Israel-Hamas War: What happened on day 181?

Hamas rejected Israel's latest proposal to cease fighting and release hostages, according to a Friday CNN report.

According to an unnamed diplomat cited by CNN, “They refused and asserted it doesn’t include any reply to their asks.”

According to the diplomat, Hamas believed the “Israeli proposal includes nothing new, so they see no need to change their proposal,” the official added.

Negotiations were supposed to lead to a lasting ceasefire, per the UN Security Resolution passed last month, and mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and the US have worked to try and broach a deal since the conflict broke out in October.

Jordanian army trucks carrying humanitarian aid bound for Gaza will be allowed to pass through Israeli territory, according to a Friday KAN11 report.

The report stated that the trucks would cross through the Allenby Bridge and then be allowed to pass through Israeli territory and reach Gaza directly, except for an inspection at the Kerem Shalom crossing.

This comes after a cabinet decision on Friday evening.

IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi has decided to reprimand IDF Southern Command Commander Yaron Finkelman over the accidental killing of the seven World Central Kitchen aid workers this week, IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari said on Friday.

This is in addition to the two officers who were already dismissed.

Colombia has asked the International Court of Justice to allow the country to intervene in South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide in the Gaza Strip, the court said Friday.

In its application, Colombia called on the court to ensure "the safety and, indeed, the very existence of the Palestinian people."

The ICJ, the highest UN court, can allow states to intervene and give their views. Several states have said they would also seek to intervene in the case but so far only Colombia and Nicaragua have filed a public request.

Families of seven American-Israeli hostages remain confident in the Biden administration's commitment to ensuring any ceasefire deal includes the release of all remaining hostages, they said Friday morning during a press conference in New York, marking six months since October 7. 

The families gathered at the American Jewish Committee's headquarters with New York Reps. Mike Lawler (R) and Dan Goldman (D) plead with the international community to pressure Qatar, Hamas, and Israel to come to a deal. 

The six-month mark comes amid a breaking point in tensions between Jerusalem and Washington as the Biden administration publicly scolded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and threatened a change in US policy should Israel not drastically change its humanitarian efforts and war tactics in Gaza. Biden firmly told Netanyahu to accept a deal now. 

The Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), announced on X on Friday that, that day, an additional 155 humanitarian aid trucks had entered the Gaza Strip.

Additionally, 100 thousand meals were airdropped into Gaza on Friday, COGAT added.

Humanitarian today (Apr. 5),
🚚155 Humanitarian aid trucks were inspected and transferred to the Gaza Strip.

✈️100 food packages carrying over 100k meals airdropped over northern Gaza.

We will continue expanding our efforts to facilitate humanitarian aid to Gaza. Stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/dzqQOBqwb2

— COGAT (@cogatonline) April 5, 2024

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for independent investigations into the deaths of all 196 aid workers killed in the Gaza Strip during the Israel-Hamas war and said he hopes Israel quickly and effectively boosts aid access.

Global outrage at the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory of 2.3 million people escalated after three Israeli airstrikes on Monday killed seven people working for US-based food charity World Central Kitchen.

Israel is retaliating against Hamas in Gaza over a deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian terrorist group, saying they killed some 1,200 people and took more than 250 people hostage. Hamash health authorities say Israel has killed more than 33,000 people since.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday there are no plans by the United States to conduct an independent investigation into the killings of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers.

Kirby told reporters that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had briefed President Joe Biden in their phone call on Thursday on the general findings of Israel's inquiry into the incident.

British foreign minister David Cameron said on Friday that major reform was needed from Israel to ensure the safety of aid workers after the deaths this week of seven humanitarian staff, three of whom were British citizens.

"It's clear major reform of Israel's deconfliction mechanism is badly needed to ensure the safety of aid workers," Cameron said on social media platform X.

 Israel's decision to open up some new corridors for humanitarian aid in Gaza will still not be enough to prevent starvation in Gaza, said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Friday.

"Following widespread condemnation of the killing of 7 @WCKitchen staffers by IDF and mounting international pressure, the Israeli gov will open some corridors for humanitarian aid. It's not enough to prevent starvation in #Gaza," wrote Borrell on X.

"The binding UN Security Council Resolution 2728 must be implemented. Now." he added.