LIVE BLOG: Lavrov Calls for End to Strikes on Yemen | Water Crisis in Gaza – Day 527

March 16, 2025

Killed                Wounded        Missing

48,543              111,981          14,000

Israel carried out a horrific massacre in Beit Lahia. (Photo: via social media, QNN)

• Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called for an immediate halt to the use of force against Ansarallah in Yemen during a phone call with his US counterpart, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as the Yemeni Health Ministry announced the death toll has risen to 31, with over 100 injured.
  
• Meanwhile, the Gaza Municipality has sounded the alarm after the occupation threatened to cut off Mekorot, the main water supply providing 70% of the city’s daily needs. The potential halt of energy sources could paralyze water, sanitation, and other essential services.

Sun, Mar 16, 6:16 PM (Palestine Time)

Leaked Audio: Halevi Admits Hamas ‘Deceived’ Israel on October 7
PALESTINE CHRONICLE:

•     Audio recordings of former Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi reveal that he acknowledged Hamas’s “deception” leading up to the October 7, 2023, attack, known as Al-Aqsa Flood Operation..
•     “I have no choice but to praise Hamas for the deception it practiced against us before October 7,” Halevi stated in recordings published by Israel’s Army Radio on Sunday.
•     “They used Hamas’ riots and focus on humanitarian issues to lull us into complacency and prepare for the attack, and they succeeded,” he added.

Sun, Mar 16, 6:16 PM (Palestine Time)
Israeli Media: Residents of Avivim Told to Stay Indoors
ISRAELI MEDIA:

•     Israeli security sources reported that residents of Avivim in Upper Galilee were instructed to stay indoors as the army continues its investigation.
•     According to the reports, it is likely that the shooting targeting a vehicle in Avivim originated from Maroun al-Ras in southern Lebanon.

Sun, Mar 16, 6:16 PM (Palestine Time)
Gaza Faces Catastrophic Water Crisis as Israel Tightens Siege
PALESTINE CHRONICLE:

•     The Gaza Municipality has issued a stark warning about an impending water crisis that could lead to extreme thirst due to Israel’s continued blockade, restrictions on fuel imports, and threats to sever the primary water pipeline supplying the city.
•     In a statement, the municipality emphasized that the Mekorot pipeline supplies nearly 70% of Gaza’s water. Any disruption to this supply would have devastating consequences, endangering lives, worsening public health, and increasing the spread of disease.

Sun, Mar 16, 6:16 PM (Palestine Time)
Rubio: US Will Not Allow Ansarallah to Control Ship Passage
US MEDIA:

•     US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that strikes are related to the Ansarallah’s ability to target global navigation and attack US naval forces.
•     Rubio said that the US will not allow the Ansarallah to control ship passage, and our strikes will continue until they lose their ability to attack.

Sun, Mar 16, 6:16 PM (Palestine Time)
Call for Emergency Meeting with Netanyahu
ISRAELI MEDIA: The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) reported that Eisenkot, Knesset members, and members of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee have called for an emergency meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Knesset members stated they learned from relevant authorities that Hamas and Islamic Jihad have rebuilt their military capabilities.

Sun, Mar 16, 4:39 PM (Palestine Time)
Mahmoud Khalil and the End of Your First Amendment Rights
PALESTINE CHRONICLE:

•     While the debate has long raged over what truly constitutes “free speech” online, deciding what should be banned or permitted, it was for some time accepted that the US’s First Amendment at least covered what was shared in the offline public sphere. The arrest of Mahmoud Khalil was a declaration from the Trump administration that no criticism of Israel will be tolerated.
•     Read the latest analysis by Robert Inlakesh.

Sun, Mar 16, 4:39 PM (Palestine Time)
US Official: Ansarallah Possess Advanced Air Defenses
US NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR (to ABC): The Ansarallah possess attack drones that fly over the sea and ballistic missiles. They also have incredibly advanced air defenses and anti-ship cruise missiles. The US will hold not only the Ansarallah accountable but also Iran and its supporters. All options remain on the table in dealing with Iran, which must stop its support for the Ansarallah.

Sun, Mar 16, 4:39 PM (Palestine Time)
Israeli Forces Raid Home in Jenin
PALESTINIAN MEDIA: Israeli occupation forces raided a home on Nazareth Street in Jenin, West Bank.

Sun, Mar 16, 4:39 PM (Palestine Time)
Wittkoff: I Encourage Hamas to Be More Rational
STEVE WITKOFF (to CNN): Hamas’s proposal for a ceasefire is not a suitable starting point for negotiations. The response received from Hamas regarding extending the ceasefire in Gaza is entirely unacceptable. I encourage Hamas to be more rational than it has been.

Sun, Mar 16, 4:39 PM (Palestine Time)
Israeli Drone Strike Kills Palestinian in Gaza as Death Toll Nears 50,000
PALESTINE CHRONICLE:

•     A Palestinian was killed on Sunday after an Israeli drone strike targeted a group of people in the town of Juhr al-Dik, located in central Gaza. This attack brings the total death toll from the ongoing Israeli assault to 48,572.
•     Medical sources confirmed that the victim succumbed to injuries sustained in the strike, though no additional casualties were reported.
•     Meanwhile, Israeli tanks heavily shelled the eastern areas of Abasan al-Kabira and al-Jadidah, near Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, according to eyewitnesses.

Sun, Mar 16, 3:11 PM (Palestine Time)
No Food Entered Gaza Since March 2 - WFP
WORLD FOOD PROGRAM: The World Food Programme confirmed that no food has entered the Gaza Strip since March 2, and all border crossings remain closed.

Sun, Mar 16, 1:49 PM (Palestine Time)
US Strikes on Yemen Could Ignite Regional Escalation, Yemeni Officials Warn
PALESTINE CHRONICLE:

•     A high-level Yemeni source warned on Sunday that the recent US-UK military strikes on Yemen, which targeted several cities across the country, could lead to a dramatic escalation in Yemen’s support for Gaza.
•     The source, speaking to Al Mayadeen, emphasized that the attacks would not go unanswered and could trigger new phases of Yemeni support for Palestine.
•     The source reaffirmed Yemen’s stance in the ongoing conflict, stating, “Israeli-linked vessels will not pass through the designated naval zone” following the blockade announced by the Yemeni Armed Forces.

Sun, Mar 16, 1:17 PM (Palestine Time)
Israel Expects Missile Fire from Yemen
ISREALI MEDIA: An Israeli military source told Channel 12 that Israel expects missile launches from Yemen but has not yet changed its home front instructions. The source added that Tel Aviv is closely monitoring developments in Yemen and considering the right timing for an Israeli strike.

Sun, Mar 16, 1:17 PM (Palestine Time)
Gaza War Cost Over 124 Billion Shekels
HAARETZ: Israel’s war on Gaza has cost over 124 billion shekels as of the end of last year, according to the Israeli Ministry of Finance’s Accountant General. The report added that Israel spent around 100 billion shekels on the war last year alone.

Sun, Mar 16, 1:17 PM (Palestine Time)
UNRWA: No Aid Entered Gaza Since March 2
UNRWA: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) stated that no aid has entered Gaza since March 2, when Israeli authorities announced a halt to humanitarian assistance. UNRWA also noted that the ongoing Israeli military operations in the West Bank have displaced over 35,000 Palestinians.

Sun, Mar 16, 12:10 PM (Palestine Time)
Mass Graves Unearthed at Gaza’s Al-Shifa Hospital: 61 Bodies Recovered
PALESTINE CHRONICLE:

•     Civil Defense teams continued efforts on Saturday to retrieve the bodies of 61 Palestinians buried in the grounds of Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital during Israel’s months-long military assault on the enclave.
•     The Gaza Health Ministry said the exhumation process began on March 13, 2025, as teams worked to recover remains for proper burial, the Anadolu news agency reported.

Sun, Mar 16, 12:10 PM (Palestine Time)
Israel Fears New UN Investigation Initiative
ISRAELI MEDIA: Israel is concerned about an initiative led by the UN Human Rights Council to promote a new criminal investigation mechanism against Israel, the Israeli newspaper Maariv reported.

Sun, Mar 16, 12:10 PM (Palestine Time)
‘Killing Babies, Women Not a War Goal’ – Ya’alon Slams Israeli Plans for Gaza
PALESTINE CHRONICLE:

•     Former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon has condemned Israeli officials’ plans to “thin” the population in Gaza, saying “these are not war goals” of a country he wants to live in.
•     “When Smotrich and Ben Gvir talk about thinning the population so that Gaza is free of Arabs and settling it with Jews – these are not war goals of a country I want to live in,” Ya’alon told the Israeli Hebrew Channel 13 in an interview on Saturday.
•     During the interview, Ya’alon also said he expected the Israeli government “not to send our soldiers to kill infants” in Gaza.

Sun, Mar 16, 12:10 PM (Palestine Time)
Israeil Forces Displace Families in Tulkarm Camp
PALESTINIAN MEDIA: Israeli occupation forces are forcing Palestinian families to evacuate their homes in the Qaqun and Abu al-Ful neighborhoods of Tulkarm camp in the occupied West Bank.

Sun, Mar 16, 11:24 AM (Palestine Time)
Palestinian Killed in Central Gaza
PALESTINIAN MEDIA: A Palestinian was killed after an Israeli drone targeted Palestinians in the town of Juhr al-Dik in central Gaza.

Sun, Mar 16, 11:24 AM (Palestine Time)
Ansarallah Rocket Exploded in Egypt - israeli Media
ISRAELI MEDIA: An Ansarallah rocket exploded last night in southern Sinai, Egypt, approximately 250 kilometers from Israel, according to Israeli Channel 12.

Sun, Mar 16, 11:24 AM (Palestine Time)
Dozens of Settlers Storm Al-Aqsa Mosque
PALESTINIAN MEDIA: Dozens of Israeli settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in groups and conducted provocative tours in its courtyards.

Sun, Mar 16, 11:24 AM (Palestine Time)
Palestinian Youth Shot at Qalandia Checkpoint
PALESTINIAN RED CRESCENT: A young man was shot with live ammunition in the abdomen at the Qalandia checkpoint in northern occupied Jerusalem, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

Sun, Mar 16, 11:24 AM (Palestine Time)
Gaza Municipality Warns of Water Crisis
GAZA MUNICIPALITY: The Gaza Municipality has sounded the alarm after the occupation threatened to cut off the main water supply line, Mekorot, which provides 70% of the city’s daily water needs. The potential halt of energy sources threatens a paralysis of water, sanitation, and other services.

Sun, Mar 16, 11:24 AM (Palestine Time)
7 Aid Workers and Civilians Killed in Beit Lahia
WASHINGTON POST: Seven aid workers and civilians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, according to a British charity.

Sun, Mar 16, 11:24 AM (Palestine Time)
Lavrov Urges End to Attacks on Yemen
PALESTINE CHRONICLE:

•     Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has called for an immediate halt to the use of force against the Ansarallah in Yemen, emphasizing the need for political dialogue to prevent further bloodshed, the Russian news agency TASS reported, citing the foreign ministry.
•     According to TASS, Lavrov’s remarks came during a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who informed him on Saturday of Washington’s decision to launch a military operation in the Red Sea region.

Sun, Mar 16, 11:24 AM (Palestine Time)
Iran Condemns US-UK Strikes on Yemen
IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY: Iran strongly condemned the US and UK airstrikes on Yemen, calling them a blatant violation of the UN Charter and international law. Iran also criticized the ongoing support for the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

Sun, Mar 16, 11:24 AM (Palestine Time)
52% of Israelis Support Moving to Second Phase of Deal - Poll
ISRAELI MEDIA: A poll by Israel Hayom found that 52.7% of Israelis support moving to the second phase of a prisoner exchange deal, while 68.8% believe the primary goal should be the return of all captives.

Sun, Mar 16, 11:24 AM (Palestine Time)
Yemeni Health Ministry: Many Wounded Still Under Rubble
YEMENI HEALTH MINISTRY: The Yemeni Health Ministry reported that many wounded and missing remain under rubble following U.S. airstrikes, with 45% of the healthcare sector rendered non-operational due to years of aggression.

Sun, Mar 16, 11:24 AM (Palestine Time)
Yemeni Media: US Strikes Kill 31 in Yemen
YEMENI MEDIA: The death toll from U.S. airstrikes on Yemen has risen to 31, with 101 injured.

Sun, Mar 16, 11:24 AM (Palestine Time)
90,000 Pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque
JERUSALEM ISLAMIC WAQF: Around 90,000 worshippers performed Isha and Taraweeh prayers on the 15th night of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.

Sun, Mar 16, 11:24 AM (Palestine Time)
Israeli Tanks Fire on Khan Younis and Rafah
PALESTINIAN MEDIA: Israeli tanks heavily fired towards eastern areas of Khan Younis and along the Salah al-Din axis in Rafah, southern Gaza.

Sun, Mar 16, 11:24 AM (Palestine Time)
US Informed Israel of Yemen Strikes in Advance
AXIOS: The US provided Israel with prior notice of the strikes on Yemen, according to an Israeli official.

Sun, Mar 16, 11:24 AM (Palestine Time)
Nearly 40 US Airstrikes on Yemen
YEMENI MEDIA: The US launched nearly 40 airstrikes on Sanaa, Saada, and other Yemeni provinces, killing 24 and injuring 23.