Israeli occupation forces proceeded to remove the United Nations flag and raise the Israeli flag above one of the international organization's headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem, during the raid on the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, on December 8, 2025. The Israeli police, accompanied by employees from the occupation municipality, forcibly entered the compound, confiscated equipment and property belonging to the agency, before removing the UN flag and raising the Israeli flag in its place. The raid was carried out at dawn using motorcycles and lifting trucks, after cutting off communications inside the headquarters, in preparation for starting the confiscation operations.

With this unprecedented scene, fundamental questions arise: What remains of the United Nations' prestige when its flag is forcibly removed? And how can an organization presumed to be a guardian of international peace claim its ability to protect civilians if it is incapable of protecting its symbols and facilities? Then, can this act be understood in isolation from a broader context that witnessed the targeting of UN schools in Gaza, the destruction of refugee camps in the West Bank, and the criminalization of UNRWA's work in Jerusalem? And does the removal of the UN flag represent a merely symbolic step, or a practical declaration that Israel no longer recognizes any authority or jurisdiction of international law on the ground?

The legal framework for the immunity of international headquarters

Theoretically, the presence of the United Nations and its agencies enjoys special legal protection under international law. Since the establishment of the UN organization, the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations of 1946 has been adopted, which stipulates the inviolability of UN headquarters and properties in any country. This means that it is not permissible for the host country's authorities to raid, search, or confiscate them. International agreements also exempt UN headquarters from local taxes and fees, recognizing the non-profit nature of the international organization and its humanitarian function. This legal protection is not merely formal procedures, but its essence is to preserve the neutrality of the United Nations and the safety of its operations, as the United Nations flag raised above its headquarters is considered a symbol of international immunity and protection.

The international judiciary has repeatedly affirmed the obligation to respect this immunity; for example, in October 2023, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion explicitly reminding Israel of its legal duty to facilitate UN relief efforts in Gaza and cooperate with the organization's agencies in the occupied territories. These obligations fall on Israel as a UN member state and signatory to the relevant agreements, making any violation of them a direct breach of international law.

The symbolism of the United Nations and international protection

The presence of the United Nations in conflict zones symbolizes international protection and the neutrality of the international community. For decades, the blue UN flag has been adopted as a sign for internationally protected sites, starting from UN headquarters and refugee camps, even to ambulances and humanitarian convoys affiliated with it. Historically, this symbolism has gained deterrent power; it provides a safe haven for civilians under the UN banner and warns conflict parties against targeting it. But in the Palestinian case, Israel has increasingly targeted this symbolism. Forcibly removing the UN flag from above a UN-affiliated building does not represent a mere protocol incident; rather, it is a message rejecting any guardianship or international protection for Palestinians. It is tantamount to a declaration that the only reference on the ground is the power of the occupation.

UNRWA and the headquarters agreement:

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) is the most prominent example of UN presence in historic Palestine, and it is the axis of the recent event. The UN established UNRWA in 1949 to provide basic relief to Palestinian refugees after the 1948 Nakba. Since then, the agency has operated in refugee areas including the Gaza Strip and the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) alongside neighboring countries. UNRWA's presence in the occupied territories was regulated by agreements and arrangements with the relevant authorities; after Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza in 1967, the Israeli government requested UNRWA to continue its operations in the areas under its control and pledged to facilitate its mission. This came in an official exchange of letters between the then UNRWA Commissioner-General Laurence Michelmore and the Israeli official Michael Comay (known as the "Comay-Michelmore Agreement"), where the Israeli side confirmed that these temporary arrangements would remain in effect until replaced or canceled by another agreement. Under this understanding, Israel committed to facilitating UNRWA's work as much as possible while considering the security considerations that Israel has always raised.

Over the following decades, despite tensions, UNRWA maintained its presence as a lifeline for millions of Palestinian refugees. It manages schools and clinics, distributes food aid, and provides social services in refugee camps, thus bearing a highly important humanitarian and stabilizing role. Therefore, international agreements, including the aforementioned Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, include UNRWA and its staff and headquarters within the scope of protection. Staff enjoy relative diplomatic immunities, UNRWA facilities are protected from local interventions and taxes and fees, and local authorities (including the occupation authority) are supposed to respect the agency's status and the inviolability of its facilities.

On the ground, Israel has often complained about UNRWA and accused it of taking biased positions or turning a blind eye to "terrorist" activities, accusations that the agency has repeatedly denied. Israeli governments, with the support of some allies, have sought to reduce UNRWA's role or even end it, but they failed to achieve that. The decision to continue the agency remains with the UN General Assembly, which renews UNRWA's mandate periodically with an overwhelming majority, the latest being the extension until 2028.

Israeli behavior from Gaza and the West Bank to Jerusalem:

The recent years have witnessed an escalation in Israel's hostile behavior towards the UN presence in the Palestinian territories, culminating in the flag incident in Jerusalem. This behavior has taken various forms across regions:

In the Gaza Strip: During the recent war on Gaza (starting from October 2023), UN facilities, especially UNRWA schools that were turned into shelter centers, were subjected to repeated bombing. Hundreds of civilians fell during the bombing of UNRWA sites, even dozens of UNRWA staff themselves fell while performing their humanitarian duties. The UN has repeatedly declared that "there is no safe place in Gaza" including its buildings, and considered the ongoing targeting of facilities bearing the UN emblem as a blatant disregard for UN immunity and humanitarian law. Nevertheless, Israeli operations continued fiercely, justifying them by the presence of resistance elements or weapon caches near some facilities, excuses that do not exempt it from legal responsibility for protecting civilians and relief headquarters.

In the West Bank: The situation was no less dire, albeit in a different context; UN agencies, primarily UNRWA and OCHA, faced chronic Israeli restrictions including bureaucratic obstacles, restrictions on the movement of staff and aid, in addition to arrests and injuries affecting international workers, which limited their ability to perform their tasks. Simultaneously, refugee camps in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nour Shams were subjected to an unprecedented wave of destruction and displacement, including orders to demolish dozens of residential buildings, destroy hundreds of units, and displace thousands of families, until some camps turned into areas almost devoid of civilian life. UN reports have described these developments as the largest displacement wave in the West Bank since 1967, reflecting the transition of Israeli policy from disrupting humanitarian work to demographic engineering targeting the dismantling of camps and depriving their residents of stability and return.

In occupied East Jerusalem: The series of targeting culminated in the most dangerous measure in the occupied city of Jerusalem. Since 2024, Israel has taken escalating steps in Jerusalem, enacting a law banning UNRWA within what it considers its territories, forcing the agency to close its offices at the beginning of 2025. Then came the climax of this campaign in December 2025 with the public raid on the UNRWA headquarters in Sheikh Jarrah, under flimsy pretexts such as municipal tax debts despite the UN being exempt from taxes by law. Indeed, the raid was carried out, the office's contents were confiscated, the UN flag was removed, and the Israeli flag was raised in its place.

This development in Jerusalem carries dangerous implications, as it is the first direct and explicit challenge to the symbolism of the United Nations in this way within the occupied territories and under Israel's full control. The UN has strongly condemned this raid and described the step as a "blatant violation of the inviolability of its headquarters under international law."

The UNRWA Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, confirmed that the agency's headquarters in Jerusalem remains a UN facility subject to international immunity regardless of any measures or local legislation imposed on it, emphasizing that any Israeli attempt to strip it of its UN status lacks any legal value, because the status of UN headquarters is governed by international agreements that supersede the domestic law of states. His statements came in an official statement published on the morning of December 8, 2025 via the X platform, in response to the occupation forces' raid on the UNRWA headquarters in Sheikh Jarrah, removing the UN flag and raising the Israeli flag in its place, confiscating the agency's property, and cutting off communications inside the compound. Lazzarini warned that resorting to local legislation to criminalize UNRWA's work or confiscate its facilities represents an attempt to abolish international immunity, which is legally impossible, and entails a dangerous precedent that undermines the foundations of the international legal system.

Do states align with these calls and measures?

In the face of these developments, a question arises about the position of the rest of the states: Does any state support Israel's endeavor to "criminalize" international protection and remove the UN from the Palestinian scene? The reality is that the vast majority of the international community has explicitly rejected that. When Israel proposed a bill to ban UNRWA at the end of 2024, several Western allied countries issued statements of concern and warning. For example, the European Union issued a warning of "catastrophic consequences" if UNRWA's work was banned; similarly, other Western countries called on Israel to respect UNRWA's immunity and not obstruct it.

Some countries temporarily suspended their funding for UNRWA following Israeli accusations after October 2023, but they quickly resumed it after UN investigations proved most of those allegations false. Even the United States, which froze part of its funding at the time, did not go so far as to support banning the agency, but focused on ensuring its neutrality.

It is clear that Israel's approach to criminalizing the UN presence and international protection of Palestinian civilians faces broad rejection. The main donor countries - European, Arab, and others - have continued to provide financial support (albeit at declining rates) and political support for UNRWA and the UN in general in the Palestinian territories, considering it a fundamental stability factor. While Israel continues its campaign against UNRWA, it finds itself isolated in this endeavor.

Removing the UN flag and targeting the symbolism of the international organization in Jerusalem does not only express an assault on a UN body, but is also considered a direct targeting of the Palestinian refugees' right itself, as UNRWA is linked in existence and non-existence to UN Resolution 194 stipulating the right of return, making any tampering with it tampering with the legal structure that historically preserves this right. Despite the fact that international reactions showed a politically supportive stance rejecting the undermining of the international legal system, this response remained more symbolic than practical; if any other country had taken a similar step, the reactions would have been stronger and more procedural.

The background of this behavior becomes clear in that Israel seeks to empty the UN organization of its practical and legal content in the occupied territories as a first stage, paving the way for extending this emptying later to include the neighboring countries that host the largest bloc of Palestinian refugees, primarily Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. From here, this approach cannot be considered an isolated event, but comes within an integrated and continuous policy aimed at redefining the international legal framework for the Palestinian issue, specifically the refugee issue, by neutralizing UNRWA and drying up its ability to perform its historical role.

Today, the question has become far beyond the incident of removing the UN flag; the real dilemma lies in the fact that the international organization has witnessed, in full view of its institutions and bodies, practices more dangerous than merely targeting its symbolism, starting from policies of widespread killing, passing through annexation operations, reaching the inhuman treatment of prisoners and imposing facts on the ground in Jerusalem. And if these fundamental violations were not met with deterrent measures, has there remained any practical status for the UN's purposes and prestige to rely on? The question is no longer related to an incident of raising or lowering a flag, but to the extent of the organization's own ability to uphold the principles it was founded on, and prevent their undermining when violated in this blatant and repeated manner.

Hebrew media has highlighted Iran's increasing recruitment of Israeli spies for its benefit, enabling it to gather information and capture images, considering that the main reason for this increase is that it targets the marginalized class in "Israel".

The Israeli advisor Meir Suissa said that "news of uncovering more espionage cases for Iran has become commonplace, which means we are facing a truly dangerous phenomenon, although there is a direct link between all recent recruitment cases: they are not high-ranking officers, nor people in government administration, nor generals in the General Staff, but ordinary Israelis from the marginalized, and they will not receive special media coverage, because they are allegedly not of real intelligence value, and not a program with four cameras".

He added in an article he published that we "are facing a phenomenon much more dangerous than recruiting a high-level security official, because it does not tell the story of one person who fell, but the story of the entire Israeli society, as Iran is not only seeking security knowledge, but a vulnerability, and this vulnerability is despair, and therefore we do not really know the number of Israeli collaborators with it, and few overt Zionists are willing to sell information to a photographer for a thousand or two thousand shekels, then publish it, and cooperate, desperate youth, adults living on the edge, and exposed to Iran".

He explained that "Israel was supposed to take care of these young people targeted by Iranian intelligence, through social welfare programs, economy, and reducing the cost of living, but when society abandons them, the enemy recruits them, and this betrayal is not ideological, but existential. It is not hatred for the people, but a feeling of detachment from the state, from those who feel rejected, as if they are unimportant, and non-existent, they are suicidal spies, living in relative comfort, but in their depths they have surrendered to the enemy, and are ready to betray the state even before they betray it, because they have no way to secure a livelihood".

He pointed out that "if Mordechai Vanunu had acted with a Kodak camera out of rejection and revenge, and leaked photos from inside the Dimona reactor, then many today feel the same, but without ideology or drama, with a camera in their pockets through easy access, knowing that in the darkest days of austerity that Israelis went through in previous decades, Arab countries could not buy the loyalty of any of them, but Tel Aviv today, as a regional power, has many weak people armed with a blue ID card, and buried anger towards a state that does not see them".

He clarified that "the ministers who should stand at the forefront of combating this phenomenon are not only ministers of war, but also ministers of welfare, finance, and economy, because the high cost of living is an enemy more dangerous than Iran, and perhaps one of them should whisper a simple idea to the National Insurance Institute and government ministries about the necessity of conducting a preventive campaign, not against espionage, but against despair, by taking care of the desperate Israelis exposed to falling into the Iranian intelligence trap".

The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory for Human Rights announced on Monday that it conducted a new field investigation that revealed the facts of a mass murder crime committed by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip, in which 15 civilians were martyred, using two heavy US-made bombs, without prior warning.

The human rights observatory clarified in a statement that the investigation revealed that the Israeli army committed a crime on February 17, 2024, by targeting a family rest house in the "Khirbet al-Adas" area northeast of Rafah city, using "two US-made bombs", which led to the destruction of the place over the heads of its inhabitants.

This field investigation comes as part of the efforts of human rights institutions to document the genocide war crimes committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip during the two years of genocide, and to refute Israel's claims about the existence of "military necessity" in the targets it bombed, which resulted in the martyrdom of civilians.

The statement clarified that this targeting resulted in the martyrdom of 15 civilians from the "Abu Nahal" family, including 13 children and a woman, "without any warning or prior notice, or military necessity that justifies the precise and deliberate targeting of the family that had displaced from its original residence".

The observatory emphasized in its statement that the investigation results "which were based on efforts that lasted for months and included a field inspection of the crime scene, cross-referencing the testimonies of survivors and eyewitnesses, and a technical analysis of digital materials, indicated that the targeted site was purely civilian".

It pointed out that the targeted site "was completely devoid of any military manifestations or activities of armed factions", which refutes "possible Israeli claims about military necessity".

In refuting those claims, the observatory said that Israel's goal in targeting the family was "to kill the largest possible number of safe civilians", as the rest house contained 16 people from the family and they were celebrating a "wedding" occasion.

The statement quoted the sole survivor of this crime, Osama Ibrahim Abu Nahal (16 years old), saying: "We were sitting in a happy family atmosphere on the occasion of my brother's wedding (...) and around six o'clock, without any prior warning, we saw missiles falling on us. All I remember is that I was thrown into the air and lost consciousness".

He continued: "I woke up in the hospital with my body full of wounds and burns, and platinum rods were installed in my hands and feet (...) I asked my brother (who was outside the rest house): Where are my mother and father? I want to see them, but I later learned that everyone who was with me had been martyred".

The observatory pointed to an analysis conducted by the investigation of the destruction traces, especially the two deep craters left by the bombing, that "an Israeli warplane dropped two heavy bombs, likely of the GBU-31 type (MK-84 bombs equipped with JDAM guidance kit), each weighing about 900 kilograms".

The observatory said that these bombs have "enormous destructive power designed to penetrate military fortifications", while their use against a simple unprotected residential building led to the soil and bodies absorbing the explosion force, resulting in complete destruction and tearing the victims' bodies into small pieces, according to the statement.

The observatory noted that the army had not issued, as of Monday, any "statement to clarify the circumstances of the attack on the Abu Nahal family", saying that this comes in "a recurring pattern that reflects complete disregard for civilian lives, and total disregard for its duties to comply with international humanitarian law".

The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory called on the international community to immediately fulfill its obligations to prevent and stop the crime of genocide, through "practical and binding measures that go beyond verbal positions, including imposing an immediate and permanent ceasefire and stopping attacks on civilians and shelter centers and displacement areas".

It urged countries that have a basis for judicial jurisdiction to "open independent and effective criminal investigations into the Israeli crimes committed in the Gaza Strip, including the crime of genocide".

The Israeli army committed, during the two years of genocide, dozens of large massacres by bombing places sheltering Palestinian displaced persons, some of which resulted in the martyrdom of 100 Palestinians at the moment of the bombing.

A baby died on Monday due to severe cold, and a young Palestinian due to a building collapse, as a result of the weather depression that struck the Gaza Strip and exacerbated the suffering of the displaced.

The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced the death of the child Arkan Faras Musleh, who was two months old, due to severe cold, bringing the number of deaths due to cold and the weather depression to 3 cases.

The ministry also announced the death of a Palestinian due to a building collapse, raising the number of victims admitted to hospitals due to building collapses caused by the weather depression to 17 cases.

Meanwhile, the suffering of the displaced is worsening amid the weather depression striking the sector, while meteorological services expect a drop in temperatures, with heavy rainfall.

Palestinians are forced to reside in dilapidated buildings prone to collapse due to lack of options amid Israel's destruction of most buildings in the sector, and its prevention of the entry of mobile homes, construction materials, and reconstruction, shirking its commitments stipulated in the ceasefire agreement.

Suddenly, the Israeli occupation army opened the Gaza Valley stream from its side, which was closed by dams, causing the flooding and drifting of the tents of the Palestinian displaced in the nearby areas.

For his part, Mahmoud Basil, spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Defense in the Gaza Strip, said that since the impact of the weather depressions on the Gaza Strip began, 18 residential buildings have collapsed completely, resulting in significant human and material losses.

He added that more than 110 residential buildings have suffered partial collapses that are dangerous, posing a direct threat to the lives of thousands of citizens living in them or around them, and more than 90% of the displaced tents have been blown away and flooded due to the strength of the winds and the abundance of rain in a scene that reflects the magnitude of the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe.

He explained that the Civil Defense teams have received more than 700 appeals and distress calls since the start of this weather depression, varying between rescuing those trapped in water and dealing with collapses and severe damages.

Basil continued that the repercussions of these weather depressions have resulted in the death of 25 citizens, including 6 children who died due to the bitter cold, while others died due to building collapses and falling into wells and rainwater collection pools.

He called on the world and the international community to take immediate and serious action to aid the citizens and provide urgent humanitarian needs before the catastrophe worsens further, stressing that tents have proven completely ineffective in the Gaza Strip as they did not provide protection from the cold or rain and are no longer suitable as a humanitarian solution in these harsh conditions.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said that about 235,000 people in the Gaza Strip were affected by the weather depression Byron, which led to building collapses and damage to tents during the period between December 10 and 17.

The agency added that 17 buildings collapsed, and more than 42,000 tents or temporary shelters suffered complete or partial damage, affecting at least 235,000 people, according to what it conveyed from the Shelter Group in Gaza, which includes United Nations organizations and non-governmental organizations.

Since Saturday, the Gaza Strip has been affected by a polar weather depression, which is the third of its kind since the beginning of the winter season, accompanied by heavy rains and strong winds, at a time when residents face a severe shortage of shelter materials and basic aid.

Despite the end of the genocide war with the entry of the ceasefire agreement into force on October 10, 2025, the living conditions have not seen significant improvement, due to Israel's shirking of fulfilling its commitments stipulated in the agreement, including the entry of the agreed quantities of food, relief, medical materials, and mobile homes.

The Civil Defense in the Gaza Strip announced on Monday that the number of Palestinians who died due to low-pressure systems since the beginning of December has risen to 25 people, including 6 children who died from the severe cold.

This came in a statement issued by Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basil, highlighting the deterioration of humanitarian conditions in the sector due to the low-pressure systems.

Basil said in the statement: "The repercussions of the low-pressure systems have resulted in the death of 25 citizens, including 6 children who died as a result of the severe cold, while the others died due to building collapses and falls into wells and rainwater collection pools."

The Gaza Strip had not witnessed low-pressure systems accompanied by heavy rain, strong winds, and severe cold before this December.

Earlier on Monday, the Ministry of Health stated that the number of children who died from the severe cold since this December has risen to 3, as the ministry counts the bodies that arrived at its hospitals, while the Civil Defense counts what reached the hospitals and what did not.

Basil reported the complete collapse of 18 residential buildings damaged by previous Israeli bombing due to the effects of the low-pressure systems and rains in the same period.

More than 110 residential buildings suffered "dangerous" partial collapses, posing a direct threat to the lives of thousands of Palestinians living in them or around them, according to Basil.

Palestinians are forced to live in cracked and dilapidated buildings due to the lack of options amid Israel's destruction of most buildings in the sector, and its prevention of the entry of mobile homes, construction materials, and reconstruction, shirking its obligations stipulated in the ceasefire agreement.

In a related context, Basil said that 90 percent of the displaced people's tents flew away and sank due to the heavy rains and strong winds, in various areas of the sector.

He pointed out that thousands of Palestinian families lost their temporary shelter and their meager belongings, such as "clothes, blankets, and bedding," which exacerbated their humanitarian suffering.

Basil renewed the urgent call to the international community for "immediate and serious action to aid the Palestinians and provide urgent humanitarian needs, before the catastrophe worsens further."

He demanded the "immediate" start of the reconstruction process and the provision of safe housing that preserves the dignity of the Palestinian human being and protects their life.

For the third day, the Gaza Strip is affected by a low-pressure system accompanied by heavy rain and strong winds, resulting in the flooding and scattering of thousands of displaced people's tents, according to Basil.

Basil warned of more casualties due to the continuation of the low-pressure system, amid harsh humanitarian conditions faced by the displaced inside fragile tents and destroyed homes.

Despite the end of the genocide with the entry into force of the ceasefire agreement on October 10, 2025, the living conditions have not seen significant improvement due to Israel's evasion of fulfilling its obligations stipulated in the agreement, including the entry of the agreed quantities of food, relief, and medical materials, and mobile homes.

On October 8, 2023, Israel began a genocide in Gaza that lasted two years, leaving more than 71,000 Palestinian dead and over 171,000 injured, and massive destruction that affected 90 percent of the civilian infrastructure, with reconstruction costs estimated by the United Nations at about 70 billion dollars.

In a scene reflecting popular rejection of any normalization steps with Israel, massive demonstrations erupted in the secessionist region of "Somaliland," rejecting any talk of recognition or rapprochement with Tel Aviv, where protesters raised Palestinian flags and chanted slogans supporting the Palestinian cause, in a striking political message that transcends the region's borders.

Several cities in the region witnessed popular protests in which participants expressed rejection of any Israeli presence or establishment of relations with Tel Aviv, while the most prominent of these protests were concentrated in the city of Borama in Awdal state, near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, with participation from members of the Samaroon clan, which administratively resides under the authority of "Somaliland."

These protests come after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on last Friday the recognition of what is called "Somaliland" as an independent and sovereign state, a step that provoked widespread Arab and international condemnation.

The protests followed the circulation of reports about political efforts to establish relations or rapprochement between the secessionist authorities of "Somaliland" and Israel, which sparked widespread popular anger, prompting activists to call for demonstrations rejecting what they described as "bias against the will of the peoples and their historical positions."

Bloggers and activists saw what happened as an unexpected development, confirming that Netanyahu's government did not expect the emergence of protests rejecting Israel from within a region seeking international recognition, considering these demonstrations a politically embarrassing message to Israel.

They pointed out that raising Palestinian flags reflected adherence to the Palestinian cause as a moral and humanitarian issue, and that any bets on passing normalization in isolation from popular will may collide with widespread rejection even in areas experiencing internal political complexities.

According to activists, popular anger was more evident in Awdal state, where residents rejected any celebration of Israel or promotion of what they described as "alliance with Zionism," confirming that the movements came as a direct reaction to talk of political rapprochement with Tel Aviv.

Protesters affirmed that the strategic coast of Awdal extending from Lughaya to Zeila is not for sale or barter, emphasizing that the region is an integral part of Somalia, and its people support the country's unity as much as they openly support the Palestinian cause.

Bloggers explained that the participation of the Samaroon clan carries special political connotations, as it is not historically known for supporting the secession project, considering this movement a reflection of growing popular rejection of Israeli intervention, and it may constitute an early indicator of the expansion of tension in the region.

They added that this public rejection sends a clear message that the local street in Borama and Awdal state does not align with any orientations towards normalization, warning that ignoring popular sentiment may exacerbate resentment and lead to broader movements in the coming phase.

Activists concluded: "What is happening in Borama may be an early warning of the escalation of popular protests, amid growing rejection of any Israeli presence or influence, amid fears that foreign interventions may deepen internal divisions and threaten social stability in Somalia."

The official spokesperson for the Civil Defense Department in the Gaza Strip, Major Mahmoud Basil, stated that the department received more than 400 distress calls from citizens, from noon on Saturday until morning on Sunday, due to tents flying away and the displaced needing urgent services, but the department has nothing to offer amid the lack of fuel and necessary capabilities.

This dangerous development coincides with the fourth polar low-pressure system hitting the Gaza Strip since the beginning of winter, characterized by unprecedented wind strength that led to the tents of thousands of displaced people flying away.

The Civil Defense recorded two deaths during this low-pressure system: the first for a young child who drowned in accumulated rainwater, and the second for a woman who was killed instantly after a wall collapsed on her.

Basil added that what distinguishes this low-pressure system is the strength of the winds that uprooted citizens' tents significantly, especially in the port area west of Gaza City on Saturday night.

People were forced to stand by the tent poles to secure them for fear of them flying away, confirming that the Civil Defense itself could not withstand these strong winds.

In a related context to the scientific description of the weather phenomenon, residents of the Gaza Strip are facing a polar low-pressure system where wind speeds reached more than 50 kilometers per hour, with gusts ranging between 70-80 kilometers per hour.

Wind strength is measured according to the Beaufort scale, which determines its danger based on speed within 12 degrees, where wind gusts in this low-pressure system ranged between the seventh degree, which is strong winds, and the ninth degree, which is very stormy winds.

Tent poles bend sharply at the seventh degree of wind, and pegs may be uprooted from the ground, while at the eighth and ninth degrees, structural damage occurs that tears tent fabrics and breaks poles, and may lead to uprooting and complete flying away.

The winds also cause the collapse of some walls and buildings prone to collapse, especially in parts of the sector destroyed by Israeli bombing.

Danger of buildings prone to collapse

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency estimated that storms and rains in Gaza led to the collapse of 17 buildings and damage to more than 42,000 tents completely or partially since December 20 of this month.

Regarding living conditions, Basil emphasized that most residents of the sector are currently living in tents that do not protect their occupants, and children are shivering from the cold, noting that the temperature reached less than two degrees Celsius, which poses a great danger to children, adults, and the sick.

On the other hand, the spokesperson warned of the danger of buildings prone to collapse that could collapse at any moment on the residents, which would result in a large number of casualties, and called on residents to evacuate these buildings immediately for fear of their collapse, but admitted that citizens face a real dilemma because there are no safe or healthy alternatives, making all appeals directed to them practically ineffective.

In the context of operational challenges, Basil confirmed that the existing efforts within the sector from the service system are certainly not sufficient to deal with this reality, and pointed out that in the context of weather lows and a world that knows what is happening in Gaza, the sector should be provided with capabilities, resources, and fuel, but the reality indicates a severe shortage in all these basic resources.

On the preventive level and proposed solutions, Basil called on citizens to work on securing tents more, but admitted that the fabrics and tents available in the sector are insufficient.

He pointed out that the previous low-pressure system destroyed many tents that were supposed to be replaced, but no alternative tents entered the sector at all, and today many other tents flew away and tore, and the citizen is looking for a non-existent alternative.

Basil directed a clear message to the world that "the tent is ineffective," confirming that this is a fact that the international community must recognize, and called for the reconstruction process to begin immediately alongside the introduction of caravans and mobile homes, so that citizens do not suffer from these recurring weather lows that will continue throughout the long winter season.

The official website of the Islamic Resistance Movement "Hamas" announced that the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the movement, will broadcast an anticipated speech on Monday at 4 PM Jerusalem time, without revealing the content of the speech or the files it will address.

This announcement comes amid the continuation of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, and amid ongoing debate regarding the fate of Abu Obeida, the military spokesperson for the Al-Qassam Brigades, following Israeli claims of his assassination during an air raid targeting Gaza City at the end of August last year, claims that the movement has neither confirmed nor officially denied to date.

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz had previously stated that the army had succeeded in "eliminating" Abu Obeida, before the occupation army and the Israeli internal security agency (Shin Bet) issued a joint statement saying that the operation targeted Hudhaifa al-Kahlout, known as "Abu Obeida", based on "prior intelligence information about his location".

In contrast, the Al-Qassam Brigades have not issued any statement confirming or denying these claims, which has kept the fate of the military spokesperson in a circle of ambiguity, and added notable political, media, and military dimensions to the announcement of the anticipated speech.

Palestinian and regional circles are eagerly awaiting this speech, amid growing questions about the identity of the speaker, and whether the expected appearance will carry a surprise related to the fate of Abu Obeida, who has been absent from the media scene for a considerable period.

This development comes in the context of the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip, which erupted following the "Al-Aqsa Flood" operation on October 7, 2023, when Palestinian factions carried out a broad attack on military sites and settlements adjacent to the Strip, resulting in the killing and capture of hundreds of Israeli soldiers, according to the factions' statements, which said the operation came as "a response to the suffocating siege imposed on Gaza for 18 years, and the escalation of violations against Palestinian holy sites and Al-Aqsa Mosque".

In a related context, the Al-Qassam Brigades had confirmed in previous statements that "the Nazi enemy, by assassinating our leaders and our people, and its daily and ongoing aggression against our people in various areas of Gaza, has crossed all red lines", considering that Israel "is disregarding the Trump plan", in reference to the understandings and political efforts proposed to contain the escalation.

The Al-Qassam Brigades called on US President Donald Trump and international mediators to "bear responsibility for these serious transgressions and this repeated recklessness against our people, our resistors, and our leaders", emphasizing that "our right to respond to the occupation's aggression is guaranteed, and we have the right to defend ourselves by all means".

Regarding violations of agreements, the Gaza Health Ministry reported that the occupation has killed about 391 Palestinians since last October, and injured 1,063 others, as part of the ongoing bombing and targeting operations.

Since October 8, 2023, the Israeli occupation has been waging a war of genocide on the Gaza Strip, lasting two years, resulting in more than 70,000 Palestinian martyrs, and over 171,000 injured, in addition to massive destruction affecting about 90% of the civilian infrastructure in the Strip, according to official and UN estimates.

China condemned today, Monday, Israel's recognition of the so-called 'Somaliland region', rejecting any attempt to divide Somalia or undermine its unity and territorial integrity.

Lin Jian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told journalists, 'We urge the authorities in Somaliland to immediately stop their separatist activities and conspiring with foreign powers.'

He emphasized that Beijing 'opposes any attempt to divide Somali territories'.

The announcement of Israel's recognition of the separatist 'Somaliland region' as an independent state last Friday provoked widespread Arab, Islamic, and regional condemnation and denunciation.

Official positions condemning it were issued by several Arab and Islamic countries, and Islamic, Arab, and African organizations issued statements condemning the Israeli step and warning of its repercussions on the region.

In response to the step, 21 Arab and Islamic countries announced their categorical rejection of Israel's declaration recognizing Somaliland.

In a statement, they said that the Israeli action carries serious implications for security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, affirming full support for Somalia and rejection of any measures that undermine its unity.

The 21 countries added that they categorically reject linking the Israeli action to any plans for the displacement of the Palestinian people.

The 'Somaliland region', which has not enjoyed official recognition since declaring secession from Somalia in 1991, acts as an independent entity administratively, politically, and security-wise, with the central government unable to extend its control over the region, or its leadership to achieve independence.

The Somali government refuses to recognize the region as an independent state, considering it an integral part of the territories of the Republic of Somalia, and views any deal or direct dealings with it as an aggression on the country's sovereignty and unity.

Israel became, on Friday, the first country in the world to officially recognize the region. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the decision comes 'in the spirit of the Abraham Accords', announcing 'the establishment of full diplomatic relations' and agreements for cooperation in agriculture and technology with the region.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said on Monday that about 235,000 people in the Gaza Strip were affected by the low-pressure system "Byron," which led to the collapse of buildings and damage to tents between December 10 and 17.

The agency explained in a post on its account on the American company "X" platform that "months of war and displacement have forced people in Gaza to live amidst rubble prone to collapse, in temporary shelters or dilapidated tents."

It added that the storm "Byron" that hit the Gaza Strip on December 10 was "a natural disaster, but its repercussions were man-made," referring to the exacerbation of damages due to widespread destruction and lack of safe shelters following the Israeli genocide war.

It continued: "It is estimated that 17 buildings collapsed, and more than 42,000 tents or temporary shelters suffered complete or partial damage during the period from December 10 to 17, affecting at least 235,000 people," according to what it quoted from the Shelter Cluster in Gaza, which includes United Nations-affiliated organizations and non-governmental ones.

Since the impact of the low-pressure systems on Gaza began in December, 18 Palestinians, including 4 children, have died, while about 90 percent of the displacement centers for those whose homes were destroyed by Israel were flooded, according to a previous statement from the Civil Defense in the sector.

The low-pressure systems also led to damage affecting more than a quarter of a million displaced people, out of about 1.5 million living in tents and primitive shelters that do not provide the minimum protection, according to previous data from the Government Media Office in Gaza.

Several residential buildings damaged by previous Israeli bombing during the months of genocide also collapsed due to rain and wind.

Palestinians are forced to live in cracked buildings prone to collapse due to lack of options amidst Israel's destruction of most buildings in the sector, and its prevention of the entry of mobile homes, construction materials, and reconstruction, shirking its obligations stipulated in the ceasefire agreement.

Despite the end of the genocide with the entry into force of the ceasefire agreement on October 10, 2025, living conditions have not seen significant improvement due to Israel's shirking of fulfilling its obligations stipulated in the agreement, including the entry of the agreed quantities of food, relief, and medical materials, and mobile homes.

On October 8, 2023, Israel began a genocide in Gaza that lasted two years, leaving about 71,000 Palestinian deaths and more than 171,000 injured, and massive destruction that affected 90 percent of the civilian infrastructure, with reconstruction costs estimated by the United Nations at about 70 billion dollars.

Three Palestinians were injured today, Monday, as a result of the Israeli occupation army targeting the Jabalia camp in northern Gaza Strip, in an area from which it withdrew pursuant to the ceasefire agreement, in a new violation of the ceasefire agreement that came into effect on October 10 last year.

A medical source reported that three Palestinians were injured due to an Israeli targeting west of the destroyed Jabalia camp, without revealing the severity of their injuries.

Eyewitnesses said that the Palestinians were injured in an airstrike in an area from which the Israeli army withdrew pursuant to the first phase of the ceasefire agreement.

The witnesses added that an Israeli aircraft carried out an airstrike on the eastern areas of the Bureij camp in the center of the sector, coinciding with artillery shelling targeting areas east of Rafah city, within the areas that the army continues to occupy, in addition to targeting areas east of Gaza city.

The nature of the targets hit by the airstrikes or artillery shelling has not yet been clarified.

This ongoing shelling comes amid worsening suffering for the displaced amid the weather depression hitting the sector, where meteorological services expect a drop in temperatures, heavy rains, amid the continued suffering of the sector's residents due to the repercussions of the war and Israeli restrictions on the entry of aid.

The Israeli army still controls the southern and eastern strips of the sector, in addition to large parts of northern Gaza, continuing to occupy nearly 60% of the sector's area.

Since the ceasefire agreement came into effect, the Israeli army has committed hundreds of violations, resulting in the martyrdom of 418 Palestinians and the injury of 1,141 others, according to data from the Gaza government media office.

The agreement ended a war of genocide launched by Israel on October 8, 2023, lasting two years, leaving more than 71,000 Palestinian martyrs, over 171,000 injured, and massive destruction affecting 90% of the civilian infrastructure, with reconstruction costs estimated by the United Nations at around 70 billion dollars.

Reports have revealed progress in consultations related to forming an international stabilization force intended to be deployed in the Gaza Strip, as part of what is known as the second phase of the political and security arrangements discussed by the Israeli occupation and the United States in the context of the post-war period.

Members of the Political and Security Cabinet (the Cabinet) were informed during a meeting that three countries have agreed to an American request to participate in the international stabilization force in Gaza, without disclosing their names, except for noting Indonesia as a country that has expressed readiness to send troops.

Names of other countries that were previously circulated as potential "contributors" to this force include Italy, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, as part of American efforts to form a multinational force that will undertake security tasks in the sector.

The report quoted a senior Israeli official as saying, following the Cabinet meeting, that "the basic plan that the American President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu worked on was based on expanding the Abraham Accords after the end of the war and the return of the prisoners," but this path "currently faces major challenges."

The official explained that the focus has now shifted to the second phase of the understandings, primarily the issue of forming a multinational force, emphasizing that "Turkey will not be part of this force," adding: "We will not be forced to include any country we do not want to participate, and we do not want Turkey."

The official acknowledged the existence of serious doubts within the Israeli occupation regarding the ability of the anticipated international force to disarm Hamas, but considered that "it should be given a chance," according to his expression.

According to the briefings presented to the Cabinet, the transition to the second phase, even if officially announced by the United States, will require additional logistical preparations, noting that "at least several additional weeks" will be necessary to finalize the plan's format, assemble the international force, and ensure its readiness before deploying it in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli official indicated that the transition to this phase "would have taken time even under the best circumstances," explaining that the United States is seeking to complete all arrangements before introducing any forces into the sector.

In a related context, the official addressed the possibility of Russia's participation in the international stabilization force, amid its increasing involvement in the Syrian file, considering that "Russian participation is not necessarily a negative thing," and could form "a balancing factor for Turkey."

He also noted that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa faces major internal challenges, pointing out that Israel believed that signing an initial security framework with Syria could happen faster, "but Syria is unstable," in his words.

The Israeli official also addressed the escalating tensions with Lebanon, following the recent strikes carried out by the Israeli army, saying that "the Lebanese government strongly desires to dismantle Hezbollah, but it faces major difficulties."

He added that less than a week remains until the end of the "internal Lebanese deadline" for the first phase of disarming the party, confirming that the orientation within the occupation is to "continue holding the lands and executing operations," while being prepared to move "if and when all options are exhausted."

According to the security briefings, Hamas is still active, continues to rearm and restore part of its capabilities, although it has not returned to its previous level. Officials also pointed to the accelerating pace of Iran's production of ballistic missiles, a development described by Israeli security circles as concerning.

This comes at a time when discussions are intensifying within the Israeli occupation and Washington about the future of Gaza, amid regional political and security complexities, indicating that the next phase may be more sensitive and complex than previous ones.

A Palestinian was injured late Sunday evening after his car was hit by an Israeli military vehicle in the northern occupied West Bank, while official media published a video clip of soldiers mistreating an elderly Palestinian man with an amputated foot.

A citizen was injured with "wounds due to a military vehicle of the occupation colliding with his vehicle in the city of Tulkarm".

It clarified that "a vehicle of the occupation collided with the citizen Fadi Marouh's vehicle while he was passing through Al-Quds Open University Street in the city".

The collision resulted in "him being injured with wounds, upon which he was transported by an ambulance affiliated with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society to Thabet Thabet Martyrs Hospital, while the vehicle suffered significant damage".

Meanwhile, Palestine Voice Radio (governmental) published a video clip showing Israeli soldiers assaulting the elderly Palestinian Saeed Al-Amour (61 years old) from Al-Rakeez village in Masafer Yatta south of Hebron city in the southern West Bank.

The video shows Al-Amour, who is amputated of a foot and uses two crutches, being knocked to the ground and kicked while one of the soldiers pointed his weapon at him.

Al-Amour has been injured multiple times in assaults by Israeli settlers, most notably when he was subjected to gunfire that led to the amputation of one of his feet in April/Nisan last year.

In mid-December/January of this year, he was injured after being subjected to an assault by beating by settlers near his home, and was taken to Yatta Hospital where he received treatment.

Since the genocide war on Gaza began on October 8, 2023, the Israeli army and settlers in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have killed at least 1103 Palestinians and injured about 11,000, in addition to arresting more than 21,000.

Meanwhile, the Israeli genocide war in Gaza has left more than 71,000 Palestinian dead and 171,000 injured, mostly children and women, along with massive destruction with reconstruction costs estimated by the United Nations at about 70 billion dollars.

Israel was established in 1948 on occupied Palestinian lands, then occupied the rest of the Palestinian territories, and refuses to withdraw and establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

UN rapporteurs called on Britain to protect the lives and rights of detained Palestine-supporting activists engaged in a hunger strike.

The UN rapporteurs noted in a written statement on Sunday that 8 Palestine-supporting activists in Britain continue an open-ended hunger strike since November 2.

The statement expressed the rapporteurs' deep concern for the lives of the detainees and their basic rights.

The statement added: "We call on Britain to protect the lives and rights of the detained Palestine-supporting hunger strikers."

It confirmed that hunger strikes are often the last resort for those who believe their right to protest and effective remedies have been exhausted.

The statement indicated that the health condition of the striking detainees, as they enter their second month, has deteriorated significantly, and they face serious health risks including organ failure, irreversible neurological damage, heart system disorders, and possibly death.

The statement called on British authorities to ensure timely access to emergency and hospital medical care for the strikers when necessary, avoid any measures that could be seen as pressure or retaliation, and respect medical ethics.

The rapporteurs emphasized the need to understand these strikes in a broader context of restrictions imposed on Palestine-supporting activities in Britain, noting that the detainees are held due to protest activities.

It affirmed that "the state is fully responsible for the lives and well-being of those it detains, and urgent action is needed now."

The rapporteurs expressed their readiness for effective cooperation with the British government and to closely monitor the situation.

The UN special rapporteurs are part of what is known as the special procedures mechanisms under the Human Rights Council.

These independent mechanisms are the main means of information gathering and monitoring relied upon by the Council to address human rights situations in specific countries or to tackle thematic issues anywhere in the world.

The experts within these mechanisms work independently and without pay, as volunteers outside the UN structure.

A far-right Israeli party announced on Sunday that it is pushing a new bill in the Knesset (parliament) to ban the adhan via loudspeakers in mosques within the Green Line (Palestinian territories occupied in 1948).

After about eight years since the last attempt to restrict the sound of the adhan through legislation, the Otzma Yehudit party (led by the extremist Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir) announced this morning (Sunday) that it is pushing a new initiative to ban loudspeakers in mosques.

The bill stipulates that "no sound amplification system shall be installed or operated in a mosque without a permit, and the party's proposal is accompanied by a commitment to tighten supervision and impose hefty fines".

The proposal "will be based on a ban on operating loudspeakers, while considering granting the permit according to criteria including the intensity of the noise, the means available to reduce it, the location of the mosque, its proximity to residential areas, and the impact of the sound on residents".

"In case of violation of the rules, the police officer has the right to stop the operation immediately", and if the violation continues, it is possible to "confiscate the loudspeakers and impose a fine of up to tens of thousands of shekels".

Ben-Gvir and Knesset member from his party, Tzvika Fogel, confirmed that "the current bill defines a regulated licensing and supervision mechanism, places clear personal responsibility on the operating party, and greatly enhances enforcement powers and penalties".

Ben-Gvir said: "In many places, the sound of the muezzin is considered unreasonable noise that harms the quality of life and the health of residents (Jews), and it is a phenomenon that cannot be accepted. The Israeli police will act firmly to enforce the law, and the bill provides them with the tools they lacked".

The explanatory note for the bill states: "Noise is considered a health hazard, and despite previous enforcement operations, there is currently no law that provides sufficient tools to deal with this phenomenon".

It added: "Therefore, it is proposed to establish a clear system that includes an automatic ban, an explicit permit, appointing a person responsible for the operation, and imposing large fines. The bill aims to restore calm and improve the quality of life for residents, while ensuring effective and clear enforcement".

The bill includes deterrent fines: Installing or operating loudspeakers without a license exposes one to a fine of 50,000 Israeli shekels (15.7 thousand dollars).

It indicated that operating loudspeakers "in violation of the license conditions exposes one to a fine of 10,000 shekels (3.14 thousand dollars). These fines are transferred to a dedicated confiscation fund, used, according to the bill, for general purposes".

Amid widespread protests in Arab cities and towns in Israel, the Israeli Knesset approved in March 2017 a preliminary reading of a bill submitted by the far-right to ban the adhan during nighttime hours in mosques in occupied Jerusalem and Palestinian towns within the Green Line, but it was not ultimately passed.

The current Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu is the most extreme in Israel's history, according to Hebrew media, and statements by foreign leaders and politicians including former US President Joe Biden.

Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that a conscript in the Israeli occupation police was injured after being run over by a vehicle in the Al-Dahiya area near Beit Hanina village north of occupied Jerusalem.

Palestinian media outlets published video clips showing the mobilization of occupation forces in Beit Hanina village, after the ramming operation that injured an Israeli policeman.

In turn, the occupation police said in a statement that it "arrested a young man from Beit Hanina residents, after he fled from traffic police, in the Atarot area north of Jerusalem and drove his vehicle recklessly, which led to running over a policeman and injuring him with minor wounds".

The statement added that the suspect - who was banned from driving several times -, tried to escape on foot after leaving his vehicle, but the police forces arrested him, in a short time along with other suspects, and the vehicle was seized and all suspects were referred for investigation.

Last Friday, two Israelis were killed and two were injured in a ramming and stabbing operation in the city of Beit She'an north of Israel, before a passerby fired at the perpetrator, leading to his injury with moderate wounds.

The Israeli Army withdrew its forces from the town of Qabatiya south of Jenin, in the northern occupied West Bank, on Saturday-Sunday night, following an aggression it began on Friday, in the wake of a ramming and stabbing operation that the army said its perpetrator hails from the town.

Local sources said that Israeli vehicles were seen withdrawing from the town of Qabatiya, while the army evacuated several houses it had previously turned into military barracks, and detained about 50 Palestinians in them.

The sources indicated that the army interrogated the Palestinians in the field and tortured them for several hours, before releasing most of them while keeping the father and brother of the operation's perpetrator detained.

The Israeli Army had announced on Friday its intention to carry out a military operation in Qabatiya on the pretext that the perpetrator of the ramming and stabbing incident in northern Israel, which resulted in the death of two Israelis and the injury of two others, belongs to the town.

The Israeli aggression caused significant destruction to the infrastructure, streets, and some houses, while the Qabatiya municipality began opening internal roads that were closed by Israeli bulldozers with earthen barriers.

The Palestinian Prime Ministry stated in a statement that Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa called the mayor of Qabatiya, Ahmed Zakarneh, and instructed various competent authorities to stand by the town's needs.

The statement said that "Mustafa issued directives to all competent authorities in government institutions and departments and emergency committees to deal with the effects of the aggression on the town, and to utilize all available capabilities to address the sabotage operations in the infrastructure and properties, and to work on resuming the services provided to citizens, primarily the regularity of school education in the town."

The Israeli Army has been continuing a broad aggression in the northern West Bank since January 21, 2025, which it began in Jenin camp and then expanded to the camps of Nour Shams and Tulkarm.

Since then, the army has imposed a strict siege on the three camps, and continues to destroy the infrastructure, homes, and shops of citizens, leading to the displacement of about 50,000 Palestinians, according to official data.

The city of Khan Yunis, like the rest of the Gaza Strip, is experiencing difficult humanitarian conditions amid the harsh weather depression, where people's suffering has increased due to the severe cold and heavy rains.

The streets are flooded with water, while the fierce winds have worsened the damage to the already damaged homes and tents, forcing families to struggle to protect their children from the cold.

The city is witnessing power outages and difficulties in movement, which have exacerbated the residents' conditions.

In this context, Khan Yunis Mayor Alaeddin Al-Batta stated that the city is experiencing unprecedented catastrophic humanitarian conditions, amid the widespread destruction that has affected residential neighborhoods and infrastructure, and the ongoing siege and prevention of entry of basic aid, which puts the city on the brink of complete collapse.

He explained that the Khan Yunis Municipality faces enormous challenges amid the destruction of water and sewage networks and roads, in addition to damage to water wells and pumping stations, which has caused a severe crisis in providing clean water, exacerbating health and environmental risks, especially with the leakage of wastewater and accumulation of waste in the streets.

He pointed out that the recent weather conditions and weather depressions have increased the citizens' suffering, especially amid the ban on importing shelter tents and relief materials, leaving thousands of families, including large numbers of children, without shelter to protect them from the cold and rain, warning of serious health repercussions, particularly the spread of diseases among children and the elderly.

The mayor confirmed that children in Khan Yunis are the most affected, suffering from hunger, cold, and lack of food and water, amid the near-total absence of basic life necessities, noting that what is happening threatens the future of an entire generation, leaving long-term psychological and health effects.

He added that the municipality's teams continue to work despite limited capabilities and great risks, but the shortage of fuel and maintenance materials hinders the operation of water wells and sewage stations, limiting the municipality's ability to respond to the growing needs of the residents.

He emphasized that the current situation exceeds the capabilities of the municipality and local institutions, calling for urgent international intervention to immediately allow the entry of humanitarian aid, shelter tents, fuel, and medical supplies, stressing that saving civilians, especially children, must be a top priority.

The Khan Yunis Mayor concluded his speech by affirming that what the city is witnessing is a humanitarian tragedy by all standards, warning that the continuation of international silence will lead to the worsening of the catastrophe, and calling on the international community to shoulder its moral and humanitarian responsibilities, and to work urgently to ensure the minimum necessities of life for the city's residents.

The Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud affirmed his country's categorical rejection of the announcement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recognizing what is known as the state of "Somaliland," and expressed his rejection of transferring the chaos and conflicts carried out by Israel in the Middle East to his country.

Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud said in a speech before parliament today, Sunday, that Netanyahu's recognition of Somaliland is a rejected violation of Somalia's sovereignty and an aggression on its unity, confirming that the Israeli step does not change the legal reality at all.

The Somali President warned that this step could encourage separatist tendencies in the region.

He called on the leaders of the northern regions not to drag the country into "wrong paths," affirming the government's commitment to the option of dialogue with the "brothers in the north."

The Somali President said: "We affirm our rejection of any attempts to displace the Palestinians and support their right to establish their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital."

Netanyahu had announced the day before yesterday, Friday, that Tel Aviv recognizes the separatist "Republic of Somaliland" as an independent state, making Israel the first country in the world to officially recognize the region that unilaterally declared its secession from Somalia in 1991.

The harsh conditions in the Gaza Strip dominated the interests of global newspapers and websites, and the British newspaper The Independent said in an article that Gaza residents are preparing for a new low-pressure system while at the same time looking for a glimmer of hope about progress in ending the war.

The newspaper added that fathers are preparing for the impending storms by reinforcing dilapidated tents with old wooden pieces or checking the torn edges and holes in the covers, while inside the houses, mothers are preparing amid the humidity and worn-out belongings.

It indicated that emergency teams warned Gaza residents of the danger of staying in dilapidated buildings, but the problem is that with vast areas of the sector turning into rubble, there are few places left to shelter from the rain.

On the other hand, the French newspaper Libération reported that it detected -based on satellite images and video clips taken by Gaza residents- more than 100 yellow blocks that are supposed to define the ceasefire, but the Israeli army places them without regard for the agreed-upon yellow line.

The newspaper adds that "since October, the Israeli army continues to draw its yellow line, square after square, penetrating deeper into the Gaza Strip much more than originally planned," noting that this line, which is one of the conditions for a ceasefire, aims to define the eastern area from which the Israeli army must withdraw, allowing Gaza residents to return to some neighborhoods that were subject to evacuation orders.

Palestinians and Western observers fear -the French newspaper adds- that this line, which was supposed to represent an initial Israeli withdrawal, will become permanent.

Regarding Israel's official recognition of "the Republic of Somaliland," the Jerusalem Post said in an analysis that "this recognition may suggest the beginning of a new era of strategic conflict in the Horn of Africa, but the truth is that the region looks more like a strategic chessboard than it actually is."

The Israeli newspaper adds that the Horn of Africa region is poor in resources because a number of its countries are weak, and continues that "many nearby and distant countries have interests in this region but have translated these interests into limited engagement."

As for the French newspaper Le Monde, it published an article criticizing the decline of Europe's role in the world, holding European leaders responsible for it. The article sees that the European Union is less capable of resisting what it called the aggressions of US President Donald Trump against international law in Ukraine, given that "it -meaning the European Union- itself supported such violations in the Gaza Strip."

The article added that "the policy of double standards weakened Europe before Russia and betrayed it in Gaza."

The Prime Minister of the Israeli occupation, Benjamin Netanyahu, departed on Sunday morning from "Tel Aviv" heading to the United States, in an official visit scheduled to continue until Thursday afternoon next week, where he carries in his pocket thorny security and political files to discuss with the American administration.

The most prominent event in the visit will be the anticipated meeting between Netanyahu and the American President Donald Trump on Monday, where sources revealed that Netanyahu intends to ask Trump to give him "green light" to direct military strikes against Iran in the future, in an escalatory step that reflects the occupation's desire to resolve the Iranian file militarily.

On the front of the war on Gaza, it was confirmed that the occupation's Prime Minister will officially inform the American President of "Israel's" categorical rejection to move to the "second phase" of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, before achieving an essential condition represented by "disarming Hamas movement", which may complicate the ongoing negotiations.

In a pressing humanitarian context on Netanyahu, Channel 12 reported that the family of the prisoner "Ran Goueli" is participating in this trip, in an attempt by them to exert direct pressure on decision-makers, to convince them not to move to the second phase of the deal except with a guarantee of their imprisoned son's return.

On Sunday, settlers carried out a series of new attacks in various areas of the West Bank, including cutting olive trees and stealing Palestinian property, in a new escalation added to the record of settlement violations.

Palestinian sources reported that settlers stormed the Khalat al-Sidra area in the village of Mukhmas north of occupied Jerusalem on Saturday, where they cut down 40 olive trees, as part of the repeated attacks on Palestinian agricultural lands.

The sources indicated that the settlers recently established a settlement outpost near Mukhmas, which is used as a launching point to plan and execute attacks on farmers and their property.

In a related context, the town of Turmus Ayya north of Ramallah witnessed settlers breaking into citizens' homes, where they stole main doors from villas under construction, causing significant material damage to the residents.

The same sources mentioned that these attacks come after settlers stormed the lands in the town last Friday and plowed areas for the benefit of the settlement outpost recently established west of the town.

This escalation comes amid official statements that revealed the extent of settlement violations against Palestinians, as a report by the Anti-Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission for last November revealed that settlers carried out 485 acts of vandalism and theft, including uprooting and poisoning about 1,986 trees, of which 466 were olive trees in the governorates of Nablus, Ramallah and Al-Bireh, Salfit, Hebron, Qalqilya, and Jenin, with the participation and support of the occupation army in some cases.

These attacks are part of a systematic settlement pattern targeting Palestinian agricultural lands and property, which increases tension in the West Bank areas and doubles the suffering of farmers and local residents.

The Israeli Channel 12 reported that the Israeli army is studying the option of conscripting the sons of foreign workers residing in Israel, amid the severe shortage in the number of soldiers with the ongoing war.

The information revealed that advanced contacts took place in the first months of the war to launch an experimental project aimed at conscripting 100 young men from the sons of foreign workers, in cooperation between the army, the Population and Immigration Authority, and Tel Aviv Municipality, before the project stumbled after the departure of the Authority's director general from his position.

According to data from the Population and Immigration Authority, the number of sons of foreign workers of military service age is about 3,752 young men (between 15 and 25 years old), most of whom reside in Israel, and about 3,200 of them hold temporary resident status.

The Security Service Law allows, in principle, the conscription of foreigners with permanent residency, meaning there are conscription possibilities equivalent to the size of a full brigade.

Nevertheless, the army has so far refrained from conscripting them for fear of interfering with the Interior Ministry's authorities related to their legal status, and considering that military service may facilitate the path to obtaining citizenship.

However, recent legal correspondence, and with the urgent need to strengthen human resources during the war, pushed the military institution to reconsider the file.

A message from the Chief of Staff's office stated that the matter has been referred to the relevant professional bodies and is under study and requires in-depth examination.

For his part, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that the issue 'has not been presented to him yet'.

Lawyers and informed sources confirm that conscripting these young men constitutes a win-win solution for both sides: the army desperately needs soldiers, and these were born and raised in Israel, they master Hebrew as their mother tongue, and they know no other homeland.

Officials warn that keeping them outside the service framework 'creates a vacuum that may push some of them towards negative paths instead of integration and contribution'.

The step is still contingent on a clear political decision, amid estimates that integrating this category may relieve the pressure on reserve forces and contribute to filling the gap in the army's ranks during the current phase.

The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Islamic Jihad welcomed what was reported by the Israeli Channel 12 from White House officials that US President Donald Trump wants to achieve faster progress in the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas spokesperson in Gaza, Hazem Qassem, said: "We are in favor of any effort to move forward in the stages of the ceasefire agreement with its various entitlements."

He added: "The matter is not about accelerating the ceasefire agreement, but about implementing what it entails, and the principle is to move to the second phase after the first phase has been completed, and Hamas' commitment to handing over the living prisoners and bodies, and thus there is an entitlement to proceed to the second phase."

Israeli Channel 12 quoted White House officials as saying that Trump wants the ceasefire agreement to progress at a faster pace, and that next month (January) will witness the announcement of a Peace Council and a technocratic government and a stability force in the sector.

Regarding the handover of the last body of an Israeli prisoner in Gaza, Qassem confirms that "this matter is not a condition for moving to the second phase, but rather a condition fabricated by Israel to hinder entry into it. As for the principle, it is to start with the details of the second phase as soon as the living and dead prisoners are handed over, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is hindering this for his political interests and internal calculations."

According to American officials, Trump's team is increasingly frustrated with Netanyahu's steps that undermine the agreement, with one American official accusing Israel of delaying the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and sometimes violating it, while another official said: "It seems that the Israelis have regretted the Gaza agreement for some time."

Meanwhile, Hebrew media quoted an Israeli official as saying that there is a divergence in positions between US President envoy Stephen Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner on the one hand, and Netanyahu's position on the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

The transition to the second phase of the Gaza agreement is stumbling despite nearly 3 months having passed since the start of the implementation of its first phase, at a time when indicators are rising that the stagnation is not technical as much as it is linked to Israeli internal calculations, and the ceiling of conditions set to complete the agreement.

Regarding Hamas' position on the "Peace Council," Qassem says: "This council should have a supervisory role over the reconstruction and relief of the Gaza Strip, and the arrangements for that and mobilizing the international will for rapid completion," while the administration of internal affairs must be purely Palestinian as agreed upon.

Islamic Jihad spokesperson Muhammad al-Haj Musa agrees with Qassem on the necessity of "forming a national technocratic Palestinian government," explaining that the task of this government "is defined by managing the transitional phase and reconstruction."

Al-Haj Musa says: "This government must consist of competent and independent Palestinian technocrats from Gaza people, to ensure their understanding of the specificity of the reality and their direct suffering."

He adds: "This government must be announced and empowered by a legitimate and representative Palestinian body that enjoys national consensus, to preserve the independent Palestinian national decision."

The occupying state continues to violate the ceasefire agreement, and according to the documentation of the Ministry of Health, hundreds of Gazans have been martyred and injured since the agreement was reached on October 10, in addition to the ongoing demolition operations of what remains of homes and buildings in Rafah city and the east and north of the sector.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the two main factions among the Palestinian resistance factions, have proven their commitment to what they agreed upon under the ceasefire agreement, and not being drawn into the daily and repeated Israeli violations.

Spokesperson al-Haj Musa says: "The whole world witnesses that the occupation has not committed to implementing the agreement, nor even to applying the provisions of its first phase, and more dangerously, it has repeatedly violated the ceasefire, and continued its daily crimes against our people and land, which undermines the credibility of the agreements and puts the entire path on the brink of the abyss."

Nevertheless, he affirms "Islamic Jihad's steadfast commitment to the signed agreements," and calls for speeding up the implementation of the second phase, "which must clearly and inevitably lead to the withdrawal of the occupation army from the Gaza Strip, opening Rafah crossing and all crossings, importing relief materials without restrictions, and securing the return of displaced people to their areas."

Al-Haj Musa emphasizes his movement's rejection of "any talk about disarming the resistance," and added: "We reject the conditions set by the occupation to obstruct the transition to the second phase, and we hold the American administration responsible for obligating the entity government and the occupation army to fully implement the agreement."

He continues: "The facts prove that America is blatantly colluding with the occupation, covering up its daily violations, abandoning its role as a guarantor and impartial mediator, which has encouraged the occupation to further persistence and aggression."

The spokesperson conditions the success of the agreement on "the full implementation of its entitlements, and stopping all forms of American collusion and international silence regarding the crimes committed by the entity."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left Tel Aviv on Sunday morning, heading to the state of Florida, where he is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump and other officials.

Netanyahu and his wife Sara, along with the accompanying delegation, departed on a "political visit to the state of Florida".

Netanyahu's office published the visit schedule, which begins on Monday with a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, followed by a meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago at 22:30 Israel time (20:30 ET).

The office did not disclose the agenda for the second day of the visit on Tuesday, while a Hebrew newspaper mentioned that this day may witness a meeting with US Vice President JD Vance.

It is scheduled for Netanyahu to meet on Wednesday with American officials from the evangelical stream, before later attending with his wife an event at the "Shul" synagogue in Miami, which will be attended by members of Congress and leaders of the Jewish community, according to his office's statement.

On Thursday, Netanyahu is scheduled to depart back to Tel Aviv, which he will reach on Friday afternoon.

Gaza will top Netanyahu and Trump's meeting, including the transition to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

Israel and "Hamas" reached a two-phase agreement on October 9 last year to cease fire in Gaza, mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, based on a 20-point plan proposed by Trump to end the war.

The next day, the first phase entered into force, but Israel violated it hundreds of times and did not fully comply with its terms, especially those related to the humanitarian aspect and the entry of aid, despite Hamas's full commitment, which led to the killing of more than 400 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Israel conditions the start of negotiations to launch the second phase of the agreement on receiving the body of the last prisoner in Gaza, Ran Gefili, while Hamas confirms that it may take time to extract it due to the massive destruction in Gaza.

The second phase includes several essential files, the most prominent of which are "forming a temporary technocrat committee to manage the sector, the reconstruction file, forming a peace council, creating an international force, additional withdrawal of the Israeli army from the sector, in addition to disarming Hamas".

The agreement ended a genocide war started by Israel on October 8 last year, which lasted for two years, and left more than 71,000 Palestinian dead and over 171,000 injured, and massive destruction that affected 90% of the civilian infrastructure with a reconstruction cost estimated by the United Nations at about 70 billion dollars.

In addition to the Gaza file, Netanyahu is scheduled to discuss with Trump issues related to Syria, Lebanon, and Iran, amid rising talk in the Hebrew media about Israeli preparations to attack it again on the pretext of Tehran developing its ballistic missile program.

In June last year, Israel, with American support, waged a 12-day war on Iran, and Tehran responded to it, before the United States announced a ceasefire.