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Scottish Friends of Palestine
Briefing Paper
April 2025
February 2025
Judicial decrees, decisions, positions, and orders issued by official Israeli bodies Source: Law for Palestine
· In response to U.S President Donald Trump’s statements on “cleaning out” the Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and deporting them to Egypt and Jordan, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, has described said statements as “out-of-the-box thinking” for achieving peace and security, and affirmed that “The idea of helping them [Palestinians] find other places to start a better life is a great idea. After years of glorifying terrorism, they will be able to establish new and good lives in other places,”. Smotrich vowed to implement Trump’s plans and is developing an operational plan with the Israeli Prime Minister and Cabinet to serve such interests. Former Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben -Gvir, also welcomed Trump’s initiative. (January 26-27, 2025)
· The Israeli Knesset’s Ministerial Committee for Legislation has approved a new bill allowing Israeli settlers to purchase land in the occupied West Bank without restrictions or oversight. The legislation, which will be presented for its first reading in the Israeli parliament, aims to remove legal barriers that previously prevented settlers from directly acquiring real estate, based on the Jordanian law still in effect in the West Bank. Notably, while Jordanian law prohibits settlers from purchasing land in the West Bank, an Israeli military order issued four years after the occupation of the territory enabled settlers to acquire land indirectly through companies registered with the Civil Administration in the West Bank. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich welcomed the decision, describing it as a law that corrects a historical injustice and allows Jews to purchase land and officially register it as property in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank). (January 26-27, 2025)
· Former Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has criticised the opening of the Netzarim road and the return of tens of thousands of Gazans to the northern Gaza Strip, calling it a “humiliating part of the reckless deal.” He stated, “This is not what complete victory looks like, but what complete surrender looks like.” Ben-Gvir urged Israel to resume the war saying, “We must return to war – and destruction!” (January 27, 2025)
· Israeli officials have confirmed that Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Israeli Prime Minister to discuss the possible outlines for the deportation of Gazans. They claimed that the US administration is serious about this idea. (January 30, 2025)
· Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has vowed that the Israeli military will maintain its presence in the Jenin refugee camp and “will not return to be what it was.” Katz stated that Israel has “declared a war on Palestinian terror in Judea and Samaria.” (January 29 2025)
· The Israeli Supreme Court has denied a request for an interim injunction filed by Adalah and Gisha – The Legal Center for the Freedom of Movement, challenging two laws that aim to shut down UNRWA’s operations in Israel. The petition was filed on behalf of ten Palestinian refugees who would be severely affected by the laws. (January 29, 2025)
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· ● Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described President Donald Trump’s proposal of a U.S
· takeover of Gaza as a “remarkable idea” that should be “pursued,” “examined,” and “done.”
· Netanyahu asserted that this proposal would create a fundamental shift in the future of the region
· and the world. ( February 5, 2025)
· ● Following the decision of the President of the United States not to participate in the UN Human Rights
· Council (UNHRC), Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has announced that Israel will withdraw from
· the UNHRC. In a letter to the President of the Council, Sa’ar said that the resolution was reached in
· light of the UN’s purported ongoing and relenting institutional bias against Israel since its
· establishment, claiming that the Council had become a political tool to delegitimize Israel. (February
· 06, 2025)
· ● Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed that he had ordered the activation of the
· “Hannibal Directive” during Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023. This led to the killing of Israeli soldiers
· and civilians to prevent their capture, using warplanes, helicopters, and tanks. Gallant also criticized
· Itamar Ben Gvir's storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, describing it as “detonating the situation.” He further
· claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed accepting a hostage exchange deal, noting
· that the eventual ceasefire agreement was nearly identical to a proposal Hamas had accepted in April
· of the previous year. (February 7, 2025)
· ● When questioned about a Palestinian state as a condition for normalization with Saudi Arabia,
· Netanyahu stated that he “would not make an agreement that would endanger the State of Israel.”
· He emphasized that “the establishment of a Palestinian state will not be accepted, especially after
· the events of October 7.” Netanyahu further added, “The Saudis can create a Palestinian state in Saudi
· Arabia.” (February 7, 2025)
· The Israeli Knesset’s Cabinet Committee for Legislation has approved, in its preliminary reading, a bill to replace the term “West Bank” with “Judea and Samaria” in Israeli legislation. MK Simcha Rothman, who sponsored the bill, claimed that the change reflects the Jewish people’s historical right to the land and corrects a historical distortion. (February 9, 2025)
Former Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir commented on the return of Gazans to their lands near Nahal Oz, saying: “Instead of shooting everyone, only warning shots are being fired, which do not actually bother them.” He also described the comparison between Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners released in poor health as “insane.” (February 9, 2025)
After returning from the United States, .......
During his flight to the United States to meet with US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plane has avoided the airspace of several European countries en route to the US due to concerns over international arrest warrants. During the visit, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urged Netanyahu to “strengthen [his] grip and sovereignty” over the West Bank. (February 02, 2025)
In a report issued by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics for 2024, the Knesset has revealed a significant decline in Israel’s population growth rate dropping from 1.6% in 2023 to 1.1% in 2024. The report explained that the drop was mostly due to the significant increase in emigration that followed the “complex security situation,” noting that nearly 50% of those who left Israel in 2024 were born outside of Israel, and a 31% drop in immigration to Israel between 2023 and 2024. It also included a finding by The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that Israel is among the least attractive destinations for those with graduate degrees and entrepreneurs when compared to 35 other countries. (February 04, 2025)
· Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has decided to confiscate an additional $90 million from the Palestinian Authority’s tax revenues and transfer the money to Israeli families allegedly killed in attacks by Palestinians, according to Israeli media reports. A report by TV7 Israel News, cited by the Anadolu news agency, said the move by the Israeli Finance Ministry was to prevent the PA from “continuing to reward terrorists and murderers” and to redirect the funds to “terror victims” and their families. Measures also included freezing fund transfers to Gaza and stopping payments allocated to Palestinian prisoners and ex-prisoners. Smotrich announced the formation of a team to annually review the PA’s expenditures to ensure that no funds are allocated to the families of martyrs or prisoners. He affirmed his commitment to stopping what he described as funding incitement in mosques, schools, and the media by blocking financial support to these sectors. (February 17-18, 2025)
· The Israeli Knesset approved in a preliminary reading a draft bill aimed at protecting Israeli public figures from the activities of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The bill has been referred to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for deliberation. The proposed law prohibits public authorities and bodies, as well as Israeli citizens and residents, from cooperating with the ICC in the Hague, including a prohibition on delivering information or documents, with penalties of up to five years in prison. (February 19, 2025)
· The Israeli Knesset has approved -in a preliminary reading- an amendment to the Association Bill, which imposes an 80% tax on donations received by non-profit associations that are primarily funded by foreign governments and do not receive funding from the State of Israel. The bill also proposed that the court will not accept requests submitted by a non-profit association that receives a majority of its funding from such a state entity, if the association is not budgeted by the state. The bill claimed that it aims to “reduce the indirect influence of foreign governments and state entities on the State of Israel.” (February 19, 2025)
· Israeli military prosecutor has filed an indictment against five reservists suspected of sexual assault and physical torture of a Palestinian detainee in Sde Teiman The Israeli military High Court refused to shutter Sde Teiman in September following the torture and death of 36 Palestinian detainees. The indictment was brought after the detainee was violently assaulted by soldiers on 05 July 2024, where he was beaten, kicked, dragged on the floor, and assaulted using a taser gun, resulting in a break in his ribs, and a lung puncture. According to the indictment, the victim was also stabbed in the posterior with a sharp object penetrating near the detainee’s anus and causing an internal tear. (February 19, 2025)
· The Israeli Knesset has passed a legislation prohibiting individuals who publish statements denying the Holocaust or the events of October 7 from entry into Israel. The law is an amendment to existing Israeli legislation that bans granting visas or entry permits to those calling for a boycott of Israel. The amendment also targets those advocating the prosecution of Israelis for actions they committed during their duties in the IOF or other security services. (February 20, 2025)
A statement issued by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office has revealed that it intends to delay the release of Palestinian prisoners. The Office justified its statement under the guise that Hamas committed repeated violations, particularly in performing “ceremonies that humiliate our hostages and [cynically exploited] our hostages for propaganda purposes.” (February 23, 2025)
Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has admitted that his Religious Zionism party holds credit for the Israeli government’s decision to delay the release of 602 Palestinian prisoners as part of the ongoing hostage release-ceasefire deal. Smotrich stated “Every day, I am convinced that we acted correctly” in not leaving the government upon its approval of the ceasefire deal. (February 24, 2025)
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has imposed sanctions on Palestinian prisoners and their families who are citizens and residents of Israel and receive funding from the Palestinian Authority (PA). Following the sanction, IOF raided the homes of the prisoners affected and confiscated cash and assets worth hundreds of thousands of Israeli shekels. Adding to said sanctions, Israel also reportedly froze 470 million shekels of funds allocated to the PA. Katz claimed that Israel would not allow the PA to purportedly “reward terrorists for killing and harming Israeli citizens,” alleging the funds allocated to Palestinian prisoners and their families as “blood money [that] fuels terrorism.” (February 25, 2025)
Israeli Interior Minister Moshe Arbel has banned European Parliament member Rima Hassan from entering the occupied Palestinian territories, citing her encouraging support for boycotting and imposing sanctions on Israel, and supporting the armed struggle against it. The European Union’s (EU) mission to the Palestinians revealed that Israel also previously barreed Lynn Boylan, head of a five-member EU delegation, without any explanation. Boylan’s ban led the delegation to cancel their trip, as Boylan referred to Israel as a “rogue state” and called on Europe to hold it accountable. (February 24, 2025)
In a speech given at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) in Washington, Israeli opposition leader, Yair Lapid, has announced his proposal that Egypt should temporarily rule the Gaza Strip after the war ends. The proposal titled, “the Egyption Solution,” stipulates that Egypt assume administrative control of the Gaza Strip for up to 15 years in exchange for wavering Egypt’s foreign debt worth $155 billion. (February 26, 2025)
Knesset member Dan Illouz, lawmaker and member of the Likud Party, has introduced the “Jerusalem Metropolitan Bill” aimed at annexing parts of the West Bank and several municipalities into Jerusalem as part of the so-called new “Jerusalem Metropolis”, where Israeli law, jurisdiction and administration would prevail. The proposal seeks to mandate the government to expand residential and industrial construction in the greater Jerusalem area and encourage young Israelis to relocate there. Illouz proudly stated, “When I led efforts to shut down UNRWA, we faced immense international pressure – but we stood firm, the law passed, and the threats amounted to nothing. The lesson is clear: when Israel stands strong, it wins. The same must happen with our sovereignty over Judea and Samaria [the West Bank] – this is our moment to act.” (February 27, 2025)
West Bank - Israel conducts largest demolition in years Qassam Muaddi M/Weiss 03/02/2025 Israeli forces conducted an unprecedented escalation in the West Bank over the weekend by detonating 20 apartment buildings in the Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank. According to some reports, the move constituted the largest single demolition operation conducted in the West Bank since 1967. Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/02/as-part-of-west-bank-offensive-israel-conducts-largest-demolition-since-1967/?ml_recipient=145410302242981566&ml_link=145410263048258771
Israel limits medical evacuation from Gaza compilation IAK 05/02/2025
Amid Gaza’s unrelenting nightmare, 123 Palestinian patients and wounded civilians crossed the Rafah border since it was reopened on Saturday, clutching onto their last hope for survival. . . Whoever is left of doctors work beyond exhaustion; their supplies are nearly depleted because Israel has been blocking aid. Bandages are reused, painkillers rationed, and life-saving surgeries are delayed until it is too late. Read more: https://israelpalestinenews.org/israel-limits-medical-evacuation-from-gaza-as-west-bank-heats-up-ceasefire-day-16/
Trump plan for Israeli annexation of the West Bank Michael Aria M/Weiss 05/02/2025 “Trump has suggested that he is likely to reconfirm and perhaps expand upon this policy commitment in the next several weeks,” he continued. “Palestinians, Arabs, and advocates of justice worldwide have an opportunity to make such an announcement politically meaningless, but only if they act strategically and mobilise the resources at their disposal in a timely manner.” Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/02/coming-soon-trump-plan-for-israeli-annexation-of-the-west-bank/?ml_recipient=145591493936023104&ml_link=145591457709819135
What did Trump just say about Gaza, and what does it mean? Alison Weir Israel-Palestine News {} 06/02/2025 Below are highly diverse articles about Trump’s recent statements saying that the US will take over Gaza . . . The final article below suggests a real solution to the Gaza “problem”: The refugees return to their original homes in what used to be called Palestine. Read more: https://israelpalestinenews.org/what-did-trump-just-say-about-gaza-and-what-does-it-mean/
Army was ordered to kill Israelis on 7 October, defense minister confirms Asa Winstanley EI 07/02/2025 The order came “even if this means the endangerment or harming of the lives of civilians in the region, including the captives themselves,” Israeli journalists Ronen Bergman and Yoav Zitun reported. In July, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that the order “not a single vehicle can return to Gaza” was issued to the Gaza Division of the Israeli military at 11:22 am that day. Read more: https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/asa-winstanley/army-was-ordered-kill-israelis-7-october-defense-minister-confirms
Or
https://thecradle.co/articles-id/28788
Israel obstructing aid deliveries into Gaza N Barrows-Friedman EI 07/02/2025
Though the number of trucks entering the Gaza Strip has increased, Euro-Med says, a preliminary analysis of the volume and type of aid entering the enclave reveals that some of it includes non-essential items. The rights group adds that only about 35 percent of the 8,500 trucks that have been let in since the ceasefire have entered northern Gaza. . . According to estimates from the Gaza Municipality and the northern Gaza Strip local authorities, 100 wells in the northern Gaza Valley need to be restored and repaired immediately; none have been fixed thus far, the group says. Read more: https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/nora-barrows-friedman/israel-obstructing-aid-deliveries-gaza-rights-group-warn
The real reason Israel is banning UNRWA Qassam Muaddi M/weiss 07/02/2025
The expulsion of UNRWA would not only be the removal of an international organization and its activities from Palestine. It would mean targeting a main component of the daily lives of Palestinians, which has been at the heart of the development of their reality for three-quarters of a century, destabilizing these communities and Palestinian society at large. Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/02/the-real-reason-israel-is-banning-unrwa-and-what-it-means-for-millions-of-palestinian-refugees/?ml_recipient=145772678382356360&ml_link=145772644995696136
40,000 Palestinians displaced in the West Bank Qassam Muaddi M/Weiss 10/02/2025 “Forced displacement in the occupied West Bank is the result of an increasingly dangerous and coercive environment,” the UNRWA statement said. “The use of air strikes, armoured bulldozers, controlled detonations, and advanced weaponry by the Israeli Forces has become commonplace — a spillover of the war in Gaza.” Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/02/israel-has-displaced-40000-palestinians-in-the-west-bank-unrwa-says/?ml_recipient=146044469983053693&ml_link=146044440347149498
Israel’s Latest Targets In Palestine - Libraries in Jerusalem Bilal Gheith Kiswani imemc 11/02/2025 “This falls under the attempts to reshape Palestinian awareness and target Palestinian culture, narrative, existence, and history. It is a desperate attempt by the occupation to erase the Palestinian narrative and claim that the indigenous Jerusalemites are outsiders. This will not happen.” Obeidat added. Read more: https://imemc.org/article/israels-latest-targets-in-palestine-libraries-in-jerusalem/
Trump says Palestinians won’t be able to return to Gaza under his plan Michael Arria M/Weiss 11/02/2025 In recent days Trump has repeatedly referenced the U.S. owning Gaza and relocating Palestinians to other countries, such as Jordan and Egypt. On Monday, he threatened to cut aid to the two countries if they did not accept Gazans. Trump is meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah at the White House this week. Read more https://mondoweiss.net/2025/02/trump-says-palestinians-wont-be-able-to-return-to-their-homes-in-gaza-under-his-plan/?ml_recipient=146135084591744214&ml_link=146135039497733578
Torture in Israeli prisons, “sexual assaults even using dogs” Israel-palestine news 13/02/25 The released Palestinian prisoner, Adham Mansour (45 years old), a resident of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, revealed shocking details about the conditions of detention and the suffering of prisoners inside Israeli prisons, including the use of dogs to sexually assault Palestinian prisoners. Read more: https://israelpalestinenews.org/shocking-testimony-torture-in-israeli-prisons/
Life Expectancy in Gaza Cut in Half in First Year of Gaza Genocide
If americansknew 15/02/2025
Stand up to Trump to avert ethnic cleansing of Gaza Mitchell Plitnick M/Weiss 15/02/2025 Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stated flatly that he would not visit the White House as long as the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza was on the table. It seems likely that Sisi’s more forceful stance was coordinated with Abdullah’s diplomatic tone. Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/02/arab-states-will-have-to-stand-up-to-trump-to-avert-ethnic-cleansing-of-gaza/?ml_recipient=146497445067491043&ml_link=146497419496916227
Life Expectancy in Gaza Cut in Half in First Year of Gaza Genocide Compilation IAK 15/02/2025 Recovery teams often find decomposed bodies and are forced to handle them without protective gear leaving them exposed to disease or injury. The Civil Defense spokesperson called for the “urgent entry of heavy machinery and protective gear to facilitate faster retrieval and proper burial of the martyrs.” Such equipment is part of the ceasefire agreement, which Israel has not been honoring. Read more: https://israelpalestinenews.org/life-expectancy-in-gaza-cut-in-half-in-first-year-of-gaza-genocide-ceasefire-day-26/
80-year-old Gazan as a human shield. Then they killed him. Compilation IAK 17/02/2025 A senior officer in the Israeli army’s Nahal Brigade tied an explosive cord around the neck of an 80-year-old Palestinian man and forced him to serve as a human shield, ordering him to scout out abandoned houses under threat of having his head blown off.[ Illy Pe’ery, https://israelpalestinenews.org/gazan-elder-human-shield/]
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blue Star of David and the words “we will not forget nor forgive.” Gideon Levy 17/02/2025 The world, including Israel, forgot when it came to Nazi Germany, Vietnam forgot when it came to the U.S., the Algerians forgot as far as France goes and the Indians did the same regarding Britain – only the “eternal people” will never forget. How ridiculous. Read more: https://israelpalestinenews.org/gideon-levy-if-anyone-should-not-forget-nor-forgive-its-the-palestinians/
If Anyone Should ‘Not Forget nor Forgive,’ It’s the Palestinians
Violence and uncertainty are the new normal Qassam Muaddi M/weiss 18/02/2025 The Israeli escalation in the West Bank also came after declarations by hardline Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who is in charge of the Israeli administration of the West Bank, that 2025 will be the year of Israel’s annexation of the West Bank. Smotrich remained in Netanyahu’s government despite opposing the ceasefire deal in Gaza. According to Israeli reports, the offensive in the West Bank was an appeasement made to Smotrich in exchange for refraining from resigning in protest over the ceasefire deal, which would have caused a collapse in Prime Minister Netanyahu’s governing coalition. Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/02/one-month-into-israels-west-bank-offensive-violence-and-uncertainty-are-the-new-normal/?ml_recipient=146678659419210818&ml_link=146678615873947328
Trump plans for the region Mitchell Plitnick M/weiss 20/02/2025 Trump is driving U.S. policy in the Middle East, using Rubio as his carrier pigeon, and largely adopting the positions of the far-right Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu. It is not entirely Israel’s policy that Trump is pursuing, though; for example, he has made the release of all Israeli hostages a genuine priority, something Netanyahu steadfastly refused to do. He did this not out of a sense of concern or compassion, but as a way to bolster his image and to demonstrate his “superiority” to Joe Biden. Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/02/rubios-first-mideast-trip-reveals-trump-plans-for-the-region/?ml_recipient=146950462031005412&ml_link=146950420031341815
Israeli ceasefire violations are meant to cause mass expulsion Tareq Hajjaj M/Weiss 21/02/2025 “I want to leave, but there’s nothing voluntary about it,” Salama told Mondoweiss. “Israel is forcing us to leave. Its army destroyed everything. There are no schools for my kids, no hospitals, we struggle every day to get water. There’s no electricity. But most of all, we don’t know when our homes will be rebuilt. Who wants his family to live and suffer in such conditions?” . . . . . . . “I’ve been to most countries of the world. I could’ve stayed there in the past, but I preferred to go back to my home. I refused to immigrate every time. But now, if I can, I may leave.” Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/02/gazans-say-israeli-ceasefire-violations-are-meant-to-cause-mass-expulsion/?ml_recipient=147041034306586215&ml_link=147041001196750746
a broad look at Gaza including the interrogation of Dr Hussan Abu Safiyya
Nora Barrows-Friedman EI 21/02/2025 “This is supposed to be a TV report with Dr. Hussam Abu Safiyya. It turned out to be an interrogation. This really shows not only how savages they are but also how bankrupt they really are. Look even at his question “Why are you here?” to which Dr. Abu Safiyya answers “I really don’t know.” Abu Safiyya is a pediatrician who was abducted from the hospital while practicing his work.” Read more: https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/nora-barrows-friedman/less-7-percent-pre-genocide-water-levels-available-gaza
A brief history of Israel’s theft and trafficking of Palestinian organs Healthcare workers for Palestine M?weiss 22/02/2025
On August 5, 2024, three hundred and three days into their genocidal onslaught on the people of Gaza, the Israeli Occupation returned to Khan Younis the bodies of 89 Palestinians in a shipping container. The living, desperate to identify their loved ones, were met instead with the embodiment of mass death. Decomposed beyond recognition, the corpses retained none of their histories. Were these the bodies of tortured detainees? Were they corpses stolen from bulldozed graves in Gaza? The Occupation refused to say. Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/02/a-brief-history-of-israels-theft-and-trafficking-of-palestinian-organs/?ml_recipient=147131627715168204&ml_link=147131605724431450
Palestinian newborns die of extreme cold in Gaza The Cradle 25/02/2025
Five newborn Palestinian babies have died in the Gaza Strip in the past two weeks from the harsh cold while living in tents for displaced people, Haaretz reported on 25 February.
Dr Saeed Salah, director of a hospital operated by a civil society organization in the strip, said that there are additional babies in serious condition. Salah noted that the children who died from the cold were staying in tents made of cloth and plastic and were not equipped with heating or protection from the intense cold. He warned that more infant deaths are likely due to the cold wave hitting the region. Read more: https://thecradle.co/articles/palestinian-newborns-die-of-extreme-cold-in-gaza-as-israel-hinders-entry-of-tents-mobile-homes
ICC urged to investigate Biden’s personal role in Gaza Ali Abunimah EI 26/02/2025 “There are solid grounds to investigate Joe Biden, Antony Blinken and Lloyd Austin for complicity in Israel’s crimes,” according to Reed Brody, a veteran war crimes lawyer and a board member of DAWN, the US-based human rights group that filed the request with the ICC.
“The bombs dropped on Palestinian hospitals, schools and homes are American bombs, the campaign of murder and persecution has been carried out with American support,” Brody added. “US officials have been aware of exactly what Israel is doing and yet their support never stopped.” Read more: https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/icc-urged investigate-bidens-personal-role-gaza-genocide?utm_source=EI+readers&utm_campaign=ba4ac91439-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e802a7602d-ba4ac91439-299228964
Gaza wastewater crisis threatens Palestinian survival Islam Elhabil EI 27/02/25
The systematic destruction of Gaza’s wastewater infrastructure is a calculated act of environmental warfare, pushing the region into an irreversible humanitarian and ecological crisis. The collapse of sanitation systems is not just a side effect of war – it is a deliberate strategy to make Gaza uninhabitable. Read more: https://electronicintifada.net/content/gaza-wastewater-crisis-threatens-palestinian-survival/50440
600+ Palestinian prisoners released, many show signs of torture IAK compilation 27/02/25 The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced the death of a baby girl due to the severe cold weather sweeping the region, raising the number of child fatalities to seven infants, the Palestinian Information Centre reported.
More than 700 bodies have been recovered from various areas of the Gaza Strip, with most remaining unidentified due to the severity of their injuries, according to the Gaza Civil Defense. Most of the remains “consist of dismembered body parts or mere bones.” Read more: https://israelpalestinenews.org/600-palestinian-prisoners-released-many-show-signs-of-torture-ceasefire-day-37/
UK related articles
UK government funds pro-genocide University Jewish Chaplaincy David Miller & Asa Winstanley EI 20/02/2025
But what is the UJC? Just a kindly Jewish religious organization devoted to the welfare, pastoral and spiritual needs of Jewish students? Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
Just days after the government’s announcement, the University of Leeds fired two Israelis, Ariel and Sonia Pariente, as the UJC’s chaplaincy couple on campus. They had only recently been installed in their post. Shockingly anti-Palestinian and Islamophobic posts had been found on their social media pages, leading to the outcry which resulted in their sacking. The posts – mostly made by Sonia rather than her husband – included her view that Israeli lives were more valuable than those of Palestinians.
She approvingly posted a statement that read: “After October 7 [2023] I don’t differentiate between Hamas and so-called ‘Palestinians’ … For the next 10 to 20 years, the Palestinian people will pay the bill that Hamas set today. And this bill will be paid in blood.”
After exposure of the pair’s racism by Palestine solidarity activists who decried their statements online, some of their internet comments were deleted. A document uploaded on the UJC website in September stated that the pair were “looking forward” to starting their role. Read more: https://electronicintifada.net/content/uk-government-funds-pro-genocide-university-jewish-chaplaincy/50371
BBC slammed for pulling film that ‘humanized Palestinian children’
Outrage over Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone reached its highest point on Wednesday and Thursday, with the Israeli ambassador in London complaining to Britain’s public broadcaster, and culture secretary Lisa Nandy saying she will “be discussing” the issue with the BBC. Most criticism has focused on the fact, first reported by researcher David Collier, that the documentary’s 13-year-old narrator Abdullah Alyazouri is the son of a minister in Gaza’s Hamas-run government. Read more: https://israelpalestinenews.org/bbc-shamed-for-pulling-film-that-humanizes-palestinians/
‘Battle For The Truth’: Pro-Israel Bias Inside UK Newsrooms Revealed
February 26, 2025
https://israelpalestinenews.org/pro-israel-bias-inside-uk-newsrooms/
Judicial decrees, decisions, positions, and orders issued by official Israeli bodies Source: Law for Palestine
· A statement issued by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office has revealed that it intends to delay the release of Palestinian prisoners. The Office justified its statement under the guise that Hamas committed repeated violations, particularly in performing “ceremonies that humiliate our hostages and [cynically exploited] our hostages for propaganda purposes.” (February 23, 2025)
· Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has admitted that his Religious Zionism party holds credit for the Israeli government’s decision to delay the release of 602 Palestinian prisoners as part of the ongoing hostage release-ceasefire deal. Smotrich stated “Every day, I am convinced that we acted correctly” in not leaving the government upon its approval of the ceasefire deal. (February 24, 2025)
· Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has imposed sanctions on Palestinian prisoners and their families who are citizens and residents of Israel and receive funding from the Palestinian Authority (PA). Following the sanction, IOF raided the homes of the prisoners affected and confiscated cash and assets worth hundreds of thousands of Israeli shekels. Adding to said sanctions, Israel also reportedly froze 470 million shekels of funds allocated to the PA. Katz claimed that Israel would not allow the PA to purportedly “reward terrorists for killing and harming Israeli citizens,” alleging the funds allocated to Palestinian prisoners and their families as “blood money [that] fuels terrorism.” (February 25, 2025)
· Israeli Interior Minister Moshe Arbel has banned European Parliament member Rima Hassan from entering the occupied Palestinian territories, citing her encouraging support for boycotting and imposing sanctions on Israel, and supporting the armed struggle against it. The European Union’s (EU) mission to the Palestinians revealed that Israel also previously barreed Lynn Boylan, head of a five-member EU delegation, without any explanation. Boylan’s ban led the delegation to cancel their trip, as Boylan referred to Israel as a “rogue state” and called on Europe to hold it accountable. (February 24, 2025)
· In a speech given at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) in Washington, Israeli opposition leader, Yair Lapid, has announced his proposal that Egypt should temporarily rule the Gaza Strip after the war ends. The proposal titled, “the Egyption Solution,” stipulates that Egypt assume administrative control of the Gaza Strip for up to 15 years in exchange for wavering Egypt’s foreign debt worth $155 billion. (February 26, 2025)
· Knesset member Dan Illouz, lawmaker and member of the Likud Party, has introduced the “Jerusalem Metropolitan Bill” aimed at annexing parts of the West Bank and several municipalities into Jerusalem as part of the so-called new “Jerusalem Metropolis”, where Israeli law, jurisdiction and administration would prevail. The proposal seeks to mandate the government to expand residential and industrial construction in the greater Jerusalem area and encourage young Israelis to relocate there. Illouz proudly stated, “When I led efforts to shut down UNRWA, we faced immense international pressure – but we stood firm, the law passed, and the threats amounted to nothing. The lesson is clear: when Israel stands strong, it wins. The same must happen with our sovereignty over Judea and Samaria [the West Bank] – this is our moment to act.” (February 27, 2025)
After the first stage of the ceasefire ended, the Israeli government announced its adoption of the framework proposed by U.S. Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff for a temporary ceasefire during Ramadan and Passover. The proposal includes the release of half of Israel’s detainees but offers No guarantees for a permanent end to the war. (March 2, 2025)
The Israeli government has decided to halt the entry of humanitarian aid and supplies into the Gaza Strip and to close all crossings until further notice. It also warned that additional measures could be imposed if Hamas does not accept the Witkoff proposal. In this context, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich described the decision as an important step in the right direction, while former National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir welcomed the move, stating: “This should be the policy until the last hostage is returned. Now is the time to open the gates of hell, cut off electricity and water, and return to war.” (March 2, 2025)
Former Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called on the government not only to completely halt the entry of humanitarian aid but also to bomb humanitarian supplies inside Gaza that had entered during or before the truce. He further demanded a total cutoff of electricity and water supplies to the Strip. Ben-Gvir also warned that if Hamas threatened to harm Israeli hostages, Israel should respond by executing what he referred to as ‘terrorists.’ (March 3, 2025)
An Israeli court in Jerusalem has issued a forced eviction order against the Al-Basha family, expelling them from their historic home on Al-Wad Street in the Old City. The ruling paves the way for the property’s annexation to a Jewish synagogue. (March 4, 2025)
In a first vote, the Israeli Knesset passed a bill proposed by far-right lawmaker Limor Son Har-Melech, which would require tertiary education institutions to ban organized public academic activity that expresses solidarity with groups classified as ‘terrorist organizations’ or incites terrorism against Israel. However, a provision prohibiting incitement to racism and violence was removed from the bill, effectively allowing sanctions to be applied mainly against Arab students. (March 5, 2025)
Israeli broadcaster Kan reported that Jerusalem’s local planning and construction committee is set to discuss a proposal for the construction of more than 1,000 new settlement units in East Jerusalem. Meanwhile, the Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem has proposed expanding the city’s municipal boundaries by annexing 7,300 dunams from the Giv’at Ze’ev settlement council and 1,600 dunams from the Benjamin regional council, aiming to strengthen the Jewish demographic in Jerusalem. He also urged the government to approve settlement expansion projects in the E1 area, east of Jerusalem. (March 5, 2025)
Former Israeli National Security Minister and Knesset Member Itamar Ben-Gvir announced that members of his Otzma Yehudit party have proposed legislation to annul the Oslo Accords, the Hebron Agreement, and the Wye River Agreement. The proposal aims to roll back these agreements and restore Israeli control over the lands transferred under them. (March 09, 2025)
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has revealed that the government is working with the Trump administration to create a “Migration Directorate” that will oversee the exodus of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. Led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, and as part of US President Donald Trump’s deportation plan, Smotrich announced they are currently working on identifying countries that will take in the Gazans. In discussing his vision of the exodus, Smotrich stated, “if we take out 5,000 [Palestinians from Gaza] a day, it would take a year.” (March 09, 2025)
Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen has declared an immediate and total cutoff of electricity supplies to the Gaza Strip. Former National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir praised the decision, calling for Gaza to be plunged into immediate and total darkness and urging the bombing of fuel depots supplying the Strip. (March 09, 2025)
Israel’s opposition leader Yair Lapid has criticised the Israeli government’s incessant promises to reignite the war on Gaza and resume military operations. Lapid questioned the government’s objective behind the resumption of hostilities and stated that it would only threaten the lives of Israeli hostages. He noted that the government has unjustifiably repeatedly rejected all proposals put forward so far, without providing a clear alternative. (March 10, 2025)
The Washington Post has reported that Israel is set to enforce strict new regulations on aid organizations assisting Palestinians. These rules grant officials broad authority to deny NGO registrations and require organizations to submit the names and contact details of their Palestinian employees— a move that endangers staff and undermines relief efforts in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. (March 15, 2025)
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office announced that Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have instructed the military to take strict measures against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. This decision comes in response to what Netanyahu describes as Hamas’s repeated refusal to release hostages and its rejection of all proposals presented by U.S. Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and other mediators. Netanyahu stated that “Hamas is responsible for this war” and urged Gaza’s residents to “get out of harm’s way.” (March 18, 2024)
The Knesset approved, in a preliminary reading, the proposed “Entry into Israel” bill, which imposes a prison sentence of up to four years on anyone entering Israel through the West Bank or the Gaza Strip, excluding Israeli citizens. It also voted in a preliminary reading to approve the proposed “Demolition of Terrorists’ Homes” bill, which grants the Minister of National Security or the military commander in the West Bank the authority to issue demolition orders for the homes of individuals classified as “terrorists” if deemed necessary for security, national security, deterrence, or punitive measures. The bill stipulates that appeals against such decisions must be submitted to the Administrative Affairs Court, whose rulings would be final and not subject to further appeal. (March 19, 2024)
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened to annex parts of the Gaza Strip if Hamas continues to refuse to release the hostages. He stated that he had instructed the Israeli army to seize additional areas in Gaza and to issue evacuation orders for Palestinian civilians in those areas. Katz warned that Hamas’s continued refusal would lead to further territorial losses, which would be incorporated into Israel. (March 19, 2024)
The Israeli government unanimously approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to reappoint MK Itamar Ben-Gvir as National Security Minister, MK Amichay Eliyahu as Heritage Minister, and MK Isaac Wasserlauf as Minister for the Negev, Galilee, and National Resilience. The cabinet also voted unanimously to dismiss Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) chief Ronen Bar, following his claim that Netanyahu had deliberately sabotaged the hostage deal. (March 19-20, 2025)
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that it had destroyed the former Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital in central Gaza, claiming that Hamas operatives had converted the facility into a “terror infrastructure.” (March 21, 2024)
Israel’s security cabinet approved a proposal by Defense Minister Israel Katz to establish a new administration within the Defense Ministry aimed at facilitating the “voluntary” departure of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. (March 23, 2025)
The security cabinet approved a decision to separate 13 so-called “neighborhoods” of existing West Bank settlements from their parent settlements, effectively turning them into 13 independent settlements. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich described this move as a significant step toward achieving “de facto [Israeli] sovereignty” over the West Bank (March 23, 2025)
The Israeli Knesset’s Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee approved an amendment to the Legislation (Judea and Samaria) Bill for 2024, which mandates replacing the term “West Bank” with “Judea and Samaria” in all Israeli legislation. (March 24, 2025)
Israel’s Supreme Court unanimously rejected a petition demanding that the government refrain from cutting off humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. The court ruled that Israel is acting in accordance with the directives of its political leadership and its obligations under both Israeli and international law, claiming that the law of belligerent occupation does not apply to Israel. Rights organizations that filed the petition expressed disappointment, arguing that the ruling amounts to unconditional support for the Israeli government, contradicting a broad international consensus. They warned that the decision effectively grants Israel a green light to continue committing war crimes and harming civilians in Gaza. (March 27, 2025).
Justice for Palestinian journalists in Gaza and beyond Yasmeen Abed M/Weiss 02/03/2025 In the deadliest year for journalists in recorded history, nearly two-thirds of the total deaths were Palestinians killed by Israel. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reports 85 journalists were killed by Israel in 2024, and 78 in 2023. The group previously reported Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as the “most dangerous situation for journalists” ever recorded. Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/03/the-global-community-must-do-more-to-demand-justice-for-palestinian-journalists-in-gaza-and-beyond/?ml_recipient=147856420843291949&ml_link=147856389835851450
Still facing imminent danger of ethnic cleansing M H Huraini M/weiss 03/03/2025 Since the beginning of the genocide in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Occupation Forces and their settler gangs have put Masafer Yatta in the West Bank’s south Hebron Hills in their crosshairs. The situation has escalated from periodic — but dangerous — settler attacks on the villages and the residents of the area before the war to multiple daily pogroms 16 months later. These attacks take place under the watchful eye and protection of the occupation army, which acts as an escort to the settlers on their rampage. Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/03/masafer-yatta-is-still-facing-imminent-danger-of-ethnic-cleansing/?ml_recipient=147947014813910450&ml_link=147946988470535407
Doctor reveals what she saw in Gaza N Barrows-Friedman EI 03/03/2025
In January, the aid agency Save the Children issued a report on the effects of Israel’s use of explosive weapons on children. The group estimates that in 2024, an average of 475 children each month – or 15 children a day – were left with potentially lifelong disabilities, including amputated or severely injured limbs and hearing impairments. These injuries, Save the Children adds, have been worsened due to the decimation of the health system and destruction of health facilities in Gaza, as well as the restricted flow and low availability of medicines, which has made treatment, therapeutic or rehabilitative care inside Gaza near impossible. Read more: https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/nora-barrows-friedman/emergency-medicine-doctor-reveals-what-she-saw-gaza
'Saleh Al-Hams, Director of Nursing at Gaza European Hospital, reported that at dawn today, 456 freed detainees arrived at Gaza European Hospital, among them15 medical staff. Many of the released detainees arrived in a severely weakened state, some unable to walk due to the brutal beatings and torture they had endured. Most of them suffer from skin diseases, and one has been hospitalized overnight due to lung fibrosis. The detainees experienced severe, targeted beatings to the chest area, resulting in rib fractures. Additionally, one detainee had his hand amputated, while another lost a leg due to diabetes and the lack of medical care. Meanwhile, scabies medication was administered to all freed detainees to address the widespread infections.' Many of the Palestinian prisoners arriving in Gaza beyond recognition.
https://x.com/TheCradleMedia/status/1895108117324611744
Palestinian prisoner tortured with chemicals
https://x.com/SuppressedNws/status/1894092294367650079
Israeli killings in Gaza resume Tareq S Hajaj M/Weiss 05/03/2025
Due to their old age, they could not run long distances, but as soon as they tried to escape, the Israeli army sent a quadcopter to chase after them. “The army had fun killing them in cold blood,” Qishta said. After they reached the school, the Israeli drone caught up with the two men and opened fire directly, mortally wounding them and leaving them to bleed to death in the school courtyard. Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/03/we-thought-the-war-had-started-again-israeli-killings-in-gaza-resume-as-ceasefire-hangs-by-a-thread/?ml_recipient=148128233006564658&ml_link=148128179406505819
Compilation IAK 06/03/2025
Gazans go hungry as Israel claims “enough food to spark an obesity epidemic”
Israeli tanks fire on ambulances; Gaza ‘running out of basic necessities,' as Israeli spokesperson claims that Hamas has “enough food to spark an obesity epidemic”; Arab leaders endorse $53bn plan to rebuild Gaza; ‘systematic failures’ on 7 Oct; Palestinians in Israel face persecution; Israel to build wall on Jordan border; colleges allowing pro-Palestine protests could face funding cuts; $95 million in aid for the Lebanese Read more: https://israelpalestinenews.org/gazans-go-hungry-as-israel-claims-enough-food-to-spark-an-obesity-epidemic-gaza-in-limbo-day-4/
Israel developing ChatGPT-like tool that weaponizes surveillance of Palestinians Yuval Abraham +972 06/03/2025
“AI amplifies power,” an intelligence source who has closely followed the Israeli army’s development of language models in recent years explained. “It allows operations [utilizing] the data of far more people, enabling population control. This is not just about preventing shooting attacks. I can track human rights activists. I can monitor Palestinian construction in Area C [of the West Bank]. I have more tools to know what every person in the West Bank is doing. When you hold so much data, you can direct it toward any purpose you choose.” Read more: https://www.972mag.com/israeli-intelligence-chatgpt-8200-surveillance-ai/
The bittersweet taste of freedom Qassam Muaddi M/Weiss 11/03/2025
Food quality in the meals given to us dropped immediately. For breakfast, they began to bring one spoon of yogurt of less than 100 grams and a piece of bread for each person. At noon, they bring lunch for each room. The quantity is so small that every prisoner gets a share of three to four spoons of rice, and the same quantity of soup. The soup itself is just boiled water with some vegetables in it, without any flavor. It was only enough to keep us alive. I saw prisoners fainting in front of me because they hadn’t eaten enough. Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/03/the-bittersweet-taste-of-freedom-an-interview-with-a-former-palestinian-prisoner/?ml_recipient=148668025498764547&ml_link=148667991904487088
Inside Israel’s brutal offensive on Jenin Leila Warah & W B Moufleh EI 11/03/2025
Across these areas, Israeli forces have killed more than 60 people, including several children, since 21 January. Troops have injured scores of others and forcibly displaced some 40,000 Palestinians from refugee camps. The displacement of residents in Jenin refugee camp began with the Palestinian Authority crackdown starting in early December that left people vulnerable and exhausted before the outset of Israel’s invasion. Read more: https://electronicintifada.net/content/inside-israels-brutal-offensive-jenin/50465
Gaza’s farmers return to find scorched trees, toxic soil Abdullah Younis EI 11/03/25 The United Nations, in its analysis of satellite data, estimates that cropland comprises 41 percent of the Gaza Strip. This used to be a boon for Gaza, since, in 2022, before the war, agriculture was “one of the most important components” of Gaza’s gross domestic product, contributing $343 million to its economy, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. Read more: https://electronicintifada.net/content/gazas-farmers-return-find-scorched-trees-toxic-soil/50485
Israel is arbitrarily jailing Palestinian children in record numbers Miranda Cleland IAK 12/03/25 While international legal standards underscore that children accused of a crime have the right to have a family member and lawyer present with them during interrogation, Palestinian children are afforded neither. Jamal was never presented with charges; instead, Israeli forces detained him pursuant to an administrative detention order. This meant that neither he, nor his family, had any idea when he would be released, what he was accused of, or when he would be able to go home. Read more: https://israelpalestinenews.org/israel-is-arbitrarily-jailing-palestinian-children-in-record-numbers-this-must-stop/
Suspended for Pro-Palestine Speech & AI-generated smears Helyeh Doutaghi M/Weiss 13.03/2025 On the morning of March 3rd, I was notified of an online report about me. An obscure AI-powered right-wing Zionist platform called “Jewish Onliner” published a report falsely accusing me of being a “terrorist”. Rather than defend me, the Yale Law School moved within less than 24 hours of learning about the report to place me on leave. Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/03/suspended-for-pro-palestine-speech-my-statement-on-yale-law-schools-embrace-of-ai-generated-smears/?ml_recipient=148849206879061029&ml_link=148849172113524384
UN accuses Israel of sexual and gender-based violence Mondoweiss M/weiss 14/03/25 A new report released by the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory accuses Israel of systematically employing sexual, reproductive, and gender-based violence against Palestinians during its assault on Gaza. The findings, presented alongside public hearings in Geneva, also highlight the systematic destruction of reproductive healthcare facilities in Gaza and describe a “broader strategy to undermine Palestinian self-determination.” The report finds that Israel’s conduct has amounted to carrying out “genocidal acts” under international law, in addition to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/03/new-bombshell-un-report-accuses-israel-of-sexual-and-gender-based-violence-against-palestinians/?ml_recipient=148939808559859046&ml_link=148939765105820969
Israel resumes genocidal attacks on Gaza, killing 400 M C Murphy EI 18/05/25
Israel launched intensive attacks on Gaza early Tuesday, killing at least 400 Palestinians and injuring more than 560, the health ministry in the territory said later in the day. The ministry said that more victims are still under the rubble. Entire families were massacred in the strikes, according to the government media office in Gaza. Defense for Children International-Palestine said that at least 174 children were among the dead. “Today marks one of the largest one-day child death tolls in Gaza in history,” said Ayed Abu Eqtaish, a program director with the children’s rights group. “Israeli forces have signed a death warrant for Palestinian children in Gaza as they carry out nonstop attacks, continue to destroy civilian infrastructure and prevent any humanitarian aid from reaching Palestinians in need. This is nothing short of genocide,” he added. Read more: https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/maureen-clare-murphy/israel-resumes-genocidal-attacks-gaza-killing-400
Escalating military assault in the West Bank Leila Warah M/Weiss 20/03/2025
On the morning of February 9, the al-Ashqar family sat in terrified silence as news spread of the Israeli military’s advance into their neighborhood in Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarem. Unbeknownst to them, Israeli forces had planted a bomb at their front door — an explosive device that would soon take the life of 21-year-old Rahaf al-Ashqar, one of over 70 Palestinians killed during Israel’s ongoing assault on the northern West Bank. Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/03/lives-shattered-in-tulkarem-amid-israels-escalating-military-assault-in-the-west-bank/?ml_recipient=149487189662631370&ml_link=149487134872438519
Netanyahu lobbied von der Leyen over genocide case David Cronin EI 21/05/25
The European Union has previously declined to answer simple queries about which Israeli ministries and authorities take part in “counter-terrorism dialogues” which it arranges. An internal document I obtained in 2023 stated that EU diplomats “fear that the Israelis would be offended by the disclosure.” That fear to offend can be detected in the pathetic communiqué EU leaders issued following this week’s summit. While the leaders claimed to deplore the breakdown of the Gaza ceasefire, they did not specify that Israel had caused the breakdown, killing Palestinians in their hundreds. Read more: https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/david-cronin/netanyahu-lobbied-von-der-leyen-over-genocide-case
Israel blows up Gaza’s only specialised cancer hospital Aljazeera 22/03/2025
Al Jazeera correspondent Tareq Abu Azzoum, who is reporting from Gaza’s Deir el-Balah, said the destruction has left thousands of patients in the besieged territory with nowhere to go for cancer treatment, amid the resumption of the deadly Israeli military operation. The third floor of the hospital was previously hit in an Israeli air strike on October 30, 2023. Read more: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/22/israel-blows-up-gazas-only-specialised-cancer-hospital-in-massive-strike
“The gates of hell” Eli Gerzon EI 22/03/2025
Israel killed a record number of Palestinian children in a single day on 18 March, in an all-out assault on civilians in Gaza that shattered January’s ceasefire agreement. In three days, Israel’s attacks by land, sea and air have killed around 600 Palestinians and injured 1,000 more. Dr. Mohammad Abu Salmiya, the head of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City who was abducted by Israeli forces in November 2023, and detained and tortured in an Israeli prison camp for seven months, described the situation as “catastrophic,” as associate editor Nora Barrows-Friedman reported in the news brief at the start of this week’s Livestream. Read more: https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/eli-gerzon/livestream-gates-hell
The Last Chapter of the Genocide Chris Hedges M/Weiss 23/03/2025
This is the last chapter of the genocide. It is the final, blood-soaked push to drive the Palestinians from Gaza. No food. No medicine. No shelter. No clean water. No electricity. Israel is swiftly turning Gaza into a Dantesque cauldron of human misery where Palestinians are being killed in their hundreds and soon, again, in their thousands and tens of thousands, or they will be forced out never to return. Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/03/the-last-chapter-of-the-genocide/?ml_recipient=149755259500103446&ml_link=149755159057008046
Enabling the killing of Palestinian journalists Ahmad Ibsais M/weiss 25/03/2025
On March 24, 2025, we witnessed the deliberate killing of yet another Palestinian journalist. Hossam Shabat, a 24-year-old reporter for Al Jazeera Mubasher and contributor to Drop Site News, was assassinated in an Israeli airstrike targeting his vehicle in northern Gaza. Hours earlier, Mohammad Mansour, a correspondent for Palestine Today, was also killed in Khan Younis.These were not accidents. These were not casualties of “crossfire” or “clashes.” These were targeted assassinations designed to silence those who document the truth about Gaza. Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/03/how-western-media-silence-enables-the-killing-of-palestinian-journalists/?ml_recipient=149936411098744682&ml_link=149936349185574091
Forcibly depopulating Gaza won’t work Qassam Muaddi M/Weiss 26/03/2025
The idea of establishing a special body to transfer Palestinians from Gaza is not new. In 1971, Israel started a plan to “thin out” Gaza’s population by contacting Palestinians and offering to transfer them to Egypt — and threatening to demolish their homes if they refused. Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/03/why-israels-plans-to-forcibly-depopulate-gaza-wont-work/?ml_recipient=150026981269833570&ml_link=150026937965741619
An Israeli conference on antisemitism is falling apart…because they invited too many antisemites Jonathan Ofir M/weiss 26/03/2025
While it might be surprising to some, the conference and its offensive guest list are not out of place within Zionist history. In fact, at the very dawn of Zionism itself, founder Theodor Herzl wrote in his diary that “the anti-Semites will become our most dependable friends, the anti-Semitic countries our allies.” And this is indeed how history played out. Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/03/an-israeli-conference-on-antisemitism-is-falling-apartbecause-they-invited-too-many-antisemites/?ml_recipient=150026981269833570&ml_link=150026937986713150
Israel’s war on Gaza was never about Hamas Qassam Muaddi M/Weiss 29/03/25
On Tuesday, following the Israeli Knesset’s approval of the largest state budget in Israel’s history, which came two days after the Israeli cabinet approved a plan to establish a special bureau to drive Palestinians out of the strip, Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that every shekel spent in encouraging “voluntary migration” from Gaza saves Israel from continuing the war. This logic is a new attempt by Israel to implement the same model of mass displacing Palestinians from Gaza. In 1971, a full 16 years before Hamas was created, Israel laid down plans to drive Palestinians out of Gaza. That included home demolitions, secret transfer locations in the Egyptian Sinai desert, then occupied by Israel, and threatening Palestinians with 48-hour ultimatums before their homes were demolished. Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/03/israels-war-on-gaza-was-never-about-hamas/?ml_recipient=150298756699391755&ml_link=150298724431562236
14 aid workers found dead and buried, hands bound Tareq S Hajjaj M/weiss 31/03/25 The Gaza Ministry of Health said in a statement on March 30 that the bodies belonged to 8 paramedics from PRCS, 5 members of the Civil Defense, and one person whose identity remains unknown. The statement said that the crews had been “executed” and “some were found with their hands bound.” Read more: https://mondoweiss.net/2025/03/the-first-responders-massacre-14-aid-workers-found-dead-and-buried-hands-bound/?ml_recipient=150389376671548603&ml_link=150389333965145497
Israel killed 15 Palestinian paramedics and rescue workers one by one, says UN The Guardian 31/03/2025
“Seven days ago, civil defence and PRCS ambulances arrived at the scene,” the head of Ocha in Palestine, Jonathan Whittall, said in a video statement. “One by one, [the paramedics and civil defense workers] were hit, they were struck. Their bodies were gathered and buried in this mass grave.
“We’re digging them out in their uniforms, with their gloves on. They were here to save lives. Instead, they ended up in a mass grave,” Whittall said. “These ambulances have been buried in the sand. There’s a UN vehicle here, buried in the sand. A bulldozer – Israeli forces bulldozer – has buried them.”
UK related articles
BBC & Guardian Editors Held Private Meetings With Israeli General Alex Morris & John McEvoy IAK 05/03/2025 During his tenure, he justified attacks on journalists, saying the soldiers who shot reporter Shireen Abu Akleh in the West Bank “showed courage” and that he had not one “gram of regret” for flattening the Associated Press (AP) office in Gaza. . . . In 2021, Kohavi also flaunted how he had been “responsible for the order to open fire” on Palestinian protesters during the Great March of Return in Gaza in 2018-19. Over 200 Palestinians – including 46 children – were killed as they tried to return to their ancestral homes, and over 36,000 were injured. Read more: https://israelpalestinenews.org/bbc-guardian-editors-private-meetings-with-israeli-general/
Secret BBC report “found no evidence” of anti-Israel bias Tim Llewellyn EI 07/03/2025 In 2003, under pressure from Israel, its lobby groups in the United Kingdom and its many influential British friends, the BBC commissioned a senior news executive, Malcolm Balen, to analyse the corporation’s news and current affairs broadcasts on the Israel-Palestine conflict and judge whether they showed anti-Israeli, pro-Palestinian bias. Read more: https://electronicintifada.net/content/revealed-secret-bbc-report-found-no-evidence-anti-israel-bias/50470
Winston Churchill's grandson urges Britain to recognise Palestinian state Middle East Eye 18/03/2025
On Thursday evening at the parliamentary launch of The Britain Palestine Project, formerly named the Balfour Project, of which Soames is a patron, the peer described British recognition of the state of Palestine as "both morally right and firmly in our national interest". Read more: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/winston-churchills-grandson-urges-britain-recognise-palestinian-state
