Waiting for a breakthrough to salvage the Gaza ceasefire.

The conflict escalated.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced yesterday that two rockets were launched from Lebanon targeting northern Israel. The IDF said it intercepted one, while the other landed in Lebanese territory. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that if peace is not guaranteed in Israel's northern border regions, there will be no peace in Beirut, Lebanon. "We will ensure the security of our people and act decisively against threats," Katz said. Following this warning, The Guardian reported yesterday that Israel had launched its first airstrike on Beirut since the November 2024 ceasefire.

Smoke rises from an explosion after Israel bombed Lebanon for the first time since the ceasefire agreement.

Hezbollah denied any involvement in the rocket launch, claiming that the information provided by Israel was merely a pretext for continuing military operations in Lebanon. Following the launch, Lebanese media reported that Israel had launched airstrikes on the city of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon. Prior to this, Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon on March 27th had killed six people.

Israeli army tanks at an undisclosed location on March 23.

Regarding Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip, Reuters reported that an Israeli attack on March 27 killed a family of six and a Hamas spokesman. Gaza's health authorities claim that more than 50,000 Palestinians have died since the conflict erupted in October 2023. After more than a year, protests have recently emerged in Gaza, with hundreds of people participating, opposing the war and Hamas's control of the strip. This is a rare development from the Gaza people, openly opposing Hamas after more than a year of conflict.

A group of Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas, warned of sanctions against those deemed to be "aiding and abetting" Israel. Hamas officials emphasized that people have the right to protest but should not be exploited for political purposes or to negate Israel's recent actions in Gaza. Some protesters said they simply wanted to express their weariness with the prolonged conflict, which has severely impacted their lives and basic needs.

Shuttle diplomacy efforts

Amidst ongoing fighting in the Middle East, diplomatic efforts continue as mediators seek viable solutions to restore the ceasefire in Gaza.

According to The Times of Israel , Qatar presented Hamas with a US proposal on March 27th, under which Hamas would release American hostage Edan Alexander in exchange for a statement from US President Donald Trump offering to restrain attacks on Gaza and engage in negotiations for a permanent ceasefire. However, diplomats are not optimistic that Hamas will accept such a weak and unbinding proposal.

Meanwhile, AFP, citing informed sources, reported that discussions between Hamas and mediators have yet to make a breakthrough, with success depending on goodwill—whether either Israel or Hamas is willing to make concessions. Egyptian officials said there were positive signs from Israel regarding Cairo's proposal, including Hamas releasing five hostages per week and Israel implementing a second phase of the ceasefire after the first week, but Tel Aviv has not yet responded to this information.

Professor Mohamad Elmasry, from the Doha Graduate Institute (Qatar), told Al Jazeera that there are currently two core positions. Israel and its ally, the US, want a hostage release agreement without ending the conflict, and therefore they will try to exert military pressure on Hamas. Conversely, Hamas and Arab countries in general want the release of prisoners to be coupled with an end to the war.

"The proposals from the mediators all require Israel to move to a phase 2 agreement (negotiations for a permanent ceasefire). Whether Hamas will be under enough pressure to accept concessions remains to be seen," said Professor Mohamad Elmasry.

Israel uncovers plot to use UAVs for arms smuggling.

Israeli military and police said yesterday they thwarted an attempt to smuggle rifles from Egypt into Israel using a drone, The Times of Israel reported. Israeli authorities detected the drone crossing the border and shot it down. The drone and nine rifles were handed over to police for investigation. Earlier, on March 27, the Israeli military discovered a drone being used to smuggle 10 kg of drugs. In recent months, Israel has uncovered numerous cases of drones being used to smuggle weapons and drugs into Israel from the Egyptian border.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cho-dot-pha-cuu-van-lenh-ngung-ban-gaza-185250328221213275.htm