March 15, 2024 Israel-Hamas war

The White House has not seen any plans from the Israeli government related to Rafah, a US National Security Council spokesperson told CNN, following comments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office Friday approving "plans for action" in the southernmost Gazan city.

A spokesperson for Netanyahu said the Israel Defense Forces was preparing for both “the operational side” of a military operation, as well as for the “evacuation of the population.” More than a million Palestinians are in the city, with many of them having been forced to flee there since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war.

US President Joe Biden said last weekend in an interview that he viewed Israel going into Rafah as a "red line," which the White House then attempted to walk back. White House officials have said repeatedly that the Biden administration would not condone Israel expanding its military operations into Rafah without a credible plan to protect civilians in the area. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed the comments during a news conference in Vienna on Friday with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg.

CNN's Michael Conte contributed reporting to this post.

The US carried out its 11th airdrop of humanitarian aid into Gaza on Friday, US Central Command said in a statement.

Two C-130 Hercules aircraft and a C-17 Globemaster dropped 35,700 meals into northern Gaza, as well as 31,800 bottles of water, CENTCOM said. 

“These airdrops are part of a sustained effort, and we continue to plan follow-on aerial activities,” the statement said.

The effort to airdrop aid into Gaza continues as the US has begun the process of establishing a floating pier to allow in far greater quantities of aid.

Some key context: While the United Nations and aid groups have welcomed the meals, they have warned that maritime or airdropped aid cannot replace aid delivered by land, which since October 7 has been increasingly restricted by Israel. Israel maintains that it is working to respond to the needs on the ground in Gaza.

The first batch of humanitarian aid by sea reached Gaza on Friday, intended to provide the equivalent of one meal each for a quarter of the enclave’s more than 2 million people — of whom hundreds of thousands are on the brink of famine.

The nonprofit spearheading the operation, World Central Kitchen, said it is working with international partners to open a maritime aid corridor, and that it has “another 500 tons of aid in Cyprus ready to be loaded on future boats.”

With Palestinians in Gaza in dire need, any assistance is welcome, but aid groups say maritime and airdropped aid should be complementary to land deliveries, not a substitute. And some have warned it risks setting a “dangerous precedent” where land-based aid is undermined and hostilities continue.

The ship is carrying 200 tons of aid. By comparison, one truck can carry about 20 tons of aid, and an average of about 94.5 trucks were getting into Gaza every day through two crossings as of last month. That’s far below the 500 trucks that entered through the Rafah crossing alone before the war started.

Land crossings into Gaza remain heavily restricted by Israel. Aid agencies have accused Israel of imposing arbitrary and contradictory criteria that obstruct the entry of relief into the war-ravaged territory. Israel insists there is “no limit” on the amount of relief that can enter.

Read more about the aid efforts and barriers.

A diplomat familiar with ceasefire deal discussions told CNN that it "is not going to be easy to convince Israelis" to agree to the terms in Hamas’ latest response, adding that he’s waiting for the Israeli reply and "not celebrating yet." 

Upon receiving the latest proposal, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said that "Hamas is continuing to hold to unrealistic demands" but an Israeli delegation is being sent to Doha for further talks.

The diplomat confirmed to CNN the contours of the latest proposal that were reported by Reuters, which include:

A diplomatic source previously told CNN that mediation efforts are moving in a positive direction "but are not there yet."

The Spanish aid ship Open Arms has begun unloading cargo after reaching the shoreline of central Gaza on Friday, according to a journalist on the ground working for CNN.

Workers have begun loading the 200 tons of food aid on smaller boats off the shore of the Gaza City neighborhood of Sheikh Ajleen. 

The ship was organized by the nongovernmental organization World Central Kitchen and set off from Cyprus on Tuesday.

The delivery comes as northern Gaza is on the brink of famine as aid deliveries fall short, according to the head of the UN World Food Programme. The number of children dying of malnutrition and dehydration in the area is rising, including two newborn girls on Monday, a pediatrician at the Kamal Adwan Hospital said.

Khader Al-Za’anoun of WAFA, the official Palestinian news agency, contributed reporting for this post.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has "approved the plans for action in Rafah," his office said in a statement Friday.

"The IDF is preparing for the operational side and for the evacuation of the population," the Prime Minister’s office said.

The announcement followed a meeting in Tel Aviv of the Israeli security cabinet. No further details were immediately available.

There are an estimated 1.4 million people in Rafah in southern Gaza, many of whom have been displaced several times from other parts of Gaza. 

The Prime Minister’s office also said that “Regarding the hostages - Hamas's demands are still ridiculous. An Israeli delegation will leave for Doha after the Security Policy Cabinet discusses Israel's position.”

Remember: Israel intends to move displaced Palestinians from Rafah to “humanitarian enclaves” in Gaza before any Israel Defense Forces (IDF) assault on the last remaining area in Gaza the military has not yet reached, IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told reporters Wednesday. 

The IDF does intend to invade Rafah, he said, calling it “something we need to do.”

But the timing of the assault depends on “the conditions to allow it,” Hagari said.

Relatives of hostages are gathering in protest outside the Israeli military headquarters on Friday after reports emerged that the latest Hamas response to a ceasefire and hostage release deal is being considered by the Israeli war and security cabinets. 

The protest is being organized by The Hostages Families Forum, a group who have been lobbying extensively for the release of hostages taken by Hamas on October 7. 

The group told CNN that its members would gather outside the headquarters of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) when the Israeli War Cabinet and Security Cabinet meet to consider the proposal submitted by Hamas.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s office said a meeting had been convened on Friday morning.

Protestors called on the government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "make a decision that will save our beloved ones." 

Photos from the protest showed large crowds carrying signs inscribed with slogans including: "Get Them Out of Hell" and "Stop the world-the hostages are still there."  

32 out of the 130 hostages taken on October 7 are thought to be dead, according to CNN records.

The first Friday prayers of Ramadan at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem concluded without incident.

An estimated 80,000 Muslim worshippers attended the first Friday prayers of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque, according to the Islamic endowment department in Jerusalem.

Al-Aqsa Mosque, located in the Old City of Jerusalem, holds profound religious significance for Muslims worldwide as the third holiest site in Islam.

It comes after debate raged in Israel over whether to reduce the number of Muslim worshippers at Al-Aqsa during Ramadan.

Netanyahu said at the beginning of a security establishment meeting on preparations for Ramadan that the government prioritizes freedom of worship for all religions. 

Ben Gvir, leader of the extreme nationalist Jewish Power party, had been advocating to limit the number of Muslim worshippers permitted to visit the compound over the holiday.

Netanyahu’s decision not to reduce the number of Muslim worshippers “endangers” Israelis, Ben Gvir said in a statement earlier this month.

The decision “shows that Prime Minister Netanyahu and the small cabinet think that nothing happened on 7/10. This decision endangers the citizens of Israel and may allow a picture of victory for Hamas,” the statement said.

Before the war, Raghad Ezzat Hamouda enjoyed spending time with her friends and going to the movies. These days, she struggles to find time for herself in the chaos of an improvised shelter in Beit Lahia, in northern Gaza.

Women and girls in the enclave face “acute” survival challenges in the face of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, according to the British Medical Journal.

Palestinian women and health workers told CNN they use rags to manage their periods because they have no access to sanitary towels, causing vaginal infections and skin diseases.

Muslim women who wear the hijab have limited privacy in sprawling displacement camps. Others say they struggle to deal with the exhaustion of trying to survive a war. “When it’s my period time, I feel so exhausted, so tired,” Aseel, 25, a journalist displaced in Rafah, in southern Gaza, told CNN in February. “I need painkillers ... but it’s not available in the pharmacy, or even clinics."

Doctors previously told CNN starving mothers in Gaza are unable to produce enough milk to breastfeed their babies. “Women in Gaza must be protected,” said Hamouda. “I miss my freedom.”