Netanyahu has vowed to invade Rafah despite the international red line. Meanwhile, the U.S. has sanctioned two illegal settler outposts in the West Bank for the first time.
Biden is in a quandary on Gaza. His legacy is “genocide,” says the progressive base. But Rep. Brad Sherman accuses “anti-Israel forces” of trying to “penetrate and muddy our national discourse.”
Human rights experts say the Biden administration’s proposed maritime corridor is a much less effective solution to addressing the dire needs of Gaza’s besieged and starving population than a ceasefire and pressuring Israel to open land crossings.
The U.S. is putting pressure on the PA to reform itself so it can take on a local governance role in a “postwar” Gaza Strip. But analysts say the resignation of the prime minister “won’t change the ways” of the massively unpopular PA.
UNRWA’s chief says dismantling the agency is “short-sighted” and will “sow the seeds of hatred, resentment, and future conflict.” Israeli forces fire at Palestinians seeking aid and food in Gaza City and detain others in southern Gaza.
UN humanitarian officials say that thousands of Palestinians in Gaza are “just a step away from famine” by May. Russia calls on UNSC members to refrain from endorsing Washington’s resolution on Gaza, denouncing it as “a license to kill” for Israel.
After several days of reported negotiations, Hamas says it will not accept anything less than complete ceasefire, blames Israel for stalling a ceasefire agreement.
Israel bombarded Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, killing and injuring patients and those sheltering inside. Egyptian human rights group reports construction underway on detention zone ahead of a possible mass expulsion from Gaza into Sinai.
The U.S. supports Israel unconditionally because it sees the entire Western project in the Middle East at risk today in Gaza. While it may seem these our darkest days, it is also clear that the U.S. and Israel are bound to fail.