al jazeera

By Tamila Varshalomidze and Usaid Siddiqui

         Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will attack Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are sheltering, but the assault “will be delayed somewhat” if a captives deal is reached
   The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, says the last time it was able to deliver food to northern Gaza was on January 23, renewing calls for the international community to allow more aid to the Palestinian territory to avert famine.
   The Gaza Health Ministry warns of a catastrophic situation “beyond description” as hospitals in the north of the enclave run out of fuel, putting the lives of patients at risk.
   A two-month-old Palestinian baby has died from starvation in northern Gaza, according to media reports, as Israel is accused of using starvation as a weapon of war.
   At least 29,692 Palestinians have been killed and 69,879 injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The revised death toll in Israel from the October 7 attacks stands at 1,139.

    Israeli soldiers filming own abuses shows ‘depth of tragedy’ in Gaza: UN expert

    A video showing an Israeli soldier gifting his fiancee a pair of shoes he looted from a home in Gaza has sparked criticism on social media.

    “Young Israeli soldiers finding the time (and stamina) to document their crimes cheerfully gives the depth of the tragedy unfolding in Gaza,” UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese said on X.

    Israeli soldiers have posted videos of themselves stealing from Palestinian homes, blowing up residential buildings and destroying medical centres in Gaza amongst other abuses.

    Gaza’s Government Media Office says that at least $25 million in cash, gold and valuables has been looted looted from the territory in the first three months of the war.

    Israel threatens to pull out of Eurovision if song is rejected

    Israel has warned that it may withdraw from this year’s Eurovision Song Contest if organisers reject the lyrics from its entry as too political.

    Eden Golan and her song “October Rain” were chosen to compete in the annual competition, which is being held in May in Malmo, Sweden.

    Media reports have suggested that the song, which is mostly in English with some Hebrew words, references the October 7 attack.

    That could mean the ballad and its 20-year-old Russian-Israeli singer fall foul of Eurovision rules, which ban political statements.

    The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said only that it was “currently in the process of scrutinising the lyrics” and a final decision had yet to be taken.

    “If a song is deemed unacceptable for any reason, broadcasters are then given the opportunity to submit a new song or new lyrics, as per the rules of the contest,” it said.

    Hezbollah claims rocket attack against Israeli troops

    The Lebanese group says it targeted a group of Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of Marj, Lebanon on the eastern side of the border with a locally manufactured Burkan rocket.