'With every arrest and threat, our movement shows up stronger,' says one protestor | Thousands of people from across the United States gathered in Washington, DC, on Saturday to demand an end to Israel’s brutal assault on Gaza and the Trump administration’s intensifying crackdown on pro-Palestinian students and activists. ● The rally dew support from more than 300 organizations and saw demonstrators convene at the intersection of 3rd Street NW and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Participants then marched to key sites, including the headquarters of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), calling for the release of detained pro-Palestinian students and academics such as Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil and Turkish student Rumeysa Ozturk. ● The protest was co-sponsored by several advocacy groups, including the Palestinian Youth Movement, The People’s Forum, Jewish Voice for Peace and the ANSWER Coalition.

Take a look at these Palestinian children: They are
dead now. Killed by israel. Did IOF "mistake"
them for Hamas too? 5,100,000 Palestinians have
been killed since 1948. Will israel "admit" to
killing them as well? We wouldn’t bet on it. – Ed.

Israeli soldiers ambushed and killed 15 emergency rescue workers in Gaza last month | The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have admitted that their account of the killing of 15 Palestinian paramedics and rescue workers in Gaza was incorrect, multiple media outlets reported on Saturday, citing the preliminary findings of a probe into the incident. ■ On March 23, a group of soldiers near Rafah fired at a convoy of Palestinian Red Crescent Society ambulances, a UN car, and a fire truck from Gaza’s Civil Defense. The IDF claimed at the time that the convoy was traveling in the darkness with their lights off. ■ On Saturday, the New York Times released a cellphone video proving that the ambulances were clearly marked and had their headlights turned on, and that the paramedics wore reflective gear when they were fired upon in Rafah’s Tel Sultan neighborhood. ■ According to the NYT, an IDF official said in a briefing to journalists later that day that the soldiers had “mistakenly” identified the rescuers as Hamas fighters. The official added that the incident “will be examined thoroughly and in depth.” ■ The Times of Israel cited the preliminary findings as saying that the IDF had set up an ambush on the road at around 4am local time. About half an hour later, a Hamas police vehicle drove by and exchanged fire with the soldiers, who killed one militant and captured two others ■ At around 6am, the Israeli troops spotted the ambulance convoy and opened fire. A surveillance drone operator had earlier told them that the convoy was moving in a “suspicious manner,” the IDF said. The IDF also said that at least six of the slain paramedics were posthumously identified by intelligence officials as Hamas operatives. ■ Last month, Israel resumed airstrikes and ground operations against Hamas in Gaza after the sides failed to agree on the implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire brokered by the US, Egypt, and Qatar in January.

The senior official explained that Tel Aviv was “very serious” about implementing President Donald Trump’s plan to cleanse Gaza. | An Israeli official made it clear that Tel Aviv plans to expel the Palestinians from Gaza after the hostages are freed and Hamas is eliminated. Throughout the conflict, the Israeli Prime Minister publicly claimed the goals of military operations in Gaza were returning Israeli captives and removing Hamas from power. ● According to Haaretz, a senior Israeli official who is traveling with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained, “What we would like to see is that we rescue the hostages, eliminate Hamas, and that there is a large-scale opportunity for voluntary migration.” ● Israeli officials have used the phrase “voluntary migration” to describe Tel Aviv’s process of removing all Palestinians from Gaza. After President Donald Trump returned to office, he declared that all Palestinians should be removed from Gaza and resettled in other countries.

■ UN condemns killing of 1,000 people in Gaza since ceasefire collapse (United Nations)

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force has been steadily expanding its network of “Ghadir” over-the-horizon early warning radars, with new construction sites identified in the northwest of the country near Tabriz and along the Persian Gulf coast. | These developments, recently highlighted by open-source intelligence analysts using satellite imagery from Google Maps and Google Earth, signal Tehran’s ongoing efforts to bolster its air defenses against potential threats, particularly from the United States or Israel. The radars, designed to detect incoming strike aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles at long ranges, represent a significant upgrade to Iran’s military infrastructure.

■ Former Pentagon Advisor Slams US Buildup in Middle East, Warns of Historical Fiascos (Sputnik)
■ If the US Fights Iran, the Navy Won’t Survive—Yemen Proved It! | Scott Ritter & Larry C. Johnson (Dialogue Works)

■ Trump’s negotiation tactic tends to be grand statements to disrupt the status quo and open up some space to manoeuvre, followed by maximum pressure before striking a deal. However, the world of politics is different from the world of real estate as it can fuel unpredictability and distrust. Most importantly, Russia believes it is facing an existential threat from NATO and Iran similarly cannot negotiate away its deterrent as it it frequently threatened by the US and Israel. What will Trump do when his negotiation tactics fail? At the moment, we are seeing escalations against both Russia and Iran.

■ Ambassador Freeman is a career diplomat (retired) who was Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs from 1993-94, earning the highest public service awards of the Department of Defense for his roles in designing a NATO-centered post-Cold War European security system and in reestablishing defense and military relations with China. He served as U. S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia (during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm).

Lawyer Eugene Gutsul reported on the details of the trial of her client. | The Information and Security Service (ISS) of Moldova illegally facilitated the arrest of the head of the Gagauz autonomy, Eugenia Gutsul. This was stated by the lawyer of the Gagauz bashkan, Natalia Bayram, gazeta.ru reported. According to her, the SIS institution has absolutely nothing to do with this case - neither procedural status, nor absolutely no rights in this case. “That is, it is a gross interference in an act of justice by the SIS,” Bayram summarized. ● She explained that Gutsul's defense was refused to familiarize itself with the contents of the IRB letter. Also, lawyer Natalia Bayram called the criminal case against the head of Gagauzia Eugenia Gutsul a political order and a gross violation of human rights. She specified that, according to the country's Constitution, the term of preventive arrest cannot exceed 12 months. ● Eugenia Gutsul was detained at the Chisinau airport in the evening of March 25, when she was trying to leave Moldova. The head of Gagauzia had his passport taken away, was subjected to a full search and was not allowed to leave the country. Later, the politician was arrested. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)