#FranklySpeaking: With a ceasefire, could @UNICEF could avert a humanitarian catastrophe in #Gaza? This is what spokesperson @1james_elder had to say | Full episode: [_link] pic.twitter.com/TWivvpEAiD

— Arab News (@arabnews) March 31, 2024

On the day new data is out on famine in #GAZA, the Israeli Authorities deny my entry to Gaza.

-Famine is imminent in the northern Gaza Strip, expected to arrive between now and May.
- Two million people= the entire population of Gaza is facing crisis levels of food insecurity...

— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) March 18, 2024

The renewed binding order from the @ICJ yesterday is a stark reminder that the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is man made + worsening.
It can however still be reversed.

The order calls on the State of Israel to cooperate with the United Nations to...

— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) March 29, 2024

Staggering. The number of children reported killed in just over 4 months in #Gaza is higher than the number of children killed in 4 years of wars around the world combined.

This war is a war on children. It is a war on their childhood and their future.#ceasefireNow for the... pic.twitter.com/tYwSNHecpy

— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) March 12, 2024

It said the measures would apply to the export of products from 54 different categories, including iron, marble, steel, cement, aluminium, brick, fertilizer, construction equipment and products, aviation fuel, and more.

"This decision will remain in place until Israel, under its obligations emanating from international law, urgently declares a ceasefire in Gaza and allows the unhindered flow of sufficient humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip," it said.

Shortly after the Israel-Hamas war started, Turkey and Israel pulled back their ambassadors. Tuesday's move is the first significant measure taken by Ankara against Israel since the start of the conflict. President Tayyip Erdogan has faced growing criticism over his government's commercial ties to Israel.

hurriyetdailynews | US troops head to region as fears grow of Gaza war's spread (13.04.24)
Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,634 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry there.

Police detained dozens of protestors demanding an end to the trade with Israel in Istanbul on Saturday. Authorities suspended two police officers involved in the incident, as the government works to restore popular support after a thumping opposition win in March 31 local elections.

Responding to the developments, Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz ordered the Economic Division of his ministry "to prepare an extensive list of products that Israel will prevent Turkey [?!] from exporting to Israel," his office said in a statement.

"Turkey is unilaterally violating the trade agreements with Israel, and Israel will take all necessary measures against it," the statement said. In addition, Israel will "appeal to pro-Israel countries and organizations in the US to stop investments in Turkey and prevent the import of products from Turkey."

Israel will 'pay' for Gaza atrocities, Erdoğan tells Abbas (12.04.24)
"The president has underlined that all means, including the U.N. Security Council resolution, must be deployed for a cease-fire. Israel needs to be fought with full solidarity,"  Communications Director Fahrettin Altun told Turkish state broadcaster TRT Haber. Separately, the communications director condemned an Israeli airstrike targeting a TRT crew in Gaza, saying the international community "must not stay silent in the face of such attacks "which embolden Israel."

[...]
The Turkish leader also repeatedly attacked Israel on the campaign trail ahead of local elections held on March 31. His party nevertheless suffered a significant defeat, losing control of many cities, especially to the Islam-based Yeniden Refah (New Welfare) Party. The party, which won seats in the Turkish parliament last year after allying with Erdogan's AKP, fielded its own candidates in the March elections, with its leader Fatih Erbakan attacking Erdogan for maintaining Turkish trade with Israel despite the war in Gaza.

Prof. Elise Brezis, head of the Azrieli Center for Economic Policy at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, explained the extent of the importance of Turkish exports to Israel. She told The Media Line that Turkish exports to Israel were $6.8 billion in 2022 and $4.6 Billion in 2023, while total imports [from] Israel are $110 billion.
[...]
Dr. Lucrezia Leon Savasta, a Middle East and Eurasian expert, told The Media Line that she doubts a comprehensive ban will be implemented immediately. Instead, she sees Turkey's public announcement as a political move to pressure Israel and get more countries to join.

trtworld | Türkiye reaches a record-high share in global exports in 2023 (11.04.24)
Türkiye's exports in 2023 hit a record high of $255.8 billion, ticking up 0.6 percent from the previous year.

"Except for July, our trade gap shrank annually in the last seven months of 2023," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan explained. Adding that Türkiye aims to boost its goods and services exports in 2024 to over $375 billion, the country has "more than enough power to achieve this target," he said.

[...]
"Let's just focus on the fact that, very smartly, did not say that they would stop the import of goods from Israel," she said, noting that in 2022 [!], Israel was among the top 5 countries from where Turkey was importing refined petroleum.

trtworld | Türkiye debunks "false" claims of providing fuel to Israeli military (09.04.24)
The Combating Disinformation Centre of Türkiye confirms that the fuel in question is jet fuel purchased for Israeli passenger aircraft at airports in Turkish territory and has no connection with Israeli military aircraft.

That is why she says a total ban is not sustainable for the Turkish government. "The country is facing a sort of internal fragmentation. See the last elections, and how Erdogan lost major cities, and when the economy comes to be touched negatively, general discontent grows. It can be dangerous for the central government," she asserted. In addition, she notes that Turkey is very "money-oriented," and its decision-making is usually very well economically calculated. "It is difficult to think that they will make a decision that might harm their economic status. The elites would not allow this to happen," she asserted.

The Corps announced launching the strikes in a statement on Saturday night.

"In response to the Zionist regime's numerous crimes, including the attack on the consular section of Iran's Embassy in Damascus and the martyrdom of a number of our country's commanders and military advisors in Syria, the IRGC's Aerospace Division launched tens of missiles and drones against certain targets inside the occupied territories," the statement read.

axios | Iran launched drone attack on Israel, U.S. and Israeli officials say

It's unclear what the targets are.

Iran launched attack drones from its territory towards Israeli territory, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a statement. Hagari said the IDF is implementing a defense plan together with U.S. Central Command and other partners in the region to intercept the drones before they reach Israel.

Meanwhile... 'Dozens' of rockets fired at Israel from Lebanon (12.04.24)
Hezbollah fighters targeted "enemy artillery positions... with dozens of Katyusha rockets" the group said in a statement, adding it was "in response to the enemy's attacks on... southern villages and civilian homes." The Israeli army said "approximately 40 launches were identified crossing from Lebanese territory, some of which were intercepted."

A senior Israeli official says the Iranian attack includes "hundreds of attack drones."

U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson in a statement said the White House is in "constant communication with Israeli officials as well as other partners and allies."

"This attack is likely to unfold over a number of hours. President Biden has been clear: our support for Israel's security is ironclad," the statement said.

presstv.ir | Iran launches retaliatory strikes against Israel following some IDF reports

The strikes were launched on Saturday night, with some reports saying that the Islamic Republic launched a number of attack drones towards the occupied territories.

Iran has not officially acknowledged retaliatory strikes yet.

Reuters news agency reported that the Islamic Republic has not yet launched missiles in its retaliatory military action against the occupying regime, adding that there is likelihood of it targeting the occupied city of Haifa and the occupied territories' coastline with "ballistic missiles" in the coming hours.

Israel's Channel 12 confirmed that the regime had been attacked, claiming that Iran launched tens of drones towards the occupied territories.

i24news.tv | IDF confirms Iran launched drone attack toward Israel | LIVE UPDATES
IDF twitter loops. No damage reports.