The Israeli occupation forces continue their aggression on the city of Jenin and its camp for the 100th consecutive day, amid ongoing house demolitions, road construction, and forcing residents to flee their homes.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces are continuing to send additional military reinforcements towards the camp and its surroundings on a continuous basis, in addition to deploying infantry units in several neighborhoods of the city.

Most of the villages in Jenin Governorate are witnessing daily military movements and the daily presence of occupation patrols and vehicles.

The occupation forces are continuing their destruction and bulldozing operations inside the camp, while continuing to prevent entry or access to it. Concerns have increased with the installation of iron g8ates at the camp's entrances a few days ago.

Official estimates indicate that all of the camp's homes and facilities have been completely or partially damaged as a result of the ongoing aggression and ongoing destruction and bulldozing operations aimed at altering the camp's structural makeup and features.

In addition, 800 housing units in the city were partially damaged, and 15 buildings have been demolished since the beginning of the aggression. Most of the damage to buildings and residences occurred in the eastern and al-Hadaf neighborhoods, according to data from the Jenin Municipality.

Camp families, along with hundreds of families from the city and surrounding areas, remain forcibly displaced to this day. Official estimates from the Jenin Municipality indicate that the number of displaced persons from the camp and city has exceeded 22,000.

The economic situation in Jenin, a city that relies primarily on trade, continues to deteriorate. Huge commercial losses are being recorded as a result of the ongoing aggression, which has led to numerous commercial closures and the halting of shopping traffic to and from the city. Furthermore, bulldozing and destruction of infrastructure on the streets have resulted in the damage to a large number of shops. Meanwhile, some areas of the city are facing complete economic paralysis, especially in the western neighborhoods.

Since the beginning of the ongoing aggression on Jenin and its camp, 39 citizens have been killed, dozens more injured, and arrests of citizens from various areas of the Jenin governorate have escalated.

**Tulkarm**

The Israeli occupation forces continue their aggression on the city of Tulkarm and its camp for the 94th consecutive day, and on the Nour Shams camp for the 81st day, amid ongoing field escalation and a continuous campaign of raids and arrests.

Local sources reported that the city witnessed active movements of occupation vehicles and infantry units last night, patrolling the main and side streets, obstructing the movement of citizens and their vehicles, particularly on Paris Street, the vicinity of the Martyr Thabet Thabet Roundabout, Gamal Abdel Nasser Square, and the center of the vegetable market. A number of young men were detained and interrogated on the spot.

Late at night, Israeli occupation forces on foot raided the Dhnaba suburb east of the city, and intensified their deployment around the areas of the Attar platforms, the Sharia school, and the Halima Khreisha school. They stopped vehicles, searched them, and checked the identities of their passengers.

Eyewitnesses reported that occupation forces raided a café in the suburb, searched it, and subjected young men to field interrogation. They also raided homes in the area and arrested three young men after assaulting them: Amir Assaf, Ayham Mu'ayyad Shaaban, and Shadi Shaaban.

In a related development, Israeli occupation forces deployed heavily in Jabal al-Nasr in the Nur Shams refugee camp, firing flares in the area, accompanied by the sound of live ammunition and sound bombs.

Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps and their surroundings are witnessing a heavy deployment of occupation forces, firing live ammunition and sound bombs, with explosions being heard from time to time. This comes amidst a tight siege imposed on these camps, the closure of their entrances with earth mounds, and the accompanying raids and vandalism of homes, forcing the remaining residents to evacuate their homes at gunpoint.

The occupation forces continue, around the clock, to send military reinforcements, including vehicles and infantry units, into the city, its two camps, and its suburbs. This includes firing live ammunition and sound bombs, raiding and searching homes and shops, vandalizing their contents, and subjecting those present to interrogation, abuse, and arrest.

The occupation forces also continue to seize homes and residential buildings on Nablus Street and the adjacent northern neighborhood, converting them into military barracks after forcibly evacuating their residents. They also station their vehicles and bulldozers in the vicinity.

The ongoing Israeli aggression and escalation against the city of Tulkarm and its two refugee camps resulted in the deaths of 13 civilians, including a child and two women, one of whom was eight months pregnant. Dozens more were injured and arrested.

It also resulted in the forced displacement of more than 4,200 families from the Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps, comprising more than 25,000 residents, along with hundreds of residents from the northern and eastern neighborhoods of the city after their homes were seized and a number of them converted into military barracks.

The aggression caused widespread destruction to the infrastructure, including homes, shops, and vehicles, which were completely and partially demolished, burned, vandalized, looted, and stolen. 396 homes were completely destroyed and 2,573 partially destroyed in the Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps, in addition to the closure of their entrances and alleys with earth mounds.

Today, Wednesday, the Israeli occupation forces delivered a cease-fire notice to the Burqa Park, which is being built in the Al-Masoudiya archaeological area northwest of Nablus.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces stormed the site and delivered a notice to stop work on the park, claiming that it is located in Area C.

She noted that the park is funded by the Palestinian Union of Local Authorities at a cost of 130,000 shekels, and that work on equipping it began ten days ago with the goal of providing recreation for the area's residents and providing a recreational outlet for families, amidst the ongoing siege and settler attacks.

Taisir Khaled

This year, International Workers' Day falls under exceptional circumstances, the most difficult in the history of the Palestinian labor and trade union movement and the history of the national struggle. The brutal war waged by Israel on the Gaza Strip, as well as the West Bank, including Jerusalem, has entered its twentieth month with no signs of an end in sight, despite the numerous efforts of Arab and international mediators. The war continues, claiming the lives of tens of thousands of Palestinian citizens, destroying their infrastructure and economic facilities, and pushing Palestinian workers toward hunger, poverty, and unemployment.

The labor market, as Shaher Saad, Secretary-General of the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions, confirms, is currently experiencing an unprecedented crisis in light of this war, with hundreds of thousands of Palestinian workers losing their jobs, both in Israeli projects and in Palestinian projects in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Before this war, the number of Palestinian workers employed in Israeli projects was approximately 248,000, of whom 200,000 held official work permits and approximately 48,000 worked illegally without permits. According to Saad, these workers constituted a vital backbone of the Palestinian economy, and their monthly salaries, according to estimates by the Israeli Central Bank, reached 1.35 billion shekels. All of this has come to a standstill in light of this war, which has also cast a shadow over the Palestinian labor market after the occupation authorities prevented these workers from going to their jobs in Israeli projects, whether inside Israel or in the settlements established by the occupying state throughout the West Bank.

Beyond that, this war has cast a shadow over broad economic sectors within the West Bank and Gaza Strip, after the occupation authorities divided the country into isolated enclaves surrounded by iron gates, military checkpoints, and earth mounds. According to data from United Nations agencies, these enclaves number approximately 900 gates, checkpoints, and earth mounds. This has paralyzed the Palestinian economy's ability to adapt even to wartime conditions, exacerbating unemployment problems. According to estimates by the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions, the number of unemployed has reached approximately 507,000 workers, including 248,000 who lost their jobs in the 1948 territories, and approximately 100,000 workers in the West Bank, while the remaining numbers are distributed across the Gaza Strip. With tens of thousands of Palestinian workers losing their jobs after October 7, 2023, these workers, according to several Palestinian trade union leaders, have entered a severe livelihood crisis due to the lack of income and the absence of a national social protection system. Living conditions have further deteriorated in light of the sharp rise in the prices of basic consumer goods and commodities, exacerbating the economic and social suffering of these workers.

Naturally, the situation of Palestinian workers was better before this war. The number of Palestinian workers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip reached approximately 1.16 million, including 868,000 from the West Bank and approximately 292,000 from the Gaza Strip. Data from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics indicated that the number of Palestinian workers from the West Bank and Gaza Strip working in Israeli projects, both inside Israel and in settlements, increased from approximately 51,000 in 2013 to more than 178,000 in the third quarter of 2023, the eve of the war on the Gaza Strip. This number included 153,000 workers from the West Bank and 25,000 workers from the Gaza Strip, most of whom worked in the construction, services, and agriculture sectors, constituting approximately 20% of the total Palestinian labor force. Various data also indicated the suffering of the Palestinian labor force due to high unemployment rates, especially in the Gaza Strip, on the eve of the war. The unemployment rate in the West Bank and Gaza Strip among those participating in the labor force reached approximately 24%. The disparity in unemployment rates between the West Bank and Gaza Strip was significant, reaching 45% in the Gaza Strip and around 13% in the West Bank. These unemployment rates posed the greatest challenge, especially for Palestinian youth, reaching 32% among males and 59% among females. These rates were higher in the Gaza Strip than in the West Bank, reaching 75% and 30%, respectively. The highest rates were among young people aged 18-29, especially among graduates with an intermediate diploma or higher, reaching 48%. There was a clear difference between young males and females: 34% for males and 61% for females.

The picture was not rosy before the war, but it changed for the worse during this war. From the first day, Israel targeted all economic and civilian service facilities throughout the Gaza Strip, leading, according to the International Labor Organization, to a work stoppage and the disruption of all aspects of economic and social life. At the same time, the Israeli authorities revoked all work permits granted to Palestinian workers employed by them from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. These workers, who provided the Palestinian economy with an income of approximately $3 billion annually, or approximately 15% of the gross national income, were affected. Large segments of the West Bank population were subjected to repressive measures and movement restrictions imposed by the occupation authorities, negatively impacting all aspects of economic and social life. These restrictions on the movement of Palestinians in the West Bank, imposed since October 7, 2023, have become a threat to their security and a real obstacle to the movement of more than 67,000 Palestinian workers who have jobs in governorates other than their place of residence. Consequently, they are forced to pass through dozens of military checkpoints erected by the Israeli authorities on the main roads connecting the West Bank governorates and the surrounding cities and villages. However, the groups most affected by these Israeli measures remain youth and women, particularly university graduates. It is noteworthy that unemployment rates in the Palestinian territories are already higher among young university graduates, both male and female, reaching approximately 74% in the Gaza Strip and approximately 29% in the West Bank. Unemployment rates are also higher among women, with the unemployment rate reaching 66.2% in the Gaza Strip, compared to 29% in the West Bank.

This is a picture of the deteriorating conditions that our national economy and the Palestinian working class are experiencing. The war on the Gaza Strip, as well as the West Bank, including Jerusalem, has exacerbated the deterioration. This does not mean that this situation would have heralded a recovery for our national economy had it not been for the war. For years, our national economy has been in an intensive care unit due to the restrictions imposed by the agreements signed with Israel, especially the Paris Economic Protocol. We found ourselves facing a difficult equation: either free ourselves from our dependence on the Israeli economy and embark on broader horizons that open up opportunities for development for the national economy, or continue to spiral into further dependence, deterioration, and stagnation. In the difficult economic and national circumstances we are experiencing, I find no shame in defending the Palestinian working class, Palestinian industrialists, and Palestinian industry simultaneously. What we have achieved in this regard compels me, from both a national and a class position, to reconcile the defense of the rights and interests of workers with the defense of national capitalism and national industry, whose conditions have deteriorated alarmingly, not only due to the occupation policy but also the misguided policies pursued by successive governments in the Palestinian National Authority.

Everyone knows that our national industry is a simple industry, and in its basic structure, it is a processing industry, some of which made its way with great difficulty under the enormous restrictions and pressures imposed by the Israeli occupation policy and the constraints imposed by the Paris Economic Agreement. A single economic market and a single customs envelope between a simple economy and a developed one led by the revolution in science, technology, and communications. These restrictions and pressures imposed cannot be ignored, with negative repercussions on the performance of the Palestinian economy and the development of Palestinian industry, which tended toward subcontracting with the Israeli economy and market. In light of this, the production structure was transforming and developing, albeit slowly. The same was true of the labor structure and the inputs to the gross national product (GNP). Foreign income, primarily from work in Israeli projects and from remittances from expatriates, constituted a significant portion of its components, reaching an average of 30-35% of the GNP, even in cases of stability and the opening of the Israeli labor market to Palestinian workers. This is a certainly high percentage, indicating a major imbalance. At certain points, its value and rates exceeded the combined share of the industrial, agricultural, and construction sectors.

In light of this, Palestinian workers in the Palestinian territories occupied since June 1967 greet May 1st every year with bitterness, frustration, and anger in light of the harsh living conditions they face. On the one hand, they have faced, and continue to face, daily repression and humiliation by the occupation forces at roadblocks and crossing gates, whether into Palestine or even at work centers in the settlements. They also face horrific exploitation of their workers in Israeli projects, including those established by settlers on Palestinian land in the settlements. If this is the case with our workers under the occupation, its policies, and practices, then what is the situation of these workers in the Palestinian labor market and in national projects? From an objective perspective, no one can underestimate the difficulty and danger of the conditions facing the national economy and the Palestinian private sector. The national economy is captive to the Paris Economic Agreement and to the policy of blockade, closure, and economic strangulation. For years, Palestinian governments have not extended a helping hand to the private sector as they should. Citizens wonder what percentage of the Palestinian Authority's available financial resources over the years—whether from various tax revenues or funds from countries and donors—has been allocated to development investment to improve the private sector. The answer is truly shocking: this percentage has not exceeded 5 percent over the years. Beyond that, Palestinian governments have pursued policies that have contributed to the most serious damage to the industrial, agricultural, and service sectors of the Palestinian national economy. They have opened national markets to all imports at the expense of encouraging domestic products and providing an acceptable or minimum level of protection requirements. This has exacerbated the national economic crisis and has undoubtedly contributed to the growth of unemployment, increased poverty rates, a deterioration in the standard of living, and low wages in the private sector due to fierce competition in the labor market.

The private sector has a role to play in development, and in our circumstances, it is vital, not marginal. The requirements for it to fulfill its responsibilities and role in this regard must be met. At the same time, we recognize that injustice must be redressed against workers in this sector by respecting the provisions of the Palestinian Labor Law, despite its shortcomings and shortcomings. The government must intervene in two main directions: First, raise the minimum wage in the private sector so that it approaches the wage rate of public sector workers, oblige the private sector to do so, and link wages to the cost of living index. This step should be reinforced by providing subsidies for basic commodities that mitigate the impact of this exorbitant price increase on the conditions of vulnerable social segments. Second, achieve national consensus on the Social Security Law and the formation of the Social Security Council and Fund, with all the resulting obligations fulfilled by the government, as well as by employers and employees in the private sector. This has a significant impact on providing job security and the most basic requirements for a dignified life for these employees, especially workers, at the peak of their careers and in the twilight of their lives.

On this occasion, it is necessary to emphasize the importance of reviving the role of the Palestinian labor and trade union movement and restoring its pioneering role in the seventies and eighties of the last century in order to defend the rights of the working class and its fair and well-known trade union and social demands, and to distribute the burdens of steadfastness in the face of aggression in a fair manner between workers and employers. It is also important to revive its role in the struggle against the occupation, strengthen its steadfastness, and develop its struggle in the face of the widening scope of unemployment, poverty, destitution, and deterioration of living standards, especially in the circumstances of the brutal, comprehensive war and the war of genocide and starvation waged by the occupying state against the Palestinian people in all the Palestinian territories occupied by the 1967 aggression, including occupied Jerusalem.

On this occasion, I cannot miss emphasizing the importance of activating and developing the role of the Palestinian labor and trade union movement on the international scene and building partnerships with labor unions in various countries of the world to launch a broad solidarity movement with Palestinian workers, whose living standards have deteriorated to terrifying levels, and to launch a protest movement in many countries against the brutal war waged by the occupying state against the Palestinian people. At the same time, I call on international labor unions to stand in solidarity with the workers and people of Palestine and to pressure the governments of the concerned countries to stop providing military aid to Israel and supplying it with lethal weapons and death bombs and shells, which do not spare anyone, including women, children, and workers, and do not even spare hospitals, health centers, universities, schools, and local and international humanitarian relief workers, in addition to factories, plants, and many productive, commercial, and agricultural institutions that provided job opportunities for the Palestinian working class.

Baha Rahal

The harsh reality experienced by the Palestinian citizen has exceeded the limits of what is possible and reasonable. Life has become strangely unbearable, and time is eating away at everything possible. The space for relief is shrinking in the face of the darkness of restrictions, gates, checkpoints, and winding, dirt and rocky roads. While the war of extermination continues in Gaza, the persecution of people in the West Bank continues, and the process of annexation and gnawing for the sake of building settlements continues. The acts of oppression and humiliation continue at the military checkpoints spread between each city and the next, and the iron gates that cut off road connections as a form of collective punishment, terrorizing people's lives with continuous daily raids, ceaseless arrests, and tightening the economic and social stranglehold in ways that Satan is unable to devise.

Looking at the reality in the cities, villages, and camps of the West Bank, the picture is the same from north to south. People's voices are filled with complaints about the reality that is spiraling downward, and the absence of hope in most dialogues and meetings. They know that their patience has failed them, and that, in light of this reality, they have no solutions that will lead to better times. The war in Gaza continues, and so do numerous forms of aggression in the West Bank. No one in this world is imposing a halt to the genocide or halting the arrogance of the extremist occupation government. There is no glimmer of hope for a political horizon in the near future. This is what drives people to a state of misery, given what they hear, see, and experience. The complaints of politicians, media figures, journalists, and intellectuals have become a constant feature of every day, prompting the average citizen to sense the coming dangers, amid the lack of a clear picture and the gloom of the future.

The war of extermination in Gaza has destroyed everything, and the Strip has become a wasteland, its inhabitants living in shabby tents and uninhabitable shelters, amidst a complete lack of all the necessities of life. As in the West Bank, the situation is no better. Rather, with each passing day, life becomes more difficult, and the scope of attacks, land confiscation, and terrorizing of people's lives expands. This is what Netanyahu and his government wanted. This is a policy declared with utmost racism and extremism in confronting the world, its laws, charters, laws, and institutions. The occupation continues its war and attacks, as it continues its extremist policies seeking ethnic cleansing and the expulsion and displacement of the indigenous people of the land by various means and methods.

The internal Palestinian reality, which suffers from fragmentation, division, and the disputes that surface, are the main reason for weakening positions and visions and overcoming the faltering present. Moreover, the hateful division obstructs any possibility of rising from this depths. Between the fragmentation of positions, the wasting of time, and the absence of democracy and elections, the compass of the people, who witness everything that has happened and is happening, is lost, and the national project is lost in the labyrinths of internal fighting. The more the threat of occupation and liquidation projects intensifies, the more the rift increases and the disputes deepen, as if the division is our inevitable fate, unavoidable in light of the narrow partisanship and factionalism that has extended all these years, bringing us losses and more weakness and confusion. In light of this division, the voice of impotence and weakness is the only voice, the voice of disappointments is louder, the level of action is diminished, and the citizen remains hostage to a wretched reality, with its difficult political and economic circumstances.

What next? The question of people exhausted by chapters of war, genocide, and suffering, with no answer in light of this reality engulfed by death, displacement, ethnic cleansing, and occupation policies, amid international silence, global neutrality, and a hateful Palestinian division.

The American website Axios quoted an informed source as saying that the US State Department is planning to eliminate the office of the US Security Coordinator in Jerusalem, which helps strengthen security coordination between the Palestinian Authority and Israel.

The sources added that this cancellation is part of a broader reorganization of the State Department led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which will see the closure of dozens of offices around the world.

A congressional aide and a source familiar with the matter said that the current US security coordinator in Jerusalem, Lt. Gen. Michael Finzel, was informed last week that his position would be eliminated, and an announcement is expected in the next few weeks.

A US official explained that the decision is not final until it is announced, but acknowledged that Wenzel's position is among those to be eliminated. The official added that this move is a cost-cutting measure and not for political reasons.

General Wenzel was first informed of the plan earlier this year, but was later told that the decision had been reversed after holding meetings in Washington in which he stressed the importance of preserving the position, according to a source familiar with the matter. However, this reversal appears to have been short-lived, and the US Security Coordinator's office in Jerusalem is no longer included on the updated list of offices that will continue to operate following the soon-to-be-announced reorganization of the State Department.

The last time the "security coordinator" position gained attention in the US media was in the summer of 2022, when the Pentagon moved to demote the security official stationed there from a three-star general to a colonel in order to cut costs.

Ultimately, however, the Biden administration backed down from this effort following bipartisan pressure led by Senators Lindsey Graham and Jon Ossoff. Current National Security Advisor Mike Waltz helped deliver a similar letter in the House of Representatives advocating for keeping a senior general in the office of the US Security Coordinator for the Palestinian Authority and Israel. Washington was influenced by Israel's position, which warned of the destabilizing nature of such a move regarding the security situation in the occupied West Bank.

According to Hebrew media, Israel did not comment on the matter, and the Israeli Ministry of Defense strongly opposed any steps that would support the Palestinian Authority.

A Palestinian official told The Times of Israel that an ammunition shipment intended for Palestinian Authority security forces has been stagnant in Jordan for months because Katz refuses to sign it.

The US Security Coordinator's office in Jerusalem was established in 2005 as part of the "Roadmap" for Peace developed by the administration of then-US President George W. Bush. The international team includes representatives from the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, Turkey, Poland, and Bulgaria, but it is chaired by the United States, whose representative is also the highest-ranking official in the group. Wenzel has held this position since 2021.

The coordinator's mission focuses on reforming and strengthening the Palestinian Authority's security forces and enhancing coordination with Israel, which the Israeli military has promoted as crucial to regional stability.

Supporters of retaining the position say it allows the three-star rank of US representative to reach high-ranking officials in Tel Aviv and Ramallah, who would not take the position seriously if it were held by a lower-ranking officer.

The Security Coordinator has proven critical during times of crisis in Israeli-Palestinian relations. When the Palestinian Authority announced it was severing security coordination with Israel amid the 2017 tensions surrounding the Temple Mount, the US Security Coordinator became the only channel through which the two sides could communicate to prevent further deterioration in relations.

The US Security Coordination Office also facilitates the transfer of much-needed weapons to Palestinian security forces, serving as a reassuring presence for skeptical observers in Israel whose tacit approval such deliveries require.

The US State Department, under former President Biden, repeatedly stated that it planned for the US Security Coordination Office to play a critical role in preparing Palestinian security forces to eventually secure the Gaza Strip in place of Hamas after the war.

General Finzel was also closely involved in efforts to encourage Israel and the Palestinian Authority to cooperate in the investigation into the 2022 killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.

“The US security coordinator in Jerusalem plays a critical role in protecting American interests and promoting stability in Israel and the Palestinian territories amidst an escalating conflict and crisis,” Senator Ossoff (D-GA) told Israeli media (The Times of Israel) on Tuesday. “Eliminating this position would be unwise and counterproductive, and I urge Secretary Rubio to reject any such proposal.”

For the 44th consecutive day since resuming its aggression on March 18, the Israeli army continues its devastating war on the Gaza Strip, leaving dozens dead and wounded daily amid a stifling blockade that has created an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in the Strip's history.

Airstrikes and artillery shelling continue on residential neighborhoods and displaced persons' tents, resulting in daily tragedies for civilians.

Civil Defense also reported that the death toll from the ongoing Israeli bombing and airstrikes on the Gaza Strip since dawn on Wednesday has risen to 19, noting that 14 of them were killed in the central Gaza Strip.

The Director General of the Ministry of Health in Gaza said, "What is happening is a genocide against the Palestinian race," noting that the aggression has left more than 40,000 children orphaned so far.

For its part, Amnesty International described what is happening in Gaza as "genocide carried out live," condemning the ongoing mass killings and the denial of basic humanitarian aid to Palestinians.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres also expressed "grave concern" over the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, condemning the ongoing blockade on aid deliveries and stressing that more than two million people are living in a humanitarian emergency "beyond imagination," as he put it.

While Palestinians continue to resist the aggression under extremely harsh conditions, calls from international organizations for a ceasefire and the entry of aid continue to be ignored, deepening the tragedy of the besieged population.

This morning, Wednesday, Israeli occupation forces arrested citizens in various areas of the West Bank.

In Tulkarm, occupation forces arrested four citizens from Anabta, east of the governorate, after raiding their homes. They are: Hussam Abdel Salam Bilbeisi, Muhammad Islam Abu Riya, Sand Al-Masry, and Osama Numan Majli. They also arrested Yasser Abu Amra from his home in the town of Far'un, south of Tulkarm.

In Hebron, occupation forces arrested Yousef Abu Atwan, Qassem Atrash, Muhammad Abu Atwan, and Mahmoud Abu Atwan, after raiding and searching their homes in the village of Tabqa.

The occupation also detained dozens of citizens and subjected them to field investigations before later releasing them.

The occupation forces also closed the military checkpoint on Shuhada Street in the center of Hebron and prevented residents from entering or leaving.

Written by: Mufaaz Ahmed Youssef

Researcher at Georgetown University-Washington.

"The function of freedom is to set someone else free," said the African-American literary pioneer Toni Morrison, after facing the harshness of discrimination and fighting to break the political and social restrictions that had shackled her movement. Her voice would not have reached its full potential had it not been for the raging human rights movement in the United States and the spaces it opened up at the legal and political levels.

Morrison learned the meaning of freedom from her pain, and dedicated herself to ensuring that others could have it, just as she had once dreamed of it for herself.

In a scene of pain, suffering, and injustice, this narrative exile began, and I found myself in the depths of its becoming.

I am Palestinian, and my national identity is synonymous with oppression and suffering. Not a day goes by without bringing new wounds and scars to my people; physical, psychological, and emotional wounds.

During the genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, I lost the dearest person to my heart: my friend Salma, whose life was snatched away by Israeli occupation missiles, along with twenty members of her family, on October 24, 2023.

My husband, Badr Khan Suri, of Indian descent, came to the United States as a postdoctoral researcher, specializing in peacebuilding and conflict resolution studies.

When Dr. Badr Khan arrived in America, he was impressed by the political freedom and intellectual openness that characterized the country when he enrolled at Georgetown University. He resolved to devote his efforts to research and giving for the sake of peace, while I remained in the Indian capital, Delhi, to pursue my work and family affairs.

But it is a time burdened with the sight of injustice, and there is no place for peace and stability!!

The world today is witnessing the annihilation of Gaza in a horrific, spine-chilling silence. As the scale of the catastrophe and the aggression against the Gaza Strip escalated, I was overcome by a strange sense of shock and bewilderment, and my country's pain became beyond my patience and endurance.

My husband, Dr. Badr Khan, would call me and comfort me, and for a time I found his kind words to help me be patient and endure. His support during that catastrophic war provided some balance to the sad news I heard daily about the loss of a friend or relative.

Dr. Badr Khan was my everything; a caring husband and a loyal friend; he gave me the strength and courage to persevere despite the distance between us. And when I was drowning in my grief, consumed by the pain of what I was hearing and seeing on television, he insisted that I not stay away from him. He invited me to come to the United States to be with him and our three children, which was what we had both hoped and hoped for.

Accordingly, I left my job at the Qatari Embassy in Delhi and joined my husband, a researcher and lecturer at Georgetown University in the US capital.

Despite all the goodness that fate has in store for us, which we cannot deny and therefore thank God Almighty, the ongoing war of genocide in the Gaza Strip, where my family, relatives, and childhood playground and youth schoolmates live, continues to stir my pain and sorrow. I still live in a state of constant anxiety and turmoil, and suffer from deep depression. I am haunted by obsessions and nightmares whenever I receive news from Gaza. The holocaust, with its scenes of killing, starvation, and siege, brings nothing but heartbreak and tremors.

As a result, Dr. Badr Khan put aside his own academic ambitions to support me in my weakness and shower me with his support and compassion, not only for me, but also for our children, who had long been absent from the warmth and care of his hands.

Badr Khan patiently endured the harsh conditions I was going through, fearing for my family from the almost daily crimes committed by the occupation army, and he worked hard to restore some balance and reassurance to my being.

It's worth noting that I hold a master's degree in peace and conflict resolution from the Nelson Mandela Center in India, one of the most prestigious centers for South Asian studies. In a context of widespread anxiety and worry, my husband encouraged me to apply for another master's degree at Georgetown University and offered his full support, saying, "This is my gift to you... you deserve happiness in your heart."

A new window onto campus opened for our children; they played under the cherry trees, laughed with the students, and began to feel that Georgetown, the neighboring residential neighborhood, was a "second home" for them.

Despite all the relief my children felt in adjusting to their exile, Gaza and the pain of its people never left my heart for a single moment.

During my husband's years of study and work, I considered returning to Gaza to be with my family and relatives until he could complete his academic duties and postdoctoral fellowship. However, the outbreak of war in October 2023 cut off any hope of achieving this.

We started building a new life in the United States. Badr Khan had preceded me in coming to America and joining Georgetown University as a researcher and lecturer.

At a pivotal moment in my life, I packed my bags and joined him after more than a year and a half. I began my master's degree in Arabic studies. Our children started school, made friends, and gradually adapted to American life. For the first time in years, we felt like we had a safe haven, as stability found its way into our lives.

The peace of mind did not last long, as Gaza began to bleed once again. The Israeli bombardment became insane, forcing my family to flee and live in tents, enduring the summer heat and winter cold, and suffering from the fear of forced displacement and targeting from which no one was spared.

So, I live in fear, waiting for a call that might bring me another obituary for one of my loved ones.

One day I asked my mother how she was, and she replied, "I am still alive, and if I die, don't cry. Death tomorrow is easier for us than what we are going through now."

The nights have become sleepless, and the events around me are heavier than anyone can ignore.

The January ceasefire offered a glimmer of hope, but it quickly faded when it was broken on March 17. The most difficult chapter of this war began with a horrific massacre, in which the people of Gaza lost more than 400 people, most of them women and children, in a single day, according to Amnesty International.

Then, I called my family in a panic. No one answered! My heart was pounding until it almost stopped. When I finally heard my mother's voice, her wailing was heartbreaking: "They're killing us, mom... bombs are everywhere... pray for us... love..." And the line went dead.

Actually, that wasn't my hardest time.

Hours later, the phone rang. It was Dr. Badr Khan, his voice trembling. “Mafaz, come quickly... they’re arresting me.” “Who?” I asked in panic. “Come immediately.” I ran to look for him, only to find three masked men surrounding him, searching his belongings.

His face reflected an uncharacteristic panic. They handcuffed him and led him to a police car. I spoke to them, trying to understand: "Who are you? And why are you taking him?" The answer was: "Homeland Security. The government has revoked his visa."

Before he left, Badr Khan said to me, “Bring my official papers and passport.” I rushed home and my nine-year-old asked, “Where is my father? Why are you carrying his things?” I made an effort to smile and replied, “He left and will be back soon.” But my son was suspicious. “You’re crying… Is my father okay?” I told him, “Yes, my love. The war has started again in Gaza.” He was surprised, “Again?”

He is my child, the closest to his father, sleeping in his lap and always saying to him, "You are my little teddy bear." That night, he hugged his teddy and remained silent, no doubt trying to find meaning in the new emptiness.

The next day, I watched the news to understand what was going on around me. Reports said he was accused of "connections with Hamas." I almost laughed at the absurdity of this, given what I had known about him for eleven years: an insatiable passion for knowledge and reading books. He always reminded me of James Baldwin when he said, "I sometimes think, what would I do if there were no books?"

Dr. Badr Khan is known not to be an extremist, but rather a scholar, researcher, loving professor, devoted father, and loyal husband. He does not deserve to be deprived of the warmth of his family, the company of his students, and his books.

The specter of his joy when he was accepted into Georgetown University is still etched in my memory. Tears filled his eyes with joy at that time, and he had no idea that his days would suddenly change, in a land where he dreamed of freedom and justice.

His absence, which has now lasted for months, tears our children's hearts apart every moment. They constantly ask about him: "Why didn't he call? Did something happen to him? Call him!" I hid the truth from them, until my eldest son heard my conversation with the lawyer. He came over to hug me and said: "He will be back soon, Mom. Please don't cry..." At that point, my tongue was at a loss for words, and all that remained for me was a tear that flowed from my eye socket and a hug filled with tenderness.

Every night, my children send voice messages to their father's phone, saying: "Dad... where are you? We missed you... did you sleep? We love you... we want to hug you."

On Eid, the pain doubled. Last year, we prayed together at the university mosque, bought the boys new clothes, and smiled for the camera under the cherry trees surrounding campus. This year, there was no Eid, no prayer, and no laughter.

Badr Khan called us from his detention center asking, "Is it still Ramadan? Or is Eid coming? I'm fasting." My heart ached and I answered, "Today is Eid." He said, "I wish I were here with you. I'm alone, a stranger. No one knows me here."

In this atmosphere that surrounded me and left me alone with my sorrows, I was unable to attend my classes, as I bore responsibility for the children alone. When they fell ill a few days ago, I took them to the emergency room myself for the first time. I realized then how much Badr Khan was their refuge when they were sick. One of them said, the pain evident on his face, "My father was our doctor." I knew that day how much they missed him, and in their eyes were many messages and sorrow.

More than a month has passed since Badr Khan was kidnapped from us, and as I write these lines, my body has not stopped trembling, it is burdened with pain and sorrow.

Dr. Badr Khan is a sensitive human being, and it is ridiculous to accuse him of anything related to terrorism. He is a researcher who has dedicated his knowledge to conflict resolution.

My husband is not a criminal, but an academic and an advocate for freedom and peace.

I am not affiliated with any political party or group, but rather a wife, mother, and researcher in humanitarian affairs.

I am Palestinian, my heart aches for Gaza, and I am American by birth and believe in freedom of opinion and expression.

We came here dreaming of knowledge, work, opportunities and the liberation of energies.

We did not come to torture or detain. We believe in peace and justice. That is why what we demand and chant for is:

Freedom for Badr Khan!!

And freedom for Palestine!!

1

Written by: Younis Al-Tirawi - Jerusalem

Just one month ago, in one of the bloodiest crimes against humanitarian action in decades, an Israeli military commander perpetrated a horrific massacre in the Gaza Strip, killing fifteen humanitarian aid workers. This commander, identified by Pal Commission, is Major Nikolai (Niko) Ashurov, a Russian national who served as deputy commander of the Golani Brigade's reconnaissance battalion. In a tragic irony, just three days after his discharge from the army, Ashurov left for the Congo to work as a mercenary for a private security company.

The details of the crime date back to the early hours of March 23, 2025, when a Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance was on its way to rescue victims of a previous Israeli bombardment of the Hashashin neighborhood of Rafah. As it passed through the Barakasat area west of the city, soldiers from the Golani Reconnaissance Unit set up a deadly ambush, opening heavy fire on the ambulances, killing two paramedics and arresting a third. Later, a convoy of ambulances and civil defense vehicles headed to the same location met the same fate. Eight Red Crescent personnel and five civil defense personnel were killed, while one civil defense member was arrested and his whereabouts remain unknown. A short time later, a UN employee who arrived at the scene after hearing gunfire while attempting to provide assistance was executed.

The massacre was not impromptu. A legal draft reviewed by Al-Quds, prepared by legal experts from the New York-based Pal Commission, established that the attack was carried out under the direct orders of Nikolai Ashurov, who commanded the force on the ground. The evidence compiled by the draft included military records, social media activity, and multiple interactions with acquaintances and soldiers connected to the officer, all of which prove that Ashurov ordered his soldiers to open fire indiscriminately.

Statements by Israeli military leaders in the days preceding the massacre revealed the mentality that led to this crime. In a video recording, the battalion commander, Lt. Col. David Cohen, is seen giving orders to his soldiers before they entered Rafah, saying: "Everyone we encounter is an enemy. If you see anyone, kill him immediately. Don't hesitate." This doctrine of mass killing was also confirmed by Colonel Tal Elkobi, commander of the 14th Brigade, under which the battalion operated, when he told the Hebrew press that they "rain down heavy fire on the area before each attack, so that only those who survive are killed."

Commenting on these statements, Professor Luigi Danieli, a professor of the law of armed conflict at the University of Nottingham in Britain, described what is happening to Al-Quds newspaper as "a complete collapse of the principle of distinction between civilians and combatants," asserting that "every Palestinian in Gaza has become a legitimate target for killing by decision of a field commander."

Israeli sources revealed that one day after the Pal Commission revealed the officer's identity, Lt. Col. Cohen sent an internal message to his troops, stressing that the operation "was not a moral failure, quite the opposite." Cohen stated that "Niko," i.e., Nikolai Ashurov, was the battalion's deputy commander during the operation, praising him as an "outstanding and principled officer," and emphasizing that "the unit's leadership strongly supports the actions of every fighter who participated in the mission."

Professor Danieli believes that the Israeli battalion commander's statements are not an isolated incident, but rather a clear reflection of "systematic criminality" and "complete dehumanization." In his explanation, he noted that this dehumanization is not limited to combat behavior, but also extends to the way these commanders reinterpret the laws of war to justify their crimes. "These fighters are convinced that killing Palestinian civilians—including children—is not only a legitimate and moral act, but is seen as an act of heroism," Danieli said. He added that the commander's statement, "There is no moral failure, quite the opposite," clearly sums up this approach.

Danieli continues: “Israeli officers feel entitled to ignore any legal constraints, believing that some superior morality or special privilege justifies their actions. This is the fundamental truth: a delusion of genocide. A delusion made possible by years of whitewashing in Western discourse, in which concepts like ‘human shields’ and ‘collateral damage’ have been endlessly manipulated to obscure the clear and routine reality of mass killing, carried out indiscriminately and openly—even when the intent is not direct extermination, the near-absolute certainty of the outcome legally amounts to criminal intent to commit genocide, according to the jurisprudence of the International Criminal Court.”

According to an internal IDF investigation reviewed by Haaretz, the commander responsible for planning the attack was the deputy battalion commander, a position held by Ashurov at the time. Although the IDF's own investigation found no suspicious activity in the area, Ashurov ordered the ambulances to be fired upon as soon as they passed.

In the first attack, a Palestinian ambulance was targeted, killing two paramedics and capturing one survivor. In the second attack, as the relief convoy approached, Ashurov ordered his forces to unleash a new barrage of bullets, killing 12 more, some of whom were executed at close range, according to investigations. This was confirmed by eyewitness Dr. Saeed al-Bardawil, who was detained with the force and witnessed the crime firsthand. Ashurov himself opened fire on a UN vehicle, killing Kamal Shahtout, the UN field security officer in Rafah.

Nikolai Ashurov is not just an ordinary soldier. He was born in Russia and immigrated to Israel as a child, settling with his family in the city of Sderot. During his military service, he held several command positions in the Golani Brigade, commanding platoons and companies in the special reconnaissance unit. Shortly before his discharge, he participated in a military mission to Morocco as part of the "African Lion" exercise organized by the US Africa Command.

In an attempt to confirm Nikolai Ashurov's identity, we focused on a striking detail highlighted by Hallel Biton-Rozin, the military correspondent for Israel's Channel 14. In her report, she spoke about "N." She described him as "one of Israel's heroes," saying that after being discharged from military service, he moved into business in Africa. However, the injury of the battalion's deputy commander necessitated his urgent return to the army, where he "didn't hesitate for a moment; he left everything and returned," she said.

But talk of "business in Africa" wasn't as innocent as the reports suggested. From the start, we were suspicious: Information indicated that several Israeli soldiers—mutual friends of officer Nikolai Ashurov—operated as mercenaries in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during 2023. This raised questions about Ashurov's possible involvement in these activities. Initially, we had no direct evidence linking Ashurov to any operations in Africa, other than his social connections. However, the turning point came just three days after he completed his military service: One of his closest friends, Moshe Hasid—himself the target of our investigation—posted an explicit recruitment advertisement on his personal Facebook page for "combat soldiers to train African armies," promising high salaries. This is when the story began to unravel.

Moshe Hasid isn't just a casual friend of Nikolai Ashurov; they have a longstanding relationship dating back to 2021, with Hasid having previously publicly expressed support for him, adding a personal and professional dimension to their collaboration. We reached out to Hasid posing as a recruiter interested in the job. The response was swift: "Hello, brother, talk to him," along with a phone number and a picture of his WhatsApp profile—which, to our surprise, was that of Nikolai Ashurov himself, the perpetrator of the Rafah massacre.

In a WhatsApp exchange, Ashurov confirmed that he was working on a security project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and that they were preparing to launch in early July. The project is being run under the name Fortress, an Israeli company specializing in security and military training. “The company doesn’t have a website,” Ashurov explained in his messages, adding, “That’s not how a company works in this world.” He wasn’t prepared to reveal too much in writing and asked to have a voice call with me to explain the details.

Call with the butcher

And that's what we did. I made the phone call, and Ashurov spoke freely about the nature of his work. He revealed that he is one of three managers of Fortress, a company that oversees the training of special forces and regular battalions in the Congo. He indicated that the company's commander is Nir Yatom, a former officer in the Yatom special forces unit and the son of former Mossad chief and general, Danny Yatom.

The company offered me a monthly salary of 27,000 Israeli shekels, and Ashurov confirmed that he would be in the Congo with me to directly supervise operations. The projects include the so-called "Commando Project" and the "Panzer Project," which are part of a program to train Congolese forces to counter the M-23 insurgency.

F

During the investigation, we sought to get Nikolai Ashurov to confess his responsibility for the massacre that occurred while he was commanding the force in Rafah. During the conversation, we succeeded in extracting this confession. When he realized we had information about his role, he asked in surprise, "How did you know it was me?"

After we presented him with a convincing excuse, he made a decisive confession:

"It's all over and done with. Everything is for the best. Brother, the army isn't my career—I only came back because they asked me to. I work in security in Africa here and there. Everything will be fine." These words weren't just a personal justification; they opened a window into a broader network of Israeli security activities in Africa.

According to a report in Israel Hayom, Fortress – International Missions Ltd., where Ashurov is confirmed to be a director, is one of the most prominent Israeli security companies currently active on the continent. The former Mossad chief commented to the newspaper: “In my opinion, Nir will not want to talk to you, because this type of activity prefers to remain out of the spotlight.” The presence of Israeli military expertise in Africa is not new, but its scope and intensity have increased to unprecedented levels in recent years. According to the Africa Report platform, Israeli companies have played a key role in training Congolese army forces to confront the M-23 armed rebellion. President Felix Tshisekedi, who took office in 2019, has deepened this trend, using private Israeli companies not only to secure senior figures but also to train the Republican Guard—consistent with Ashurov’s description of the “commando” project he spoke about during the conversation.

This increased use of Israeli mercenaries and military experts has come at a steep financial cost, with reports indicating that hundreds of millions of dollars have been drained from the state treasury to finance these secret contracts. The concern has not gone unnoticed; it prompted Congolese financial authorities, represented by the Financial Investigation Unit (CENAREF), to open an official investigation last year into the scale and impact of these activities on the national economy.

Nikolai Ashurov was only one exposed link in an integrated system where Israeli war crimes in Gaza intersect with mercenary projects and security hegemony in the heart of Africa. From the devastated streets of Rafah to the tropical forests of the Congo, killers move with impunity, carrying with them a culture of impunity, cloaked behind private corporate fronts and supported by transnational political and military structures. While the world continues to turn a blind eye to the massacres committed against Palestinian civilians, the seeds of the coming catastrophe are being sown elsewhere in the forgotten world, where the same patterns of violence, corruption, and abuse are being repeated. Nikolai Ashurov's case is not an exception—it is the rule. Unless this shameful international silence is broken, the "Rafah massacre" will continue to recur, under different names and titles, but with the same impunity.

The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip issued a new appeal for help, warning of a catastrophic deterioration in the health and humanitarian situation resulting from the continued closure of crossings and the prevention of the entry of vital aid.

The ministry confirmed that this closure has exacerbated the situation to an unprecedented degree, particularly in hospitals, of which only 20 out of 38 are operating partially.

The ministry's director general noted in press statements that more than 100 children died while waiting for the crossings to reopen for treatment, while approximately 40,000 children were orphaned as a result of the aggression. He emphasized that "those we have lost as a result of the indirect consequences of the war are more numerous than those killed by the occupation's fire."

He added that nearly one million children are deprived of life-saving aid, while infants and pregnant women are suffering from a dire crisis due to lack of food and care.

He also confirmed that there are 3,000 trucks carrying humanitarian aid stuck, awaiting permission to enter the Gaza Strip.

The ministry accused the Israeli occupation of "exterminating the Palestinian race" and denying children and civilians access to water and food, noting that more than 360 health workers have been arrested by occupation forces since the start of the war.

The Gaza Health Ministry called on the international community and its institutions to fulfill their duty and save whatever can be saved from the catastrophic situation that threatens the lives of civilians, especially children.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Tuesday that the promise of a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is "at risk of fading." He said that political commitment to this long-term goal is "further away than ever."

This came in a speech delivered during a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue, chaired by the French Foreign Minister, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Council this month.

Guterres said the two-state solution is approaching the "point of no return," stressing that the international community bears a responsibility to prevent the prolongation of occupation and violence.

The Secretary-General called on UN member states to "take irreversible steps to achieve a two-state solution and not allow extremists on either side to undermine what remains of the peace process."

Guterres also noted that the Middle East is undergoing fundamental transformations, marked by violence and turmoil, but also by opportunities and potential. He said that people across the region are seeking a better future, not endless conflict and suffering.

For his part, Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian representative to the United Nations, accused Israel of using "starvation" as a weapon of war against civilians subjected to relentless bombardment in the Gaza Strip.

He added in his speech: "The immediate ceasefire must be resumed, and all its objectives must be achieved," noting that there are solutions under which Hamas will not rule the Gaza Strip, a key Israeli demand.

Mansour expressed hope that the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, with the support of the international community, would be able to ensure a return to the ceasefire agreement.

Israeli occupation forces stormed the town of Beita and the village of Beit Dajan in Nablus Governorate on Tuesday evening, sparking clashes.

According to local sources, occupation forces stormed Beit Dajan and Beit Tafilah, firing live ammunition, sound bombs, and tear gas, sparking clashes. No injuries were reported.

In the same context, local sources reported that occupation forces arrested a young man at the Deir Sharaf military checkpoint west of Nablus, but his identity is not yet known.

Five civilians, including two children, were killed and others injured Tuesday evening in an Israeli airstrike on the Al-Mawasi area west of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.

According to local sources, the occupation aircraft targeted the tents of displaced people in Al-Istable Street in the Al-Mawasi area west of Khan Yunis, which led to the martyrdom of five citizens: Youssef Abdel Quddous Suleiman Al-Mudallal (9 years old), Maysara Abdel Quddous Suleiman Al-Mudallal (8 years old), Mansour Muhammad Mansour Abu Muammar (75 years old), Sobhi Ismail Jarghoun, and Abdul Rahman Muhammad Al-Maghari.

Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli occupation forces have launched an aggression against the Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of 52,365 citizens, the majority of whom were children and women, and the injury of 117,905 others. This is a preliminary toll, with a number of victims still under the rubble and on the streets, unable to be reached by ambulances and rescue teams.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's convoy was involved in a traffic accident in occupied Jerusalem on Tuesday.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority confirmed that Netanyahu was not injured in the incident.

The Hebrew newspaper "Israel Hayom" reported that one of the convoy's vehicles collided with a motorcycle near Netanyahu's office in Jerusalem.

Hebrew sources did not disclose additional details regarding the causes of the accident or the resulting damage.

Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Tuesday that Tel Aviv will not stop the war until "hundreds of thousands" of Palestinians are displaced from the Gaza Strip, Syria is divided, and Iran is disarmed of its nuclear weapons.

This came in a speech he delivered in the Eli settlement in the central West Bank, which he posted on his X account.

He added: "We will end this campaign when Syria is dismantled, Hezbollah (Lebanon) is defeated, Iran is stripped of its nuclear threat, Gaza is cleansed of Hamas, hundreds of thousands of its residents leave for other countries, our hostages return, some to their homes and some to the graves of Israel, and the State of Israel becomes stronger and more prosperous."

He claimed that these were the goals agreed upon by all Israelis, not just the government, adding: "This is the final form of the campaign imposed on us. This is the order of the day in the face of a brutal enemy. This is the will of hundreds and thousands of our fighters."

Addressing Netanyahu, he said: "Mr. Prime Minister, this is the time to change the history of the State of Israel and the people of Israel. The entire government and the people will be with you and support you in your decision to do everything in our power to strengthen Israel's security. We, and you, have no right to miss this opportunity."

With American support, Israel has been committing genocidal crimes in Gaza since October 7, 2023, leaving more than 170,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 11,000 missing.

Tel Aviv estimates that there are 59 Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip, 24 of whom are alive.

On October 8, 2023, Israel launched an aggression against Lebanon, which escalated into a full-scale war on September 23, 2024, resulting in more than 4,000 deaths and approximately 17,000 injuries, in addition to the displacement of approximately 1.4 million people.

Although the new Syrian administration, headed by Ahmad al-Sharaa, has not threatened Israel in any way, Tel Aviv has been launching airstrikes on Syria on an almost daily basis for months, killing civilians and destroying Syrian military sites, vehicles, and ammunition.

Since 1967, Israel has occupied most of the Syrian Golan Heights. Taking advantage of the new situation in the country following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime, it occupied the Syrian buffer zone and declared the collapse of the 1974 disengagement agreement between the two sides.

The UN Security Council held a ministerial meeting on Tuesday evening regarding the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue.

The meeting will be chaired by the French Foreign Minister, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Council this month, and will be attended by the UN Secretary-General.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the promise of the two-state solution is in danger of fading into oblivion, warning that it is approaching the point of no return.

He stressed that the international community bears the responsibility to prevent the prolongation of occupation and violence, calling on UN member states to take irreversible steps to achieve a two-state solution and not allow extremists on either side to undermine what remains of the peace process.

Guterres added that the Middle East is witnessing fundamental transformations, characterized by violence and volatility, but also by opportunities and potential.

He stated that people across the region demand and deserve a better future, rather than endless conflict and suffering, stressing the need to work collectively to ensure that this turbulent and transitional period meets these aspirations and results in justice, dignity, rights, security, and lasting peace.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemned, on Tuesday, the occupation forces' arrest of journalist Ali Al-Samoudi.

It is noteworthy that the occupation forces arrested Al-Quds newspaper correspondent Ali Al-Samoudi this morning, Tuesday, after raiding his home and destroying its contents in the Al-Zahraa neighborhood in Jenin.

The number of journalists detained in Israeli occupation prisons has risen to 49, since the start of the aggression on October 7, 2023, following the arrest of journalist Ali Al-Samoudi from Jenin this morning.

The Prisoners Club explained in a statement that the 49 detained journalists are among (177) journalists who have been arrested and detained since the beginning of the genocide, based on documentation and monitoring operations conducted by the institutions.

He said that the occupation authorities continue to escalate their targeting of Palestinian journalists through systematic arrests, in addition to daily targeting of journalists while they are performing their work. This is in addition to the ongoing assassinations of journalists in Gaza, which is currently the bloodiest period for journalists, in an ongoing attempt to target the truth and the Palestinian narrative.

The Prisoners Club confirmed that the occupation authorities in the West Bank target journalists through administrative detention, i.e. under the pretext of having a "secret file." Their number among the total number of detained journalists is (19). The last two journalists to receive administrative detention orders were Samer Khuwaira and Ibrahim Abu Safiyya.

In addition to administrative detention, the occupation targets journalists through arrests on the grounds of what it calls "incitement," meaning they are detained on the grounds of freedom of opinion and expression. Social media platforms have become a tool for suppressing journalists and imposing further control and censorship over their work.

The Prisoners' Club noted that journalists are subjected to all the systematic crimes faced by detainees, including starvation, medical crimes, torture, and numerous forms of abuse.

It is noteworthy that dozens of Gaza journalists continue to be detained by the occupation under the "Unlawful Combatant" law, and some of them remain subject to enforced disappearance.

The Prisoners' Club reiterated its call for the international human rights community to restore its true and necessary role and end the systematic inaction that has cast a shadow over the humanitarian system since the beginning of the genocide, one of the most significant manifestations of which are the crimes committed against detainees in Israeli occupation prisons and camps. It also called for ensuring the protection of journalists and their work, which has been the most prominent tool in uncovering the extent of the genocide.

He noted that the arrests included those who were arrested and kept in detention by the occupation, as well as those who were later released.

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education said that 14,784 students have been killed and 24,766 injured since the start of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and the West Bank on October 7, 2023.

The Ministry of Education stated in a statement on Tuesday that the number of students killed in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the aggression has reached more than 14,649, and those injured has reached 23,936. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, 135 students were killed, 830 others were injured, and 724 were arrested.

It noted that 880 teachers and administrators were killed and 4,247 were injured in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and more than 193 were arrested in the West Bank.

It pointed out that 352 public schools were severely damaged as a result of the occupation's aggression, including the complete destruction of 111 schools, while 91 public schools and 89 schools affiliated with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) were bombed and vandalized. In addition, 20 higher education institutions were severely damaged, as 60 university buildings were completely destroyed. 146 schools and 8 universities in the West Bank were stormed and vandalized, in addition to the destruction of the walls of a number of schools in Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas.

The Ministry of Education also noted that the occupation authorities have notified UNRWA schools in Jerusalem of their closure on the 8th of next month.

The Ministry of Education confirmed that 788,000 students in the Gaza Strip have been denied access to schools and universities since the start of the aggression, with most students suffering from psychological trauma and facing difficult health conditions.

Washington - Saeed Erekat - April 29, 2029

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of the far-right Jewish Power party, held meetings with four Republican members of Congress on Monday during a visit to the Capitol. (U.S. Capitol)

Ben-Gvir, an outspoken supporter of ethnic cleansing in Gaza, said that among the lawmakers he met was Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who previously volunteered in the Israeli military and wore an IDF uniform at the Capitol.

Mast is a strong supporter of Israeli settlements and recently directed his staff to refer to the Israeli-occupied West Bank as "Judea and Samaria," a biblical name used by the State of Israel to refer to the Palestinian territories.

It is noteworthy that Ben-Gvir is a settler in the West Bank, and is working with his supporters in the United States and Israel to annex the West Bank.

Ben-Gvir also met with Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), and Mike Lawler (R-NY). The Israeli minister said he did not come to discuss a specific issue, but rather wanted the American lawmakers to get to know him.

"I didn't ask them afterward if they would vote for Ben-Gvir, but they wanted to get to know me, and I think they really liked what they heard from me," he said.

Ben-Gvir added that the lawmakers expressed their full support for Israel and did not pressure him to change his policies. These meetings come as Israel kills dozens of Palestinians in Gaza daily and has imposed a comprehensive blockade on the territory since March 2, with children starving.

Ben-Gvir had called on Israel to bomb food and aid warehouses inside Gaza, claiming he received support for the idea from senior Republican officials he met at US President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida last week. The Israeli minister faced protests during his travels in the United States and was confronted by anti-war activists while at the Capitol.

"Israeli war criminal Itamar Ben-Gvir is powerless to confront the protesters at the US Capitol," Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin said in a post on X, which included a video of the confrontation with Ben-Gvir. Benjamin added, "As Minister of National Security, Ben-Gvir openly supported ethnic cleansing in Gaza and deliberately bombed civilians, aid, and civilian infrastructure."

Data and statistics published by the Arab Workers Union in Nazareth on Monday evening indicate that only 700 workers from the Gaza Strip, out of a total of 18,000, received their wages and compensation from their Israeli employers.

The union published the results of a study containing disturbing data on the suffering of thousands of Gazan workers who worked in Israel during the October 7, 2023, attack and war on Gaza.

The research reveals interesting data on the number of missing workers, those killed in the war, and those who had rights and benefits in Israel for the duration of their employment but did not receive them.

The workers' union released this data on the occasion of International Workers' Day, which falls on May 1st. Trade unions across Europe and the world will not be marking this year due to the genocide being perpetrated against workers in Gaza.

The Israeli military continued its escalation of air, land, and sea attacks on the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, targeting populated areas, including displaced persons' tents and shelters, amid widespread destruction of residential buildings and ongoing shelling across the Strip.

On the 43rd day of the resumption of Israeli aggression, Israeli forces committed new massacres against civilians, concentrated in Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip, and extending to areas in Khan Yunis as well.

Residential neighborhoods in Gaza City witnessed the most intense airstrikes, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries. Meanwhile, the Israeli army continued targeting tents for displaced people in the Mawasi area of Khan Yunis and destroying residential buildings in Rafah.

According to the Civil Defense, three people were killed when an Israeli drone bombed a group of displaced people in the Qizan al-Najjar area, south of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.

The two brothers, Khaled and Abdul Karim Adel Helles, were also killed in an Israeli bombardment on the Shuja'iyya neighborhood east of Gaza City.

Two civilians were killed and two others were injured in an Israeli attack on Shuja'iyya, east of Gaza City.

According to local sources, 11 civilians were killed as a result of the ongoing Israeli bombardment since dawn on Tuesday.

This coincides with a catastrophic deterioration in the humanitarian situation, as Gaza faces a severe hunger crisis with food running out and water scarcity.

Dr. Ismail Al-Thawabta, Director General of the Government Media Office in the Gaza Strip, confirmed that the humanitarian and living conditions have reached unprecedented levels.

He pointed out that basic food supplies have almost run out in markets and warehouses, especially in the southern governorates where most of the displaced have taken refuge.

The Israeli army is setting fire to agricultural land in the northern Gaza Strip, claiming it is exposing tunnel exits, mines, and the presence of Palestinian fighters near the border fence.

The area being burned by the Israeli military in recent days spans thousands of dunams, and is being surveyed using small drones, Channel 12 reported Tuesday.

The Israeli military claims that in this way it uncovered the exits of several tunnels, and that it found various weapons and "intelligence material" in one of them.

The channel quoted an Israeli officer as saying that one of the goals of burning the fields was to "ensure the security of the residents of the Gaza envelope. Clearing this area allows us to see terrorists and enemy weapons much better, using small drones and other sophisticated means."

The Israeli army began burning agricultural fields following armed clashes between its forces and Palestinian fighters in recent days, during which two Israeli soldiers were killed in Shuja'iyya.

The Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs condemned the Israeli occupation forces and a group of settlers for raising Israeli flags over the roof and walls of the Ibrahimi Mosque, under the pretext of celebrating the establishment of the occupying state.

The ministry affirmed in a statement on Tuesday that this step represents a blatant violation of the sanctity of the Ibrahimi Mosque, a provocation of Muslim sentiments, and a new aggression that adds to the ongoing series of violations against Islamic holy sites.

She explained that the Ibrahimi Mosque has recently been subjected to systematic attacks, including the prohibition of the call to prayer, the prevention of its workers from performing their duties, and the harassment of worshippers through barriers and electronic gates, in addition to Judaization projects aimed at obliterating its Islamic character and altering its historical and religious features.

The ministry stressed that the Ibrahimi Mosque is a purely Islamic endowment, and that no one has the right to tamper with it or alter its features. It affirmed that it will continue its efforts to protect it and preserve its religious and historical character.

She called on the international community, human rights organizations, and institutions concerned with protecting religious and cultural heritage to intervene immediately to halt these ongoing Israeli violations and work to protect Islamic and Christian holy sites in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Israeli occupation forces seized medical facilities and a private vehicle belonging to a citizen in Ein al-Hilweh in the northern Jordan Valley on Tuesday.

Mahdi Daraghmeh, head of the village council in Al-Maleh, reported that the occupation forces seized health facilities belonging to several families and seized a vehicle belonging to Jamal Turki Saleh Fuqaha in Ein al-Hilweh in the Jordan Valley.

In recent months, Ain al-Hilweh has witnessed an increase in the type and scale of attacks carried out by settlers, under the protection of the occupation army, against citizens and their property.

Israeli security officials were surprised when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed "secret information" during a speech he gave the day before yesterday regarding an operation carried out by Israeli intelligence before the detonation of pagers carried by Hezbollah members in Lebanon, Channel 12 reported Tuesday.

Netanyahu told the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) conference in Jerusalem, "In the third week of September, we learned that Hezbollah had sent three pagers to Iran for technical inspection. Before that, we blew up a similar pager they were about to bring in, and we eliminated the young man who was operating it."

The channel quoted security sources familiar with the details of the intelligence operation as confirming that Netanyahu revealed information deemed "top secret" and that only a few people were aware of it. Netanyahu also revealed that Israel "not only knew about the pagers being sent to Iran for testing, but also that it had managed to thwart the transfer of an explosives detection device and eliminate its operator."

The channel reported that the Israeli military censorship had refused to publish such information several times in the past, justifying this by stating that revealing it would harm state security and expose sources of information and intelligence methods.

A security source said, "This secret is not Netanyahu's personal property. Although the prime minister has the authority to publish it, revealing sensitive information must be done in consultation with the intelligence services."

The Israeli occupation forces continue their aggression on the city of Jenin and its camp for the 99th consecutive day.

Jenin Mayor Muhammad Jarrar told local sources that Israeli occupation forces began bulldozing areas in the eastern neighborhood of Jenin in the morning hours, and the operation is still ongoing.

He stressed that the city has suffered significant losses to infrastructure and property since the beginning of the aggression, with the estimated value of losses amounting to $300 million.

He noted that 800 housing units in the city were partially damaged, in addition to 15 buildings that have been demolished since the beginning of the aggression. Most of the damage to buildings and residences was concentrated in the eastern and Al-Hadaf neighborhoods.

Regarding the extent of the damage to the camp, Jarar confirmed that all citizens' homes and property inside the camp were completely or partially damaged, while the entire infrastructure was destroyed.

The occupation forces continue their destruction and bulldozing operations inside the camp, while continuing to prevent entry or access to it. Concerns have grown since the occupation forces installed iron gates at the camp's entrances a few days ago.

Since the beginning of the aggression, these forces have forced 790 families to flee the city, according to Jarar. In the city alone, 380 buildings have been evacuated of their residents, while families from the camp continue to be displaced and are prevented from returning. Estimates indicate that the number of displaced persons from the city and camp has exceeded 22,000.

Jarar also addressed the city's economic situation amid the ongoing aggression, as it is suffering significant economic losses, with some areas experiencing complete economic paralysis, particularly in the western neighborhoods.

**Tulkarm**

The Israeli occupation forces continue their aggression on the city of Tulkarm and its camp for the 93rd consecutive day, while the Nour Shams camp has entered its 80th day, amid ongoing field escalation and a relentless campaign of restrictions and sabotage targeting infrastructure and citizens' property.

Local sources reported that an Israeli bulldozer removed a landline telephone exchange near the Al-Saif Diwan in the Dhnaba suburb east of the city this morning, Tuesday, and bulldozed the main street in the area.

She added that the occupation forces raided a number of citizens' homes in the eastern neighborhood and around Faroun's garage in the southern neighborhood of the city at dawn today, and ransacked and destroyed their contents extensively, in a scene that has become a recurring feature of the raids and searches that target residents without justification.

Late last night, the Jabal Iskan Al-Muwatneen area in the Aktaba suburb, opposite Nour Shams camp, witnessed a heavy deployment of infantry units, accompanied by heavy firing of sound bombs.

The occupation forces continue to send military reinforcements, including vehicles and infantry units, into the city, its two camps, and its suburbs. This is accompanied by heavy firing of live ammunition and sound bombs, raids and searches of homes and shops, the destruction of their contents, and the interrogation and arrest of those present.

The city is witnessing daily active movements of occupation vehicles, patrolling the main and side streets, and setting up flying checkpoints, obstructing the movement of citizens and their vehicles, particularly on Nablus Street, Shuweika Roundabout in the northern district, Al-Haddadeen Street, the streets leading to the Thabet Thabet Governmental Hospital, Gamal Abdel Nasser Square, and the center of the vegetable market.

In an unprecedented development, occupation forces yesterday forced Palestinian Red Crescent Society crews to use their ambulances as military checkpoints on the road to Thabet Thabet Governmental Hospital. When the crews refused to comply, occupation soldiers threatened them with weapons.

Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps and their surroundings are witnessing a heavy deployment of occupation forces, firing live ammunition and sound bombs, with explosions being heard from time to time. This comes amidst a tight siege imposed on these camps, the closure of their entrances with earth mounds, and the accompanying raids and vandalism of homes, forcing the remaining residents to evacuate their homes at gunpoint.

The occupation forces also continue to seize homes and residential buildings on Nablus Street and the adjacent northern neighborhood, converting them into military barracks after forcibly evacuating their residents. They also station their vehicles and bulldozers in the vicinity.

The occupation's ongoing aggression and escalation against the city of Tulkarm and its two camps resulted in the deaths of 13 citizens, including a child and two women, one of whom was eight months pregnant, in addition to the injury and arrest of dozens.

It also resulted in the forced displacement of more than 4,200 families from the Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps, comprising more than 25,000 residents, along with hundreds of residents from the northern and eastern neighborhoods of the city after their homes were seized and a number of them converted into military barracks.

The aggression caused widespread destruction to the infrastructure, including homes, shops, and vehicles, which were completely and partially demolished, burned, vandalized, looted, and stolen. 396 homes were completely destroyed and 2,573 partially destroyed in the Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps, in addition to the closure of their entrances and alleys with earth mounds.

Today, Tuesday, settlers stormed the courtyards of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem, under the protection of the Israeli occupation police.

Eyewitnesses reported that settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in groups, conducted provocative tours of its courtyards, and performed Talmudic rituals under the protection of occupation forces.

Sources indicated that the settlers performed the Talmudic "Priest's Blessing" prayer in front of the Dome of the Rock during their storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The occupation police tightened their military measures at the gates of the Old City and Al-Aqsa Mosque, imposing restrictions on the entry of Palestinian worshippers.