء مختلقة، طبعا العدو لم يتورع عن جريمة إبادة .
◾️◾️بررت السيدة التي تحدثت عن الاغتصاب مبالغتها وحديثها غير الصحيح بأن الهدف أستثارة حمية الأمة ونخوتها ! وكأن أكثر من ثلاثين ألف شهيد وتسعين ألف جريح ونحو…

— ياسر أبوهلالة (@abuhilalah) March 24, 2024

Jihad Khelles, a pro-Hamas preacher from Gaza, also tweeted that it became evident that there was no proven evidence for the events and that the ‘witness’ told a story that she had heard and not witnessed, also adding that “this creates panic and fear” and “makes [Palestinians] feel despair and frustration at a time when we are most in need for stability and reassurance.” 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced to his party, the Likud, that he would not renege on passing the ultra-Orthodox draft bill and that without the bill, the government would not remain in place, KAN Reshet B reported on Monday morning.

Netanyahu’s announcement came in the wake of minister-without-portfolio and National Unity chair Benny Gantz’s warning that he would leave the war cabinet should the bill be passed and reports of several Likud ministers' opposition to the bill.

The bill, should it pass, would extend the exemption from IDF conscription for haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jews.

The subject of drafting the haredim into the IDF has been a point of contention, particularly in recent weeks, and has sparked a number of protests.

Israel has agreed to release between 700-800 Palestinian prisoners as part of a ceasefire and hostage release deal, Israeli media reported on Sunday evening, citing Israeli officials.

The prisoners agreed upon for release by Israel include hundreds who are serving life sentences for murdering Israelis in terror attacks, Walla's Barak Ravid further reported.

In return, 40 hostages will be released by Hamas, reports said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Sunday evening to kill Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, just as the Jewish People brought the death of Haman in the tale of Purim.

חיסלנו את המן. נחסל גם את סינוואר. pic.twitter.com/0GhKc5JWrN

— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) March 24, 2024

"We will unite, fight, and win just as we did in ancient times," Netanyahu said while visiting border guards from the Military Police Corps. "We will enter Rafah and achieve total victory.

"We took out Haman, we will also take out Sinwar," the prime minister vowed.

French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday. After expressing solidarity with Israel in the wake of the October 7 attacks, and reiterating France's call for the release of the hostages held by Hamas, Macron repeated his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and expressed his concern regarding Israel's actions in Shifa Hospital. 

Macron reiterated his opposition to military action in Rafah. He noted that any forced transfer of the Gazan population would constitute a war crime according to international law and that the future of Gaza is within the framework of a Palestinian state under the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority.

The two leaders discussed the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the urgency of ramping up humanitarian aid, in light of a risk of famine and the deprivation of basic needs among the civilian population of the Strip.

Macron insisted that Israel immediately and unconditionally open all crossing points to the Gaza Strip, especially the Karni crossing, with a direct land route from Jordan and the port of Ashdod. The number of trucks should be determined in a transparent manner, he said, in coordination with the United Nations.

Macron also called to prevent violent skirmishes during Ramadan in Jerusalem and the West Bank, and also highlighted the call to maintain the status quo of holy places in Jerusalem. 

Macron strongly condemned Israel’s latest announcements on settlement development, citing them as going against international law. He mentioned that France and Europe have taken initial steps against settlers guilty of acts of violence against Palestinians, and that France is planning further steps in coordination with its partners.

Macron calls for ceasefire 

The French president informed Netanyahu of France's intention to submit a resolution to the UN Security Council calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire that would lay the foundations for a permanent solution to the conflict.

Macron believes that the two-state solution remains the only solution that will meet Israel's security needs and the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinians, he said, and that it will require courageous and voluntary mobilization of Israeli and Palestinian political leaders for peace.

The United Nations Security Council meets to consider a United States-sponsored resolution calling for a ceasefire during the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas at U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S., March 22, 2024. (credit: MIKE SEGAR / REUTERS)

Regarding Israel’s northern border, Macron emphasized the necessity to move towards a diplomatic solution and prevent any escalation between Israel and Lebanon through the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701. Macron stated that France would continue to convey messages of restraint to regional actors, including Iran, in order to prevent a regional flare-up.

French president also converses with King of Jordan

Along with his conversation with Netanyahu, Macron also held a phone conversation with King Abdullah of Jordan, in which the two discussed the humanitarian situation in Gaza and what they agreed was a necessity for an immediate and sustained ceasefire to enable the arrival of aid and protection for the civilian population.

Macron said that the release of all the hostages remains the absolute priority for France.

The two leaders asserted their decisive opposition to an Israeli campaign in Rafah and their concern about Israel's actions at Shifa Hospital. Gaza remains Palestinian territory, they said, and the forced transfer of the population would constitute a war crime under international law.

There is no justification for exposing the population to the risk of famine, and it is essential to allow humanitarian access at all crossings, especially Karni, Macron stated, also mentioning the importance of maintaining the status quo on holy places in Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount, which is primarily administered by the Jordanian Waqf. 

Macron and Abdullah said they would persist in their joint efforts in support of a two-state solution, including the establishment of a Palestinian state that would include Gaza. Macron announced that France, in coordination with members of the Security Council and the Arab Contact Group, is preparing a proposal for a resolution that will call for a ceasefire and, he said, lay the foundations for a sustainable political solution to the conflict.