UN scales back Gaza operations after Israeli strike kills staff member

For decades, Palestinian shepherds have faced threats and violence at the hands of Israeli settlers. Dozens of rural farms like this one have already been abandoned as *** result, but such violence is only increasing. This is just one of several incidents documented by Israeli NGO Bitselem over recent months. The organization says dozens of settlers descended on the occupied West Bank village of El Mania in mid February, attacking homes, farming equipment, and even residents. While Israeli police forces demolished the outpost established in the village by settlers, but Selem says the outpost was later rebuilt that same day. Dozens of Palestinian herding communities have been impacted by the spread of outposts like this one, essentially undefined settlements, usually made up of small structures or caravans. Israeli anti-settlement watchdogs Peace Now and Kerem Navot say at least 49 outposts were established in the months following the October 7th attacks, an increase of nearly 50% since the beginning of the war in Gaza. As of last December, the groups estimate that herding outposts covered almost 14% of the occupied West Bank. That's an area of land roughly twice the size of Gaza. And that's in addition to approximately 150 officially recognized settlements that have already been established in the West Bank. Both outposts and settlements are considered illegal under international law. Satellite imagery analyzed by CNN shows how rapidly herding outposts have spread, as well as the gradual development of new roads connecting the outposts to established settlements, and in some cases cutting Palestinians off from the land that they depend on. In the northern village of El Fari, the local farming community has now been almost entirely depopulated. Back in February, we met the Derama family. At the time, still desperately clinging on to their land. These hills are full of areas for our animals to feed, but now there are settlers over here, over there, and another one over there. We can't access these areas, Ahmed says. The settlers come to scare our sheep and frighten our children. We've had to stop going up on the hills with our sheep, fearing they will come after us. Ahmed's family says they have lived here for generations, the land not only their home but also their livelihood. We've always lived here, Hussein says. Our whole lives are here. Where else can we go? Since filming, members of the Drama family told CNN they were left with no choice but to abandon their homes. Acts of violence by settlers from nearby outposts simply too much to bear. Activists say outposts like those around the village of Al Faria are established with the purpose of laying claim to Palestinian land and pressuring Palestinian communities to flee. Through threats, physical violence, and direct attacks on resources, including livestock and farming equipment, often with the protection from both the military and the state. CNN has reached out to the Israeli government about allegations of its support for illegal outposts but has not received *** response. The Israeli military told CNN that it condemns violence in any form and that police are tasked with handling any Israeli violations of the law. When asked about new roads we saw being developed around another nearby village, the IDF said the land had been seized for operational needs, adding that the route is intended for use by security forces and that it has been developed in accordance with military orders. It's important to understand that this projecting out campaign or this project is *** national project, *** state project. This is not *** project which is initiated by. Individuals, it's *** project which the state of Israel is standing behind it. It's budgeting, it's facilitating, it's protecting it. The Ministry of Settlements, for example, has budgeted for outposts which it calls young settlements, previously saying funds were carried out in accordance with all laws. But the displacement of Palestinian herding communities is just one part of *** deepening crisis in the West Bank. The UN says more than 40,000 Palestinians have been forced from their homes since February by an expanding Israeli military operation, with Israel's defense minister calling on the military to prevent the return of those displaced, stoking fears around the potential for *** full annexation of the territory and crushing hopes for *** pathway to *** viable Palestinian state. Nada Bashir, CNN in the occupied West Bank.

The United Nations said Monday it will “reduce its footprint” in the Gaza Strip after an Israeli tank strike hit one of its compounds last week, killing one staffer from Bulgaria and wounding five other employees.The world body will temporarily remove about a third of its approximately 100 international staffers working in Gaza, U.N. Secretary-General spokesman Stéphane Dujarric. He pointed to the increased danger after Israel relaunched its military campaign last week with bombardment that has since killed hundreds of Palestinians. Israel has also cut off all food, medicine, aid and other supplies to Gaza's population for the past three weeks.Dujarric's statement was the U.N's first to point the finger at Israel in the March 19 explosion at the U.N. guesthouse in central Gaza. He said that “based on the information currently available,” the strikes on the site “were caused by an Israeli tank.”The Israeli military repeated its denial that it was responsible for the strike, which took place a day after Israel shattered Gaza's 2-month-old ceasefire with a surprise bombardment across the Gaza Strip.Dujarric said the U.N. “has made taken the difficult decision to reduce the Organization’s footprint in Gaza, even as humanitarian needs soar.” He said the U.N. “is not leaving Gaza,” pointing out that it still has about 13,000 national staff in Gaza, mainly working for UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees.New strikes killed dozens in GazaNew Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours killed more than 60 Palestinians around Gaza, the territory's Health Ministry said. The ministry's count does not distinguish between civilians and militants.The ministry on Monday put out a list of the names of more than 15,000 children, 17 and under, killed by Israel's campaign since it began more than 17 months ago. The list included nearly 5,000 children under the age of 6 who had been killed, including 876 infants who had not reached a year in age,Israel, which launched its campaign .in retaliation for Hamas’ October 2023 attack, says it has restarted its bombardment and cut off food to Gaza to force Hamas to accept new terms for the ceasefire and release more hostages. It says it targets Hamas members and positions, blaming the group for civilian deaths because it operates among the population.Air raid sirens sound in Israel after a missile attacks from Yemen and GazaAir raid sirens and explosions were heard over Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and central Israel on Monday evening as the military said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen.There were no immediate reports of casualties. Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency rescue service said “teams are en-route to search areas where reports of rocket strikes have been received.”Yemen’s Houthi rebels have fired a handful of long-range missiles at Israel in the days since it resumed the war in Gaza. There was no immediate claim of responsibility from the Houthis.Two rockets from the Gaza Strip were also intercepted after crossing into Israeli territory earlier Monday evening, setting off sirens, the Israeli military said. There were no immediate reports of injuries.Al-Quds Brigades, the military arm of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group, claimed responsibility.Medical workers are under fire in GazaThe U.N. reduction comes as aid workers and medical staff have come under fire.The International Committee of the Red Cross said its office in the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip was damaged by an explosive projectile Monday. It said no staff were hurt but the damage has a direct impact on its ability to operate. It did not specify who was behind the explosion.ICRC also said that on Sunday, contact was lost with emergency medical technicians from the Palestine Red Crescent Society and their whereabouts remain unknown. Last week, humanitarian workers in Gaza were killed and injured, it said.On Sunday, Israel struck the surgery ward at southern Gaza's biggest hospital, killing two people and wounding others, many of whom were already injured by earlier strikes. One of those killed at Khan Younis' Nasser Hospital was a teenage boy recovering from surgery.The other was a Hamas official that Israel says was the target of the strike, Ismail Barhoum. Hamas said Barhoum was undergoing treatment at the time. The Israeli military denied that, saying he oversaw Hamas' finances in Gaza, including transferring money to its armed wing, and was working out of the hospital.The strike last week on the U.N. compound outside Deir al-Balah killed a 51-year-old staffer, Marin Valev Marinov. He worked with the U.N. Office for Project Services, which carries out infrastructure and development projects around the world.In the two days before the deadly blast, strikes hit next to and then directly in the compound, UNOPS chief Jorge Moreira da Silva said earlier. He said the agency had contacted the Israeli military after the first strike and confirmed that the military was aware of the facility’s location.Full impact of the UN reduction is not immediately knownOlga Cherevko, spokesperson for the U.N.’s humanitarian office, known as OCHA, said the U.N. and its partners have already suspended a number of activities, many in education, protection and water and sanitation services. The reason, she was, was safety concerns and the impact of Israeli evacuation orders.“A lot things are constrained right now because of the security situation,” she told AP before Dujarric’s announcement. “The challenges are massive. We have had a lot of our activities affected by the situation and a lot of our partners have had to suspend operations because it is just not safe.”Movement of trucks, including those distributing water, have been affected, she said. Only 29 out of 237 temporary learning spaces have resumed their activities since the ceasefire collapse, she said.Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 113,000, according to the Health Ministry. Nearly 90% of the population of some 2,3 million have been driven from their homes. Israel launched the campaign vowing to destroy Hamas after its Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, in which militants killed some 1,200 people and kidnapped 250 others.___Lederer reported from the United Nations, Keath from Cairo. Associated Press correspondent Sarah El Deeb in Beirut contributed to this report.

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip —

The world body will temporarily remove about a third of its approximately 100 international staffers working in Gaza, U.N. Secretary-General spokesman Stéphane Dujarric. He pointed to the increased danger after Israel relaunched its military campaign last week with bombardment that has since killed hundreds of Palestinians. Israel has also cut off all food, medicine, aid and other supplies to Gaza's population for the past three weeks.

Dujarric's statement was the U.N's first to point the finger at Israel in the March 19 explosion at the U.N. guesthouse in central Gaza. He said that “based on the information currently available,” the strikes on the site “were caused by an Israeli tank.”

The Israeli military repeated its denial that it was responsible for the strike, which took place a day after Israel shattered Gaza's 2-month-old ceasefire with a surprise bombardment across the Gaza Strip.

Dujarric said the U.N. “has made taken the difficult decision to reduce the Organization’s footprint in Gaza, even as humanitarian needs soar.” He said the U.N. “is not leaving Gaza,” pointing out that it still has about 13,000 national staff in Gaza, mainly working for UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees.

New strikes killed dozens in Gaza

New Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours killed more than 60 Palestinians around Gaza, the territory's Health Ministry said. The ministry's count does not distinguish between civilians and militants.

The ministry on Monday put out a list of the names of more than 15,000 children, 17 and under, killed by Israel's campaign since it began more than 17 months ago. The list included nearly 5,000 children under the age of 6 who had been killed, including 876 infants who had not reached a year in age,

Israel, which launched its campaign .in retaliation for Hamas’ October 2023 attack, says it has restarted its bombardment and cut off food to Gaza to force Hamas to accept new terms for the ceasefire and release more hostages. It says it targets Hamas members and positions, blaming the group for civilian deaths because it operates among the population.

Air raid sirens sound in Israel after a missile attacks from Yemen and Gaza

Air raid sirens and explosions were heard over Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and central Israel on Monday evening as the military said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen.

There were no immediate reports of casualties. Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency rescue service said “teams are en-route to search areas where reports of rocket strikes have been received.”

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have fired a handful of long-range missiles at Israel in the days since it resumed the war in Gaza. There was no immediate claim of responsibility from the Houthis.

Two rockets from the Gaza Strip were also intercepted after crossing into Israeli territory earlier Monday evening, setting off sirens, the Israeli military said. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Al-Quds Brigades, the military arm of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group, claimed responsibility.

Medical workers are under fire in Gaza

The U.N. reduction comes as aid workers and medical staff have come under fire.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said its office in the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip was damaged by an explosive projectile Monday. It said no staff were hurt but the damage has a direct impact on its ability to operate. It did not specify who was behind the explosion.

ICRC also said that on Sunday, contact was lost with emergency medical technicians from the Palestine Red Crescent Society and their whereabouts remain unknown. Last week, humanitarian workers in Gaza were killed and injured, it said.

On Sunday, Israel struck the surgery ward at southern Gaza's biggest hospital, killing two people and wounding others, many of whom were already injured by earlier strikes. One of those killed at Khan Younis' Nasser Hospital was a recovering from surgery.

The other was a Hamas official that Israel says was the target of the strike, Ismail Barhoum. Hamas said Barhoum was undergoing treatment at the time. The Israeli military denied that, saying he oversaw Hamas' finances in Gaza, including transferring money to its armed wing, and was working out of the hospital.

The strike last week on the U.N. compound outside Deir al-Balah killed a 51-year-old staffer, Marin Valev Marinov. He worked with the U.N. Office for Project Services, which carries out infrastructure and development projects around the world.

In the two days before the deadly blast, strikes hit next to and then directly in the compound, UNOPS chief Jorge Moreira da Silva said earlier. He said the agency had contacted the Israeli military after the first strike and confirmed that the military was aware of the facility’s location.

Full impact of the UN reduction is not immediately known

Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the U.N.’s humanitarian office, known as OCHA, said the U.N. and its partners have already suspended a number of activities, many in education, protection and water and sanitation services. The reason, she was, was safety concerns and the impact of Israeli evacuation orders.

“A lot things are constrained right now because of the security situation,” she told AP before Dujarric’s announcement. “The challenges are massive. We have had a lot of our activities affected by the situation and a lot of our partners have had to suspend operations because it is just not safe.”

Movement of trucks, including those distributing water, have been affected, she said. Only 29 out of 237 temporary learning spaces have resumed their activities since the ceasefire collapse, she said.

Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 113,000, according to the Health Ministry. Nearly 90% of the population of some 2,3 million have been driven from their homes. Israel launched the campaign vowing to destroy Hamas after its Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, in which militants killed some 1,200 people and kidnapped 250 others.

___

Lederer reported from the United Nations, Keath from Cairo. Associated Press correspondent Sarah El Deeb in Beirut contributed to this report.

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