While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains committed to carrying out a ground operation in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, US Secretary of State Blinken, who is currently touring various countries in the Middle East, will visit Israel on the 22nd. He is urging Israel to consider alternatives to ground operations in order to avoid escalating the humanitarian crisis, with the focus being on whether further civilian casualties can be avoided.



*We will keep you updated on developments regarding Israel and Palestine as of March 22, Japan time.

US Secretary of State: ``Large-scale ground operations are a mistake''

The Israeli military continues its military operations in various parts of the Gaza Strip, and announced on the 21st that it had killed more than 140 combatants in Shifa Hospital, the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip, over a four-day period starting on the 18th of this month. .



Meanwhile, on the 21st, the Islamic organization Hamas accused the Israeli military of intentionally killing 13 patients by not allowing medical supplies and other supplies to arrive.



Health authorities in the Gaza Strip announced on the 21st that 65 people had died in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 31,988.



Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains prepared to carry out a ground operation to Rafah, where nearly 1.5 million people, including evacuees, live On the 21st, he visited Egypt and exchanged opinions on ceasefire negotiations with the Egyptian side, which acts as a mediator between Israel and Hamas.



At a subsequent press conference, Secretary of State Blinken said: ``A large-scale ground operation is wrong and cannot be supported. It would be a humanitarian catastrophe. "We can deal with the situation," he said, emphasizing his intention to urge the Israeli side to consider an alternative plan to ground operations.



Secretary Blinken is scheduled to visit Israel on the 22nd, and his focus will be on whether he can avoid further civilian casualties.

UN Secretary-General: 'We need a ceasefire in Gaza'

As Israeli military attacks have left many civilians dead in the Gaza Strip, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres participated in the European Union (EU) summit and appealed for cooperation towards a ceasefire and improvement of the humanitarian situation.



The EU will hold a summit meeting in Belgium for two days from the 21st to exchange opinions on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.



At this summit, the EU will discuss whether to call on Israel not to carry out ground operations in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, and whether to call for a ``humanitarian ceasefire.''



Dutch Prime Minister Rutte told reporters, ``A ground invasion of Rafah would be a humanitarian catastrophe. It is very important that we ask Israel to stop.'' However, according to senior EU officials, each country's position is different. There is a difference between the two countries, and the conclusion of the summit cannot be foreseen until the end.



At the beginning of the first day's meeting, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also participated and exchanged opinions on humanitarian assistance.



Ahead of the meeting, Secretary-General Guterres told reporters: "We need a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. We condemn not only the terrorist attacks by Hamas, but also the large number of civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip. "The fundamental principle of law is the protection of civilians," he said, calling on the EU to cooperate in a ceasefire and to improve the humanitarian situation.

British Foreign Secretary: Humanitarian aid supplies arbitrarily refused by Israel

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron has claimed that Israel is arbitrarily refusing to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.



In a letter released on the 21st, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said some British-funded aid supplies have been stuck at the border with the Gaza Strip for nearly three weeks.



They cite arbitrary refusals and lengthy procedures by the Israeli government as the main factors holding them back.



He added, ``I am deeply concerned that all kinds of relief supplies are being delayed or refused.''