News Digest — 3/27/25
The Defense Minister’s Dramatic Warning To Gazans
Defense Minister Israel Katz addressed a message to the residents of Gaza, Wednesday (26th), following the demonstrations by Gazans in Beit Lahiya against Hamas.
“Residents of Gaza, the IDF will soon operate forcefully in additional areas in Gaza and you will be required to evacuate for your own protection from the combat zones. The plans are already prepared and approved,” Katz stated.
He added, “Hamas is endangering your lives and will cause you to lose your homes and more and more territory that will be added to the Israeli defense system. Sinwar the First destroyed Gaza and Sinwar the Second is ready to burn half of Gaza with his own hands just to try and preserve the corrupt rule of himself and his fellow Hamas murderers and rapists.”
“Hamas’ leaders and their families are sitting protected in tunnels or luxury hotels with billions in bank accounts abroad – and they are using you as hostages,” he said.
Katz called on Gazans to “learn from the residents of Beit Lahiya: Demand the removal of Hamas from Gaza and the immediate release of all Israeli hostages – this is the only way to stop the war.”
Hundreds of Palestinian Arabs took to the streets in northern Gaza on Tuesday (25th). Voicing strong opposition to the Hamas terror group and calling for an end to the ongoing war with Israel.
The demonstration was reportedly the largest of its kind in the Strip since Hamas’ brutal Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
Videos circulating on social media showed protesters—mostly men—gathered in Beit Lahiya, chanting “Hamas out,” and “Hamas terrorists.”
The protest erupted near the Indonesian Hospital, just days after the IDF resumed its operations against Hamas following a temporary ceasefire.
Some demonstrators carried banners with messages such as “Stop the war,” and “We want to live in peace.” Calls for the protest had reportedly been circulating on Telegram, encouraging civilians to take a stand.
“I don’t know who organized the protest,” one participant told AFP. “I took part to send a message on behalf of the people: Enough with the war,” he said, further claiming that “members of the Hamas security forces in civilian clothing were breaking up the protests.”
However the Protests spread to other areas throughout Wednesday (26th) and by Thursday morning had intensified.
IDF Orders Broad Northern Gaza Evacuation Following Rocket Fire
The IDF on Wednesday afternoon (26th) ordered a broad evacuation of Palestinians from northern Gaza, including portions of Zeitoun, Rimal, Tel-al-awa and other areas.
Adding these evacuations to earlier ones from Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun, and Jabalia, most of the northern Gaza areas which are important to Hamas, other than the downtown part of Gaza City itself, Shejaiya, and Shaati, have now been evacuated.
The IDF said that rockets fired earlier Wednesday (26th) from those areas had been responsible for an unidentified impact near Zimrat in the Gaza Corridor.
Rocket fire from Gaza earlier Wednesday (26th) was not successful in terms of killing anyone, but one of the two rockets fired did get through. Gazan terror groups have now shown the capability to continually fire two to three rockets at a time several times since last week. Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed the attack.
Since fighting in Gaza was renewed at the beginning of last week, the IDF has killed 150 terrorists, including 10 top Hamas officials, the Jerusalem Post learned Tuesday (25th).
Additionally, the military has targeted 429 terror infrastructure sites, including buildings, tunnels, and vehicles.
In certain areas, the military has entered a full kilometer into Gaza, such as around the Nitzarim Corridor in central Gaza.
The IDF has also aggressively attacked and evacuated areas from which terrorists have fired rockets.
In addition to central Gaza and northern Gaza, the IDF has also evacuated Palestinian civilians and then attacked in parts of Khan Yunis, Shaboura, and Tel Sultan.
Also earlier this week, Hamas claimed that the total Palestinian death toll from the war crossed 50,000. Israel has said that at least 20,000 were Hamas terrorists and has disputed aspects of the numbers, while acknowledging a large number of civilians have been unintentionally caught up in the war, as part of Hamas’ systematic human shield strategy.
With Israel’s Help, 100 Gazans To Resettle In Indonesia
A group of 100 Palestinian Arabs living in the Gaza Strip is slated to immigrate to Indonesia in the coming days, as part of a new program launched by Israel’s Defense Ministry to help facilitate mass migration from Gaza to third-party countries.
According to a report on Channel 12 on Wednesday (26th), the prospective emigres are working in conjunction with the Israel Defense Ministry’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) under the authority of COGAT chief MG Ghassan Alian.
The migrants will not be barred from returning to the Gaza Strip should they choose to leave Indonesia, but COGAT is working to help the emigrants permanently settle abroad, and has found work for them in Indonesia, primarily as construction workers.
The migration is the first attempt by COGAT to help facilitate mass migration to Indonesia – the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation.
As part of a larger effort by the Defense Ministry to help Gazans settle abroad, the COGAT program seeks to facilitate the migration of thousands of Gazans to Indonesia.
It is unclear at this point, however, what limits, if any, the Indonesian government is placing on Palestinian migration.
In the past, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said his country would take a limited number of injured Gazans for a temporary stay, while shying away from committing to accepting large numbers of migrants.
“We are taking steps to channel assistance to Palestine,” he said last June.
“Indonesia has announced its readiness to evacuate 1,000 patients for medical treatment in Indonesia. They will be returned to Gaza after recovering, once the situation there stabilizes.”
Earlier this week, Channel 12 reported that 1,000 Gazans have permanently emigrated from the coastal enclave in the first three weeks in March, with 600 more slated to leave in the coming days,
They join 35,000 others who are estimated to have settled abroad since Oct. 7, 2023.
Quds Day Speeches Escalate Anti-Israel Rhetoric As Iran-Aligned Terror Leaders Vow Action
Ahead of Quds Day on Friday (28th), leaders from the so-called “Axis of Resistance” delivered pre-recorded speeches Wednesday (26th), aired against images of three figures killed in the past year: former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah (killed in September 2024), former Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh (killed in July 2024), and former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (who died in a helicopter crash in May 2024).
As in previous years, the speeches included praise for Palestinians, incitement against Israel and references to recent regional developments. “Quds” is the Arabic name for Jerusalem.
Among the speakers was Abdul-Malik Badreddin al-Houthi, leader of Yemen’s Houthis, which has faced daily U.S. strikes from the beginning of the American-led military operation in Yemen. Amid recent unconfirmed reports of his death, al-Houthi said, “Israel and the U.S. are on a clear path to eliminate the Palestinian cause. Arab nations must act seriously to prevent the displacement of the Palestinian people and reject normalization.”
He warned that if Israel succeeds in uprooting the Palestinians, “the turn of the surrounding Arab countries will come next” and vowed continued support for Palestinians “despite U.S. strikes.”
Hezbollah’s current leader, Naim Qassem, praised Palestinians for “sacrificing so much to remain on their land” and claimed that Israel is experiencing “an existential crisis.” He accused Israel of aiming to “completely eliminate the Palestinian cause, displace residents of the West Bank and Gaza, seize land in neighboring countries like Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan and dominate the Middle East.”
Addressing the situation in southern Lebanon, Qassem said that, “Israel has failed to eliminate the resistance or reach the Litani River. We’re at a stage where the state (Lebanon) is responsible for implementing the ceasefire agreement. It must ensure Israel’s withdrawal and the release of Lebanese prisoners.”
Qassem also credited Iran, saying, “The future of the region belongs to the resistance. We are certain of victory. This battle isn’t over–we are engaged in fighting and resistance continues wherever possible.”
Iran’s Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani also spoke, praising Palestinians for demonstrating “unprecedented resistance.” He claimed that despite sacrifices, “the resistance has grown stronger.”
“We mark Quds Day today as the Islamic nation understands the significance of the Palestinian cause,” Qaani said. He referred to Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel as proof of “the united front” against Israel and reiterated Iran’s ongoing support.
“Iran, as always, stands by Palestine in defending Jerusalem, through support for resistance fighters and military actions like “True Promise” (Iran’s missile and drone attack on Israel). Iran’s commitment will continue until the final goal of liberating Jerusalem is achieved.”
Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Zyad al-Nakhalah also spoke, though details of his remarks were not disclosed. Earlier Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called for mass participation in Friday’s (28th) marches “to express support for the oppressed Palestinian people and condemn Israel’s crimes.”
Hezbollah’s Qassem is also expected to deliver another speech on Friday (28th) at 3: 30 p.m. local time. Ahead of Quds Day, the Houthis’ “Ansar Allah band released a new song titled “Quds Day.” An accompanying video opens with an image of a burning Star Of David and includes footage of Jerusalem, Houthi terrorists stepping on a defaced Israeli flag and scenes of military training.
The lyrics include lines such as: “Quds day, spirit of the generation, promise of victory. The victory of Allah is near. Every tyrant or oppressor knows that the victory of Allah is near. This is God’s promise. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the moment has arrived.”
Norway’s Jews Hide Their Identity To Receive Medical Care
A deeply concerning trend has emerged in Norway where Jewish community members fear seeking medical care due to growing anti-Israel sentiment among healthcare workers. In an unprecedented letter to health authorities, Jewish leaders warn that community members are hiding their identities in medical settings – a situation not experienced “since World War II.”
The letter, signed by Marius Gaarder, chairman of the Jewish community in Oslo, and John Arne Moen from the Jewish community in Trondheim, raises alarming concerns: “Shortly after October 7, 2023, alongside growing anti-Israel mobilization among segments of healthcare workers, health institutions, and medical experts, several members of the Jewish community expressed concern that they would feel uncomfortable seeking medical treatment and fear they wouldn’t receive optimal care if they revealed they were Jewish… This is a situation we haven’t experienced since World War II.”
Dr. Rolf Kirschner, a Jewish physician with 45 years of experience in Norway’s public health system and a member of the Norwegian Medical Association, describes this as an unprecedented phenomenon. “People don’t dare wear Jewish symbols like the Star of David when going for examinations, and Jewish patients fear having their names called aloud in waiting rooms out of concern that caregivers or others will discover they are Jewish,” he explained.
The situation has worsened as patients encounter politically charged environments. “Some Jewish patients were alarmed when they encountered healthcare professionals displaying overtly political posters and pamphlets expressing support for Palestinians, and they’re afraid to complain about this for fear of negative reactions from medical staff on whom their health depends,” Kirschner added.
While acknowledging freedom of expression, Kirschner believes certain political displays should remain outside medical facilities. “The letter calls on health services, relevant organizations, and the government to ensure Jews feel comfortable in hospitals and don’t fear approaching and receiving medical care, or hide their identity in hospitals.”
Norway’s Jewish population is small – approximately 1,500 registered Jews nationwide, with 800 residing in Oslo. This vulnerability is compounded by the Norwegian government’s strong pro-Palestinian stance. Dr. Kirschner reports that community members have expressed fears about receiving substandard care due to solidarity shown by various medical professional organizations with Palestinian causes and calls for boycotts against Israel.
Though Dr. Kirschner cited only five or six documented cases of patients sharing these concerns with community leaders, he believes they indicate a broader pattern. These anxieties intensified following the viral spread of a video showing Australian hospital staff describing how they mistreat Israeli patients. In response, Dr. Kirschner urged professional organizations to take action: “The unions should inform their members that healthcare professionals need to remain neutral in the workplace and not display political symbols. They should make it clear that union members are prohibited from participating in political demonstrations at the workplace.”
Health MInister Jan Christian Vestre responded to the concerns, stating: “All patients should feel safe when treated in our public health service. No one should experience discomfort or worry when receiving healthcare, and I expect everyone to be treated with dignity.” He emphasized that creating inclusive environments remains “a local responsibility of medical institutions” that authorities expect to be “taken seriously.” The head of the Nurses Association has also acknowledged these concerns and promised to address them.
Orn Alpeleg, an Israeli-Norwegian resident of over three decades, places these concerns in a troubling historical context: “The Norwegian health system has a problematic past and present which is undoubtedly tainted by political influence. Norway assisted the Nazis in deporting Jews to extermination camps, and today it is the only Western country that refuses to recognize the murderous organization Hamas as a terrorist organization. As a Jewish resident of Norway, I feel deep concern about the influence of politics on the ethics and professionalism of the healthcare system.”
