Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells US Republican senators Israel will continue the war to defeat Hamas, with one senator saying, “He’s going to do what he said he’s going to do. He’s going to finish it”.

      Israel’s raid on al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City enters its fourth day with dozens killed and displaced Palestinians sheltering there describing long detentions and abuse.

      Antony Blinken begins a tour of the Middle East by holding talks in Saudi Arabia, with the US secretary of state heading to Egypt on Thursday for talks with Arab ministers.

      At least 31,923 Palestinians have been killed and 74,096 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The death toll in Israel from Hamas’s October 7 attack stands at 1,139, with dozens taken captive.

    Austin urges Gallant to consider alternatives to Rafah ground invasion

    US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin urged his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant to explore alternatives to conducting a full-scale ground operation in Rafah during a call between the pair, according to a Department of Defense press release.

    “Secretary Austin raised the need to consider alternatives to a major ground operation in Rafah, while reiterating the shared goal of defeating Hamas,” the readout said.

    The two also discussed the “need to do more to protect civilians and urgently increase the flow of aid into Gaza through land crossings”, according to the statement.

    Israel submits assurances to US on use of weapons

    The Israeli government has submitted written assurances required by the State Department that weapons it received from the US are not being used to violate international law in Gaza, the Reuters news agency reports, citing an unnamed US official.

    Israel had until March 24 to submit its written assurances, and the State Department will now assess by early May whether its claims are credible and report its findings to Congress.

    President Joe Biden issued a national security memorandum last month reminding countries receiving US-supplied weapons to abide by international law. It also, for the first time, required the US government to submit an annual report to Congress on whether countries are meeting those requirements.