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Skip next section What you need to knowWhat you need to knowHamas has said political leader Salah Bardawil was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Khan Younis early Sunday.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces have said they are stepping up operations targeting “terror organizations” in the southern city of Rafah and urged residents to evacuate.
This is a roundup of news on the conflict in the Middle East on Sunday, March 23
Skip next section Rafah targeted in Israel’s earlier offensiveMarch 23, 2025
Rafah targeted in Israel’s earlier offensive Rafah, located on the Gaza Strip’s southern border with Egypt, was the target of a major Israeli offensive about a year ago. It is not immediately clear if Sunday’s announcement of operations targeting terror organizations will amount to another large-scale assault on the city.
On Friday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel would annex parts of the Gaza Strip unless Hamas released the remaining Israeli hostages it has held since it carried out terror attacks on southern Israel, sparking the current conflict.
During the terror attacks on October 7, 2023, Hamas and other militants killed some 1,200 people and took 251 more hostage — 59 of the hostages are still being held by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups. Israeli authorities believe 24 of them are still alive.
https://p.dw.com/p/4s9FD
Skip next section Israel tells Rafah residents to evacuate parts of cityMarch 23, 2025
Israel tells Rafah residents to evacuate parts of cityIsraeli troops are seen near the southern Israeli border with Gaza, on March 20Image: JINI/Xinhua/IMAGOThe Israeli military said it was launching an offensive in the southern Gazan city of Rafah on Sunday, and urged residents to evacuate.
Military spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a statement posted on social media that Israeli forces have “launched an offensive to strike the terrorist organisations” in Rafah’s Tal al-Sultan district and urged residents to leave the “dangerous combat zone.”
“Remaining in camps, tents, or houses in Tel al-Sultan or walking on any other route endangers your lives,” he said in a statement.
Israel has blocked supply since before the renewed assault, saying that the supplies are being funneled to Hamas militants.
As Israel cuts renews military operations in Gaza after a nearly two-month ceasefire, the foreign ministers of Germany, France and Britain on Friday called for a Israel to return to the ceasefire and restore access to water, electricity, medical care and temporary medical evacuations.
In a joint statement, the ministers added they were “appalled by the civilian casualties,” which have numbered in the hundreds in the latest Israeli strikes on Gaza.
Gaza: Palestinians forced to move as Israeli strikes resumeTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
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Skip next section Israel intercepts rockets fired from Yemen March 23, 2025
Israel intercepts rockets fired from Yemen Houthi fighters aligned with Hamas have resumed launching projectiles at IsraelImage: Osamah Yahya/ZUMA/IMAGOYemen-based Houthi rebels who are allied with Hamas launched a missile towards Israel early Sunday, setting off air raid sirens.
The Israeli military said the projectile was intercepted, and there were no reports of casualties or damage.
The Iran-backed Houthi militia has ramped up ballistic attacks after Israel resumed military operations in Gaza. Since the conflict was sparked by the Hamas terror attacks in October 2023, Houthi’s have targeted merchant vessels in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen.
Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that the US would continue to strike Houthi forces, saying they would be “annihilated.”
Trump orders strikes on Houthi rebels in YemenTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
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Skip next section Hamas says Israeli airstrike kills political leader March 23, 2025
Hamas says Israeli airstrike kills political leader Hamas officials said political leader Salah Bardawil was killed overnight into Sunday in an Israeli airstrike near the southern city of Khan Younis. Israel has not immediately commented.
Bardawil was a well-known member of the Islamist militant group’s political wing who frequently gave media interviews.
‘Not a single safe area’ for Palestinians in GazaTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Health authorities in Gaza said at least 30 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes Sunday on Rafah and Khan Younis.
https://p.dw.com/p/4s96s
Skip next section Welcome to our coverageMarch 23, 2025
Welcome to our coverageToday, we are reporting on Israeli forces expanding their offensive in Gaza, including killing a Hamas political leader in an overnight airstrike.
Also, Israeli forces claim they intercepted a missile fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The expansion of ground operations in the south, comes after rockets were fired into northern Israel yesterday from Lebanon, drawing retaliatory strikes from Israeli forces.
Lebanese militant group Hezbollah denied responsibility, saying it remains committed to a shaky ceasefire with Israeli forces, which has been in place since November 2024.
Rockets fired between Israel, Lebanon 4 months into truceTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
https://p.dw.com/p/4s91z
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