TRANSCRIPT
“If you’re reading this, it means I have been killed—most likely targeted—by the Israeli occupation forces. When this all began, I was only 21 years old—a college student with dreams like anyone else. For past 18 months, I have dedicated every moment of my life to my people. I documented the horrors in northern Gaza minute by minute, determined to show the world the truth they tried to bury. I slept on pavements, in schools, in tents—anywhere I could. Each day was a battle for survival. I endured hunger for months, yet I never left my people’s side. ... I ask you now: do not stop speaking about Gaza. Do not let the world look away. Keep fighting, keep telling our stories—until Palestine is free."
Those were the final words left behind by 23-year old journalist Hossam Shabat, written in anticipation of his death, before Israeli strikes hit his car in northern Gaza.
Hossam Shabat was one of two journalists and 65 people killed by Israeli strikes in the past 24 hours.
With the killing of Hossam Shabat and Muhammad Mansour, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate says more than 206 journalists and media workers have been killed by Israel since October 2023.
Palestinian journalist Mahmoud Abu Salameh says his friend was targeted.
"We heard the sound of the explosion near the Indonesian Hospital. We rushed immediately at the moment of targeting - at the moment we heard the sound of this explosion, we headed to the place and saw the targeting of our colleague, journalist Hossam Shabat. We were shocked by this scene. This is our colleague Hussam’s car and this is his blood."
As Israel issues fresh evacuation orders in northern Gaza, its troops are pressing on with ground invasions throughout the Palestinian territory.
The Israeli military has also confirmed its forces fired at a Red Cross building in what they say was a result of mistaken identification.
Hisham Mhanna is the International Committee of the Red Cross' spokesman in the Gaza Strip.
He says the building was clearly marked.
“Today an office of International Committee of the Red Cross in Rafah was damaged by an explosive projectile, despite being clearly marked and well known for all parties. The International Committee of the Red Cross staff have been working in that building since October 2023 overseeing humanitarian operations and activities that benefit hundreds of thousands of civilians throughout the period of the conflict. Fortunately no staff were injured or killed in this incident but this has a direct impact on our humanitarian operations in Gaza Strip, specifically in Rafah."
The attack on the aid office comes just days after a strike on a United Nations building killed one worker and severely injured six others.
While Israeli officials deny involvement, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric says based the available information, the attack came from an Israeli tank.
"Based on the information that is currently available, the strikes hitting a U.N. compound in Deir al-Balah on March 19th were caused by an Israeli tank shell. The strikes claimed the life of a U.N. colleague from Bulgaria and left six others from France, Moldova, North Macedonia, Palestine and the United Kingdom with severe injuries - some of them, life-altering. The location of this U.N. compound was well-known to all the parties in the conflict."
According to the health ministry in Gaza, Israeli attacks have killed over 50,000 people in Gaza in the last 18 months, with over 730 killed since Israel officially called off the ceasefire on March 18.
As Israel's relentless bombardment of the strip continues, fears over the safety of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza continues to mobilise anti-government protests.
Hamas released a video on Monday showing two Israeli hostages describing the danger they have faced since the resumption of intense Israeli strikes.
One of the hostages shown was Elkana Bohbot.
"Let everyone know, you know how much suffering we are going through all the time. You know how it's like during wartime and how it's like during (ceasefire) deal. I haven't been released yet. Explain to them, explain to them how hard it is for me, every day here is hard for me without my son and without my wife. Tell them how much I suffer."
Israel's military says it intercepted a total of three "projectiles" launched from Gaza, with both Hamas and the Islamic Jihad confirming they launched the rockets.
Israel wants Hamas to release all remaining hostages before negotiating phase two of the deal, with the second phase requiring the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
Hamas, which is following the terms laid out in the original deal, says Israel is avoiding its own phase two obligations.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar says Israel has no choice but to continue militarily.
"The war can end tomorrow, with releasing our hostages, demilitarisation of Gaza and the withdrawal of the armed Hamas and Islamic Jihad forces from there. War in not an ideology. We would be happy and we will be happy to achieve our aims by diplomatic means. But if that is not possible we have no choice but continuing our military efforts."
Israeli protester Oded Ronen says the government is ignoring the will of the people.
"We are here in demand to get all hostages home, and our second demand is to remain a democracy. For the last two years we've been on the streets doing everything we can to stay a democracy. It seemed that October 7 that the plan to make this a fascist country has ended, but actually, they were planning all along to bring this back the moment they could and they did it now big time."
During escalating attacks throughout Gaza, the United Nations has condemned an Israeli strike that killed two people and set fire to the surgical wing of Nasser Hospital.
The UN has also announced that as a result of repeated Israeli attacks, including on aid workers and medical facilities, the UN will be withdrawing about one third of its staff in Gaza for safety reasons.
Mr Dujarric says the UN's emergency relief coordinator is horrified by the attacks on health workers, ambulances and hospitals.
“ Mr. Fletcher said, ‘We all must demand that hospitals and medics must not be targeted.’ Yesterday in southern Gaza, several casualties were reported after the surgical department of Nasser Medical complex was hit and caught fire. In Rafah, ambulances were reportedly hit yesterday in Tel al-Sultan, resulting in several casualties. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said four of its ambulances were targeted, as well as ten team members carrying out humanitarian work. They say communications with the team has been completely lost for 30 hours and at this point their fate remains unknown.”
In the occupied West Bank, reports are detailing the violent attack and detainment of Palestinian film director Hamdan Ballal.
In a video taken by the Centre for Jewish Nonviolence, a group of masked settlers are shown shoving and swinging their fists at activists from the group.
Hamdan Ballal is the co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary "No Other Land", which follows the story of a young Palestinian facing displacement as the Israeli army demolishes his community to build a firing zone.
In a post on social media platform X, his co-director Yuval Abraham writes that Mr Ballal was set upon by 15 settlers who beat his head and stomach.
He went on to say Israeli soldiers 'invaded the ambulance he called, and took him", adding that he has not been seen since.
It is unclear why Mr Ballal was detained and the Israeli army is yet to comment.
The Centre for Jewish Nonviolence, whose members filmed the events first-hand, say soldiers pointed their guns at the Palestinians, while settlers continued throwing stones.
