Live Updates
The Houthi-struck Rubymar sank in the Red Sea on March 2, with 21,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser on board.
AFP
The Israel-Hamas war is now in its 167th day, and eyes are on the Middle East as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in the region to seek a ceasefire deal and more humanitarian aid for Gaza.
Occupants of a “small craft” that made a suspicious approach toward a commercial vessel off of Yemen exchanged fire with the ship’s security team Thursday morning, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported.
Back in Gaza, fighting rages on at Shifa Hospital, the Strip’s largest medical complex. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) raided the area earlier this week as it has been on a manhunt for senior Hamas officials in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, a total of 36 countries are considering sending humanitarian aid for Gaza civilians through Cyprus, as there have been mounting difficulties in getting supplies for Palestinians via land transfer.
Despite immense pressure from Washington and the international community over Israel’s planned ground incursion into Rafah, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is unmoved. He told Republican senators that Israel will continue to pursue its war goals – eliminating Hamas being its top priority.
Global leaders are calling for a ceasefire deal that could free the remaining hostages in Gaza and allow for more aid to enter the devastated enclave. There are also increasing calls urging Israel to agree to a two-state solution in the long and violent Israel-Palestine conflict that led to Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre in Israel.
Israel is reportedly waiting for Hamas’ response to a proposal by an Israeli delegation for a potential truce agreement.
