In the Gaza Strip as in the Red Sea, tensions are increasing in intensity. A British merchant ship was hit by a Houthi missile off the coast of Yemen, according to the local maritime security agency, UKMTO. Earlier in the night, US forces announced they had destroyed nine anti-ship ballistic missiles and two Houthi drones after Yemeni rebels fired shots in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Information to remember
⇒ Deadly shots on a crowd waiting for humanitarian aid
⇒ Mohammad Mustafa named new Palestinian Prime Minister
⇒ Australia resumes funding from UNRWA
Deadly shots on a crowd waiting for humanitarian aid
At least 20 people were killed overnight by gunfire at a flour distribution point in the north of the Gaza Strip, the Hamas Ministry of Health announced this Friday, March 15. The Palestinian Islamist movement accused the Israeli army of carrying out the shooting from “tanks and helicopters”.
For its part, the Israeli army claimed not to have “attacked” these Palestinians, specifying that it was “analyzing the incident seriously” but without detailing its version of the facts at this stage.
Red Sea: British ship hit by Houthi missile
A commercial ship was hit by a missile off the coast of Yemen, where Yemeni Houthi rebels are increasing attacks on merchant shipping. “The ship suffered some damage. The crew is safe and sound,” the British maritime safety agency (UKMTO) said on Friday. The attack, which was also reported by maritime security company Ambrey, occurred 76 nautical miles west of the city of Hodeidah and was not immediately claimed.
Earlier in the night, American forces announced that they had destroyed nine anti-ship ballistic missiles and two Houthi drones after shots by Yemeni rebels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden caused “no damage or injuries.
Australia resumes funding from UNRWA
Australia announced this Friday that it would resume its funding of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), after more than a month of suspension. The organization has been at the center of controversy since, in late January, Israel accused 12 of its employees of involvement in the deadly October 7 attack perpetrated by the Palestinian movement Hamas.
“The nature of these allegations warranted an immediate and appropriate response,” said Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, whose country funds UNRWA to the tune of some 3.7 million euros.
He continued: “the current view of Australian government agencies and lawyers is that UNRWA is not a terrorist organization […]. After review by the national security committee this week, Australia is resuming its contribution to the organization, the minister announced.
Like Australia, around fifteen countries, notably the United States, Great Britain, Germany and Japan, had suspended their funding at the end of January for a total of 450 million dollars – the equivalent of more than half of the funds received in 2023. At the beginning of March, Canada and Sweden had already announced the resumption of their financing of the association.
Mohammad Mustafa named new Palestinian Prime Minister
Economist Mohammad Mustafa, close to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, was named new Prime Minister. Aged 69, he was head of the Palestine Investment Fund (PIF) and was among President Abbas’ former economic advisors. He also held senior positions at the World Bank in Washington for 15 years.
At the end of February, Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh presented the resignation of his government, arguing for the need for a new policy taking into account “the new reality in the Gaza Strip” and the “urgent need for an inter-Palestinian consensus”.
US Senate Democratic leader calls for elections in Israel
The government coalition “led by Netanyahu no longer corresponds to Israel’s needs after October 7”, insisted the leader of the Democrats in the US Senate, Chuck Schumer, this Thursday, March 14, calling for elections in the Jewish state .
“Prime Minister Netanyahu has lost his way, letting his political survival come before the best interests of Israel,” added this influential American elected official from the Senate chamber.
Comments immediately castigated by Likud, the Israeli leader’s party, assuring that the Prime Minister’s policy was “supported by the vast majority of the Israeli population”. “Israel is not a banana republic,” a party statement said.