The families of Israeli detainees in the Gaza Strip filed an urgent petition to the Supreme Court demanding that Energy Minister Eli Cohen's decision to cut off electricity to Gaza be overturned.

The petition states that this decision directly and immediately threatens the lives, health, and safety of the detainees. The petition was submitted by attorneys Morn Sporai and Gonen Ben-Yitzhak, and includes 47 petitioners, including family members of current and former captives, families of detainees in the Gaza Strip, families of detainees killed in captivity, and released prisoners or their family members.

The petitioners asserted that the decision to completely halt electricity supply to the Gaza Strip was taken without proper authority, without prior consultation with relevant authorities, without examining the direct and indirect consequences of the decision on the lives of the captives, and in complete and deliberate disregard for recommendations from the military and security agencies, which emphasized that cutting off electricity threatens the lives of the captives and soldiers stationed in the Gaza Strip.

It stated: “Without electricity, it is impossible to operate water purification systems, refrigerate life-saving medicines, operate essential medical equipment, or provide basic living conditions for detainees, a number of whom were injured on the day of their abduction, and some of whom suffer from chronic illnesses that require ongoing medical treatment.”

The petitioners asserted that this decision violates the fundamental rights to life and respect for human rights, constitutes a violation of the state's duty to protect the lives of its citizens, and is inconsistent with international humanitarian law.

In addition to overturning the Energy Minister's decision, the petitioners are requesting the court issue a precautionary order to immediately restore electricity supply to the Gaza Strip, pending a decision on their petition. They are also requesting that the defendants consider the consequences for detainees of any decisions they make regarding civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.

The Hebrew news website Walla reported that the Israeli army's engineering forces have so far discovered approximately 90 tunnels of varying lengths along the Philadelphi Corridor (from the closed Rafah crossing to the coast).

Some tunnels crossed the border with Israel, some reached the Palestinian-Egyptian border area, and some were unused and partially dug.

According to military sources, there may be additional tunnels that have not been discovered, despite the engineering activities carried out by the army in cooperation with the security forces, the Military Intelligence Directorate, and the General Intelligence Service (Shin Bet).

A security source said, "The working assumptions since October 7th are that we don't know everything, so it's likely that, with the halt to humanitarian aid to the Strip, various types of smuggling operations will occur, such as drones, boats, and others." The source confirmed the existence of tunnels crossing the border that have been sealed from an engineering standpoint and are under the control of the Israeli military. Most of the tunnels were sealed with special concrete, some were destroyed with explosives, and some remained under military control for intelligence and engineering investigations.

The security source expressed his belief that if the army had not been present in the Philadelphi area, the Palestinians would have used existing smuggling tunnels or built new ones. Information received by the security establishment and presented to Defense Minister Israel Katz indicates that Hamas is operating in several axes to receive Iranian aid with the aim of operating again against Israel. To this end, it is developing smuggling axes from Africa, particularly Sudan, and intends to rebuild forces in the Gaza Strip to carry out attacks. Under this pretext, Katz insists on not withdrawing from the Philadelphi route so that Hamas cannot rebuild its forces.

Presidential Spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh said, "The US retreat from the idea of displacing the Palestinian people from the Gaza Strip is an encouraging step in the right direction. We hope that these balanced statements by the US administration will continue to lead to a political path based on international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative."

He added, "We once again appreciate the unified Arab position rejecting displacement, which, along with the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and their adherence to their land, has contributed to the abandonment of these ideas."

He said there is a need to continue unified Palestinian-Arab coordination, as this is a very important strategic step that can be built upon to support the Arab vision for rebuilding the Gaza Strip and embarking on a political process that embodies the establishment of the State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the 1967 borders, to achieve security, stability, and prosperity for the peoples of the region.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Thursday that the death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 48,524, the majority of whom are children and women, since the start of the Israeli occupation's aggression on October 7, 2023.

It added that the death toll has risen to 111,955 since the start of the aggression, while a number of victims remain under the rubble, unable to be reached by ambulances and civil defense teams.

It pointed out that 9 dead (7 dead whose bodies were recovered, and 2 dead who were seriously injured) and 14 injuries arrived at hospitals in the Gaza Strip during the past 24 hours.

The Government Media Office in Gaza said on Thursday that the continued Israeli closure of the Strip's crossings has led to the closure of dozens of bakeries and paralyzed the transportation sector. The office warned that these measures are exacerbating the humanitarian catastrophe in an unprecedented manner and amount to a crime of collective strangulation targeting the daily lives of Palestinians.

The office added in a statement that the ban on fuel and cooking gas has caused dozens of bakeries to shut down, threatening the food security of more than 2.4 million Palestinians living in dire conditions due to the ongoing war and blockade.

He explained that this closure has also completely paralyzed the transportation sector, impacting citizens' movement and hindering their access to hospitals and medical facilities. It has also prevented thousands of workers and employees from commuting to work amid a deteriorating humanitarian situation.

Ismail Thawabta, Director General of the Government Media Office, described these measures as an extension of the occupation's policy of collective punishment, noting that the Israeli blockade has turned Gaza into a "large prison" in which residents suffer from systematic deprivation of basic rights.

The Government Media Office called on the international community and human rights and humanitarian organizations to take urgent action to pressure the occupation to open the crossings without restrictions and allow the entry of fuel and essential supplies, warning that the continuation of this blockade could lead to an unprecedented humanitarian disaster.

An investigation released by a special UN committee on Thursday confirmed that Israel committed acts of "genocide" in the Gaza Strip through the systematic destruction of sexual and reproductive health care facilities.

The UN Commission of Inquiry concluded that Israeli authorities "partially destroyed the reproductive capacity of Palestinians in Gaza as a group through the systematic destruction of the reproductive health sector, amounting to two categories of genocide."

The United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide defines this crime as any acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical or religious group.

The investigation found that Israel was involved in at least two of the five acts defined by the UN Convention as genocide.

He pointed out that Israel was "deliberately creating living conditions for the group (i.e., the Palestinians) calculated to bring about its physical destruction" and "imposing measures aimed at preventing births within the group."

"These violations not only cause severe immediate physical and psychological harm to women and girls, but also have long-term, irreparable consequences for the psychological and reproductive health and fertility prospects of Palestinians as a group," said the committee's chair, Navi Pillay, in a statement.

The UN Human Rights Council established the three-person Independent International Commission of Inquiry in May 2021 to investigate alleged violations of international law in Israel and the Palestinian territories.

The investigation revealed that Israel carried out systematic attacks targeting Gaza's health infrastructure, including hospitals and clinics providing reproductive health services.

He explained that this led to the near-total destruction of the health sector's ability to provide care to pregnant women and newborns.

He stressed that "the severe restrictions on essential medical supplies and medicines have exacerbated the deterioration of the reproductive health of women and girls in Gaza, directly contributing to the high rates of maternal and newborn mortality."

The UN committee documented specific cases of women suffering serious complications due to the disruption of reproductive health services.

The investigation stated that "doctors in Gaza were forced to perform emergency caesarean sections without adequate anesthesia or medical equipment, putting the lives of many women at risk."

He pointed out that these conditions constitute a direct targeting of the reproductive health of Palestinians, in flagrant violation of international law agreements.

The investigation confirmed that Israel's restrictions on humanitarian aid, including the denial of essential medical supplies and medications for pregnant women, were part of broader policies aimed at undermining the living conditions of the Palestinian population in Gaza.

He added, "The systematic destruction of reproductive health services is not just a byproduct of war, but a calculated strategy with far-reaching effects on birth rates and survival."

The committee reported that these Israeli policies are consistent with a pattern of measures that impede the continuation of life in Gaza, where severe shortages of medicines essential for treating complications of childbirth and breastfeeding have been documented.

The investigation also noted "the deteriorating health conditions of women amid widespread malnutrition, which further exacerbates the devastating impact on the ability of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to enjoy their basic reproductive and health rights."

Using sexual violence as a strategy of war

The UN commission confirmed that Israeli forces have used sexual and other forms of gender-based violence as part of their military strategy since October 7, 2023.

The investigation noted a sharp increase in cases of sexual violence committed by Israeli forces and settlers, both online and directly within the occupied Palestinian territories.

The report documented multiple testimonies of Palestinian women in Gaza being subjected to sexual violence and direct threats of sexual harm, whether during arrests, searches at military checkpoints, or forced evictions.

The commission emphasized that these attacks were not isolated incidents, but rather followed a pattern that reflected a systematic use of sexual violence as a means of intimidation and collective punishment.

Sexual humiliation and filming of abuse against men and children

The investigation documented the filming and recording of sexual violence against men and boys during arrests. The committee concluded that these violations were intended to humiliate Palestinian detainees and send a message of intimidation to their communities.

The investigation revealed that some Palestinian detainees were forced to strip completely naked in a manner intended to humiliate and degrade them.

The investigation noted an increase in cases of sexual violence against Palestinian detainees in Israeli detention centers. The committee documented cases in which prisoners were subjected to sexual harassment, threats of rape, and psychological torture using gender-based violence.

The investigation revealed that these practices are linked to the occupation's policies of repression and humiliation, in an attempt to weaken the morale of the victims and Palestinian society in general.

The investigation confirmed that Israeli forces used sexual violence and other forms of sexual humiliation during searches at military checkpoints and within forced evacuation areas.

The committee explained that these practices represent a clear violation of international law and amount to war crimes.

The committee recommended the need to open independent international investigations and hold those responsible for these crimes accountable before international courts.

Today, Thursday, the Israeli occupation authorities seized, under the pretext of a "military order," an area of 1,200 square meters in the city of Qalqilya.

Local sources reported that the occupation authorities issued a decision to seize land in the eastern region belonging to the Khalif family for military purposes.

An Israeli report predicts that US President Donald Trump will impose Israel's foreign policy on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, regarding war, peace, and prisoner exchanges with Hamas. The report also predicts that the "honeymoon" between the Trump administration and Netanyahu's government has "dissipated," revealing that Trump is the "ruler or king" of Israel.

When Netanyahu met with Trump in the Oval Office at the White House, he discovered that Trump was making strategic decisions for Israel on his behalf, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Wednesday. The newspaper noted that Trump, through his envoy, Steve Witkoff, imposed the first phase of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement, despite Netanyahu's rejection and efforts to thwart it for a full year.

The newspaper added that the United States is currently imposing on Israel a phase of negotiations with Lebanon regarding the border, while Netanyahu opposed this when former Prime Minister Yair Lapid signed the economic (maritime) border agreement with Lebanon. Netanyahu described it as an "agreement of betrayal and surrender" and pledged to cancel it.

When Netanyahu agreed to a ceasefire with Hezbollah, he surrendered to former US President Joe Biden, and has now turned to surrendering to Trump. In practice, Netanyahu will implement the exact agreement Lapid signed, according to the newspaper.

She continued, "Direct negotiations between the United States and Hamas were also imposed on the Israeli government. If these negotiations had succeeded and a deal had been concluded, Hamas would have realized that it was better off holding direct talks with Trump. As we shall see, all future steps will be imposed by the Americans, without any consideration of Israeli opinion."

According to the newspaper, Trump and Witkoff want the ceasefire to continue and the Israeli prisoners to be released. Unlike Biden, Netanyahu cannot say no to them, and they know this. Israel also complies with American dictates regarding UN resolutions, such as the pro-Russian resolution against Ukraine.

The newspaper added, "It must be said with integrity that Israel is being completely subjugated to the American agenda, and it seems to have been surprised to discover that Trump is not content with being the president of the United States, but rather wants to be the prime minister of Israel as well. Meanwhile, things are progressing well because the Israeli government is resignedly accepting all his demands and requests."

The newspaper continued its criticism of Netanyahu: “Netanyahu imagines that he won’t experience the same thing that happened to Zelensky (during his reprimand) in the White House, as long as he obeys Trump, of course. But when he stops doing that, Netanyahu could receive similar treatment, and he knows it. Netanyahu doesn’t seem to have a different path at the moment, which is why he remained silent when Trump’s envoy for prisoner affairs, Adam Boehler, was exposed in his negotiations with Hamas. This is also why there was no Israeli response when Boehler laughed at Secretary of State Ron Dermer during interviews and talked about a cup of coffee with a Hamas leader.”

The newspaper continued, saying that an agreement between Israel and Lebanon is a prominent American interest, because it is also in the interest of Saudi Arabia, Trump's partner, with whom he is looking to reach an agreement "in order to win the Nobel Prize, as well as to line the pockets of his family and his wealthy friends. He will not hesitate to implement this at Israel's expense, including in exchange for the Palestinian Authority, without Netanyahu and his government daring to express any opposition. If anyone is looking for proof of Trump's strength, they will find it in the surrender statement of the Ukrainians, who responded to all American demands" regarding stopping the war with Russia.

- Severe beating, electric shock, and deprivation of food and drink.

In the Negev prison, detainees relieve themselves in a bowl.

The Palestinian Prisoners' Affairs Commission and the Palestinian Prisoners' Club, in a new briefing on the detention conditions of Gaza detainees, stated that the Israeli prison administration continues to impose systematic crimes against detainees, including those in Gaza, who face the most appalling detention conditions.

She added in the briefing published on Wednesday: "The Sde Teiman camp and the Negev detention center continue to lead the scene in terms of the level of brutality practiced against Gaza detainees, based on new testimonies, including a number of detainees from the aforementioned camps and detention centers, in addition to Ofer detention center, which reveal further inhumane conditions to which detainees are subjected."

She continued, "The torture policy practiced by the occupation forces has led to the martyrdom of four detainees in a matter of days over the past period. They are among the dozens of martyrs from Gaza who have been killed since the start of the aggression."

The occupation continues to impose the crime of enforced disappearance on hundreds of detainees in Gaza, noting that the latest number announced by the occupation prison administration, which classifies them as illegal combatants, reached (1555) by the beginning of this March.

In the Negev, detainees relieve themselves in a container.

In testimonies from detainees from Gaza who were visited in the Negev detention center, they confirmed that they are being held in sections that lack toilets to relieve themselves, forcing them to use a "pot" in a humiliating and degrading situation. Skin diseases, specifically scabies, continue to plague the detainees' health conditions, due to the lack of hygiene inside the sections, the severe shortage of clothing, and the lack of appropriate treatment for them and for the sick among them.

In a testimony by detainee (J.W.): “I still suffer from scabies and boils on my body. I was also severely beaten during my frequent transfers, and as a result, I have a broken tooth, which causes me severe and continuous pain. I can no longer hear well in my left ear, after they poured water into it in a harmful way.” He said: “The detainees suffer from starvation, and are only given a small amount of food, equivalent to a quarter of a meal for each detainee, which is inedible. The detainees collect the food provided to them throughout the day and eat it as breakfast in the evening. They are also subjected to procedures including: repeated inspections, constant verbal abuse, handcuffing behind their backs, and forcing them to kneel during the so-called (count - security check).”

In his testimony, detainee (S.A.) confirmed: “The conditions are difficult due to the widespread skin diseases in the section, and there is a state of fear and terror among the detainees. The conditions are like hell, the insults are continuous, and the policy of humiliation, starvation, and deprivation dominates life in detention.”

“I was arrested from Al-Shifa Hospital and transferred to the Negev detention center after 97 days of detention in camps near Gaza, and after 30 days in Ofer, where I was interrogated in the field and severely beaten, which resulted in a deep wound in my head and broken ribs. During my first detention, I was subjected to harsh interrogation that lasted for 30 days, including the disco interrogation - an interrogation that relies on placing the detainee in the middle of very loud music - which I was subjected to more than 7 times, accompanied by continuous beatings and deprivation of food and bathing,” he continued.

He added: After being transferred to the Negev, I was subjected to interrogation again, and due to the severity of the torture and beatings, I lost consciousness several times, which led me to confess to false things.

Regarding the Sde Teiman camp, through visits to a number of detainees there, the atrocities, torture and abuse still loom large over the lives of detainees in detention.

“We are repeatedly and almost daily subjected to repression, and sound bombs and gas bombs are thrown inside the barracks, after they force us to lie on our stomachs and keep us like that for a long time. When the prison guards transfer us for interrogation or an interview, they shout at us and beat us constantly, and repeatedly knock us down while we are walking, even though they are transferring us blindfolded and handcuffed,” said detainee K.Y. in his testimony about the conditions there.

K.Y. is in a barracks where more than 55 detainees are being held. According to him, “We are subject to the soldiers’ moods in dealing with us, and to the torture and humiliation. Sometimes we are allowed to walk, but most of the time we remain sitting on the iron beds, two detainees to a bed. We are not allowed to talk, and those who do not comply are punished by being placed in shabha for hours next to the wire - the area designated for shabha in the barracks.”

He says that as a result of the collective isolation and the lack of contact with the outside world, one detainee believed throughout his detention that his daughter had been martyred in the aggression on Gaza, only to later discover through lawyers that she was alive.

“On the day of my arrest, they arrested about 40 men, stripped them completely, and dressed them in white clothes. Throughout this period, we were repeatedly subjected to severe beatings with sticks and machetes, and they spared no one. This led to many of them being injured, and I was among them. I suffered from a nosebleed for a long time without receiving any treatment. After about 24 hours, we were transferred to the Sde Teiman camp, where they provided us with prison clothes. Until then, we remained in the white clothes in the bitter cold and under the beatings,” said the detainee (M.Y.).

He added: “For (14) days, I remained blindfolded and handcuffed, and I was subjected to a disco investigation for 12 hours, as I remained in a closed room with very loud music, and after I was exhausted from the sound, they tried to pressure me to recruit and cooperate with them, but I refused, after that they took all of my family’s data.”

The "Fura" in "Sde Teman" is an instrument of torture

According to the detainees' testimonies, they confirmed that the camp administration had turned the "recess" - the period of time spent outside the camp yard - into a tool for torture, abuse, and humiliation. During this time, they were forbidden from speaking to each other or raising their heads, and they heard nothing but insults. Anyone who disobeyed any order was subjected to torture and punishment.

In his testimony, the detainee (D.A.) said: “I was arrested in the morning hours, after the soldiers filmed me with a camera, and they told me that I would not be able to cross towards Gaza, so I remained there until the afternoon, and then they transferred me and others in a truck to the (Sde Teiman) camp. On the way, we were subjected to severe beatings, especially on my stomach and face, and I remained bound and blindfolded for 12 days from the day of the arrest. Upon entering the camp, they dressed us in prisoner’s clothes, and the whole time I was forced to sit on my knees in humiliating and difficult positions. Inside the (barracks), they deliberately pulled out the mattresses every day, and prevented us from lying down all day.”

He confirms: “This continued for 39 days, and I was able to change my clothes for the first time after 72 days, and I was able to shave my hair once after 110 days of my detention.

Severe beating, electric shock, and deprivation of food and drink

Detainee (N.W.) said: “At the beginning of my detention, I was in the barracks, handcuffed and blindfolded the entire time. They forced us to sit on our knees. After four days, I was taken to meet with the intelligence services. I waited a whole day, during which I remained handcuffed and without food or water. They also refused to loosen the shackles despite the pain they caused me.”

He points out: “I don’t know which camp I was in at the beginning of my detention, because of the shackles and the blindfold. I was sitting on my knees, and the place was very cold and exposed to the air. After 21 days, I was transferred to Sde Teman, where I was severely beaten on the chest, and as a result, I felt short of breath. We were also electrocuted and beaten with weapons.”

In a statement by the detainee (A.H.): “Upon my arrest, the men were taken to a nearby building, after ordering them to strip completely, and then they severely beat them, in addition to cursing and calling them the worst names. After two hours, we were transferred to a truck, then to another place where we stayed for a whole night, accompanied by severe beatings and insults. They also deliberately put our heads in water, and there were direct threats to kill us. They also forced us to prostrate on the ground while we were naked in the bitter cold, while we were bound and blindfolded.”

He continues: When we were transferred to Sde Teman, we were taken to a doctor, but he ignored our injuries. We were later transferred to Berks, where we remained for 90 days, 20 of which were handcuffed and blindfolded.

Suppression, severe beatings, and the use of sound bombs

“The repressive measures are repeated,” said detainee (A.H.). “About 20 days ago, they attacked us with sound bombs. One of these bombs exploded next to me, injuring my foot and shoulder. I did not receive treatment, even though I suffered from pain for a long time. These attacks are repeated almost daily, and they did not stop during Ramadan. Before the pre-dawn meal, they stormed the barracks, forced us to sleep on the floor, beat us, insulted us, and threw sound bombs at us.”

In the testimony of the detainee (Z.L.): He said: “When I was arrested, they handcuffed and blindfolded me, then they took us to a building, and from there to an open area in the cold and heavy rain, and then later to the (Sde Teiman) camp. We were completely naked, and the whole time they were cursing and shouting at us. At first, we were placed in a (barrack) in the shape of an arch for 12 days. We were more than 70 detainees at the time, and we had to sit the whole time with our hands tied and blindfolded. Even when we needed to relieve ourselves, they kept the handcuffs on.”

He noted, "The first time I was able to change my clothes was 50 days after my arrest. I had previously been subjected to a violent crackdown. My head was hit against a wall, causing an injury to my eye. The effects are still evident. There were detainees who were injured and bleeding as a result of the assault."

The Commission and the Club renewed their call for the international human rights system to take effective decisions to hold the leaders of the Israeli occupation accountable for the war crimes they continue to commit against our people, and to impose sanctions that would place Israel in clear international isolation, and restore to the human rights system its fundamental role for which it exists, and put an end to the terrifying state of impotence that has afflicted it during the war of extermination, and end the state of exceptional immunity that the international community has granted to the occupation, considering it above accountability, accountability and punishment.

Israeli occupation forces continue their aggression on the city of Tulkarm and its camp for the 46th consecutive day, and on the Nour Shams camp for the 33rd day, amid a military escalation that includes massive reinforcements, home demolitions, and the conversion of residential buildings into military barracks.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces sent military reinforcements towards the city and its two camps, and deployed infantry units in and around the camps' neighborhoods, amidst the firing of live ammunition and sound bombs to terrorize residents.

She added that the occupation forces, with their heavy machinery and bulldozers, have reinforced their military presence in front of the homes they have seized on Nablus Street, which connects the Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps, turning them into military barracks and setting up mobile checkpoints to restrict the movement of citizens.

Yesterday, the occupation army seized Khrioush buildings No. 4 and No. 5, located behind the traffic circle on Nablus Street, after forcing their residents to leave. The army turned them into barracks, and Israeli trucks were seen bringing water tanks to these buildings.

In a related development, Israeli bulldozers demolished more homes and buildings in the Manshiyya neighborhood of Nour Shams refugee camp, completing a plan to demolish dozens of homes under the pretext of paving a road and changing the camp's geographical features. The bulldozers also bulldozed another stretch of Nablus Street adjacent to the camp's entrance, destroying infrastructure and citizens' property.

Israeli occupation forces forcibly forced a number of families to leave their homes after raiding the Jabal al-Nasr neighborhood in Nour Shams refugee camp, firing heavy gunfire to terrorize residents and transforming the area into military barracks.

Meanwhile, infantry units deployed in the alleys of Tulkarm camp, firing heavily, chasing citizens as they went to inspect their homes in the camp and take their necessities. They threatened to arrest and shoot anyone who tried to enter, whether men or women. They also robbed shops after demolishing their doors and vandalizing their contents.

The occupation forces set up flying checkpoints at various times during their ongoing aggression in several locations, neighborhoods, and entrances to the city, especially on Nablus Street, the employee housing neighborhood in the Aktaba suburb to the east, Shuweika Street to the north, and the southern entrance to the city. They stop vehicles, search them, check the identities of their passengers, and subject them to interrogation and abuse.

The ongoing aggression on the city and the camps resulted in the death of 13 citizens, including a child and two women, one of whom was eight months pregnant. Dozens were also injured and arrested, and more than 12,000 people were forcibly displaced from Nour Shams camp and another 12,000 from Tulkarm camp. This was accompanied by widespread destruction of the infrastructure, homes and shops, which were subjected to total and partial demolition, burning, vandalism and theft.

The Israeli occupation forces continued to close the Kerem Shalom and Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossings today, Friday, for the thirteenth consecutive day.

As a result, the specter of famine has returned to the people of the Gaza Strip, due to the lack of all basic necessities in the markets.

The Israeli government, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, decided last Saturday evening to close the border crossings and halt the flow of aid and goods into the Gaza Strip, claiming that Hamas had refused to extend the first phase of the agreement and to comply with a proposal by US envoy to the region, Steve Witkoff.

As a result of the Israeli decision, prices of basic goods and commodities in the Gaza Strip immediately soared, amid government and international warnings of a return to starvation among the population if the closure of the crossing remains in place.

Following the decision to close border crossings and halt the flow of goods, current and former Israeli officials launched incitement campaigns against the Gaza Strip and its residents. Most notable among these were statements by the Deputy Speaker of the Knesset and former Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, who called for bombing warehouses containing goods and cutting off electricity and water supplies.

The call made by Israeli activist Gershon Baskin in the prestigious Al-Quds newspaper on Wednesday to form a bilateral committee to build confidence between Palestinians and Israelis appears, on the surface, to be an attempt to find a solution to the conflict. However, it ignores the roots of the problem: the Israeli occupation, settlements, and the denial of the Palestinians' right to self-determination and even their very existence. Trust cannot be built under a colonial-settler regime that rejects others, and no steps toward "peace" can be discussed without recognizing the national and historical rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them the establishment of an independent state on the pre-June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and guaranteeing the right of refugees to return in accordance with UN Resolution 194.

If Gershon Baskin is sincere in his call for peace—and he may be—his first step should be to urge Israeli society to recognize the Palestinian people's right to freedom, sovereignty, and national independence, and to end the occupation in all its forms. This includes halting settlement activity and ending its manifestations from its inception, lifting the siege on Gaza, and halting the policies of genocide, forced displacement, and ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank, including Jerusalem. Any initiative not based on the foundations of justice, equality, and historical rights is nothing more than an attempt to beautify the status quo and prolong the occupation under the guise of "confidence-building."

Talking about building trust as if it were a process independent of ending the occupation is, in essence, an evasion of responsibility, placing Palestinians and Israelis on an equal footing in terms of responsibility for the conflict. The truth is, Israel is the occupying power, oppressing another people, the original owners of the land. It is the one practicing colonial settlement and racial discrimination, imposing a colonial settlement reality that leaves no room for any genuine trust or partnership. How can Palestinians trust someone who occupies their land, demolishes their homes, and kills their children daily, and then demands that they be patient and build trust?

With the rise of fascism within Israel and the coup against so-called democracy, any talk of a genuine Israeli opposition is becoming questionable. The "traditional opposition" forces have become unanimous in their support for the continuation of the occupation and settlements, and they lack any serious position against the racist and colonial policies of successive governments. What we see today is Israel's transformation into a colonialist settlement entity with a growing fascist face, where even the "traditional opposition" accepts the perpetuation of oppression and colonialism, rendering any talk of a political partnership with the leaders of this settlement regime a form of delusion and self-deception.

The rise of fascism in Israel is not a Palestinian issue alone; it even affects the future of Jews worldwide, just as happened in Europe during the rise of Nazism and fascism in the last century and the subsequent holocausts against Europeans, which we have always rejected. History is repeating itself, and what we are witnessing today in Israel, with the support of the American and European fascist right, could lead to disastrous long-term consequences for all the peoples of the region and indeed the world.

If Baskin is serious about his vision for peace, he must call on Israeli society to recognize an independent Palestinian state, just as his article reminds us of the Palestinians' recognition of Israel in the Oslo Accords, which, after the Israeli government's repudiation of them, led to the current state of affairs in the region. This is the true standard for embodying the two-state solution as an international option, not merely symbolic proposals to polish the image of the occupation. Continuing to ignore these facts is part of the "Greater Israel" project, which is expanding today based on the vision of the global Zionist movement, biblical claims, regional normalization, and ongoing Western colonial support, particularly American support.

The repetition of "coexistence" and "confidence-building" projects, without first ending the occupation, is nothing more than an attempt to distort the nature of the conflict and weaken the growing international solidarity movement with the Palestinian liberation cause. Palestinians do not need symbolic projects suggesting that the occupation could be "gentle" or "temporary," but rather clear international recognition of the need to completely dismantle the colonial system.

Dealing with "opposition" Israelis is not completely unacceptable, and it deviates from political realism. However, it must be based on clear political principles stemming from hostility to the colonial system as a whole, not from the premise of improving its image or attempting to reform it from within. These opponents must clearly declare their position on the occupation, settlements, and Judaization, and establish the broadest popular front with Arab forces in Israel to work toward this goal. Otherwise, they become part of the problem, not the solution. History has taught us that silence and complicity with fascist regimes ultimately lead to disasters that are not limited to a specific people, but affect everyone.

Dear Mr. Gershon Baskin, there is no such thing as colonialism with a human face, and there is no such thing as a "good Israeli" within a colonial settlement system, as long as they do not clearly and explicitly break away from it and reject it. What is required today is not to seek "trust-building partners," but rather to work to dismantle the entire colonial settlement system. This is your responsibility first and foremost on the streets of Israel, before you ask the Palestinians to trust your intentions or your ability to protect your security.

The path to peace does not pass through symbolic committees, despite the importance of dialogue based on the rejection of the colonial system. Rather, it passes through ending the occupation and recognizing the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. Only then can we speak of a just peace, which the peoples of the region undoubtedly need after more than a century since the beginning of the settlement project on Palestinian land, and not of a new colonial administration with a different guise.

We must once again warn of the repercussions of the bloody, criminal aggression of the Israeli occupation against Jerusalem and large areas of the West Bank. The renewed Israeli aggression against the West Bank is a dangerous escalation within the comprehensive war waged by Israel - the entity established by force of aggression and barbaric occupation - against our entire Palestinian people. This aggression is the implementation of the fascist "conflict resolution" plan devised by the war criminal "Bezalel Smt. ...

This plan has nothing to do with the so-called "security of Israel and its people," and its only goal is to eliminate the rights of the Palestinian people and concentrate them in closed communities, in accordance with the apartheid model in South Africa, with the aim of displacing them from their homeland. The goal that the occupation seeks, under pretexts and media deception, is to destroy the infrastructure and directly target civilians as part of its criminal plan based on the doctrine of aggression and organized crime to impose forced displacement and practice the most heinous methods of terrorism and ethnic cleansing against us. It is no coincidence that this widespread aggression against areas in the northern occupied West Bank coincides with the criminal war of extermination in the Gaza Strip. The government of blood is exploiting the world's preoccupation with this war in order to implement extremely dangerous plans against the Palestinian people wherever they are located, to consolidate the occupation's hegemony, prolong the war and occupation in general on Palestinian land, prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, and establish an absolutely fascist dictatorial regime in Israel itself.

All these bloody issues - from the genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza, which has not stopped despite the fragile ceasefire agreement, to the deepening of the occupation, the West Bank, and fascism in Israel - are all interconnected within the same decisive plan, which the occupation government continues to embody and implement, its hostile chapters that violate all international laws and agreements. The occupation's plans, of course, target the entire Palestinian presence in the West Bank and Jerusalem, coinciding with the ongoing war of genocide against our people in Gaza. What is clearly required today is an official Palestinian declaration of non-compliance with any agreements with the occupation, the embodiment of the Palestinian state, and the strengthening of our people's struggle in confronting the occupation's terrorism and its fascist policies and measures. The UN Security Council - if it still has any seriousness and responsibility - must call for an urgent special session to discuss the dangerous Israeli escalation in the West Bank and impose sanctions on the occupation, which has come to feel that it is above the law in light of the unlimited support, care, and protection of the US administration.

The occupation government is behaving with utmost impudence, engaging in heinous, greedy aggression, insisting on escalating the situation and seeking to endlessly expand the war fronts, in order to push toward a regional war that will bring calamities and lead to destruction for which everyone will pay the price.

In the same fascist and aggressive mentality, comes the announcement of the Israeli Foreign Minister, Yisrael Katz, who called for dealing with what he calls the threat in the West Bank like Gaza and implementing a temporary evacuation of the population. These aggressive and racist statements and positions represent the Nazi occupation mentality and are an advanced step in the program of apartheid, forced displacement, war crimes, and ethnic cleansing that the Netanyahu government is working to translate on the ground in partnership with the US administration, which provides all forms of support to Israel to carry out its actions that violate international law and all international agreements and conventions. His statements and positions are well known in advance and are consistent with the program upon which the government coalition that leads the occupation government is based, headed by Netanyahu. In light of all this racism and aggression, the occupation government poses a real threat to security and stability, at all levels. It is the duty and responsibility of international institutions to quickly take deterrent measures and curb such aggressive policies, which represent a program for a comprehensive war that threatens the entire region. These are continuous Israeli attempts to consolidate the tyrannical occupation reality on Palestinian land.

The practical translation of the occupation government's policies came quickly with more crimes, killings, assassinations and widespread invasions that came at the same time, including Tulkarm, Jenin and Tubas, which are still exposed to Israeli aggression by the occupation army armed with American-made heavy weapons, machinery and bulldozers, which is systematically and deliberately sabotaging everything it can reach. In the face of this aggression and this expansion of the madness of neo-fascism, our people will remain steadfast on their land. All the organized crimes and daily attacks committed by the occupation will not deter our people from their right to struggle and confront the plans and projects of the occupation. The right of our people is steadfast, and they adhere to their just and legitimate national rights. The time has come for a serious Arab and international position to support the Palestinian right and take immediate measures to compel the occupation to stop all its sabotage acts and its comprehensive war on our people in the Gaza Strip, Jerusalem and the West Bank.

The international system is like a living organism; it changes and evolves, strengthens and weakens, and never remains the same. The international system in the nineteenth century is not like the international system in the twentieth century. Speaking of which, the nineteenth-century conflicts between colonial powers led to the First World War, which surprised everyone with the number of its dead and the number of participants. This war led to the birth of a new international system that sought to establish international peace and stability. The League of Nations was established in 1919 in an attempt by this system to prevent war after everyone saw the horrors of the First World War. However, the League of Nations failed to provide solutions or confront the new military alliances. The international system at the beginning of the twentieth century reflected the will of the victorious nations and their ambitions and greed, which they were unable to curb. Therefore, several more years did not pass until World War II erupted between the colonial powers of the West once again. For the first time, the world was surprised by the explosion of a terrifying nuclear bomb capable of wiping out countries and people. The victors again convened to establish an international organization capable of resolving differences and settling disputes away from destructive war. Thus, the United Nations emerged, including The Security Council, which includes the five victorious powers, is capable of controlling the world, punishing aggressors, and encouraging cooperation and development initiatives.

After more than seventy-five years since the founding of the United Nations, this organization has also failed to resolve many conflicts and disputes. There were successes, but the encroachment of colonial powers was stronger. The period between 1945 and 1991 witnessed a cold war between two great powers, the Soviet Union and the United States. The conflict between them was over everything: wealth, countries, ideology, and influence. The Arab world paid a heavy price as a result of this war, while the Palestinian people also paid a lot, as the global dispute delayed, obstructed, or was not serious about a just solution.

After 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed, and the world became ruled by a single global power, the United States. We also paid the price for this, through the Oslo Accords, which reflected the defeat of the liberation forces at the hands of the colonial West. This leads us to claim that the League of Nations at the beginning of the twentieth century legitimized Britain's occupation of our country, which was called the Mandate. Meanwhile, the United Nations in the mid-twentieth century decided to partition our country, and even this decision was not respected. When the world became a single pole, we were asked to make a historic settlement with our occupier under the guise of a dubious settlement. However, the international system, no matter how secure, is made for the strong, and the weak must pay. In major transformations, there are bound to be victims.

The third millennium witnessed a momentous phenomenon: multipolarity, a massive distribution of nuclear powers, and the rise of major powers with or seeking influence. This was accompanied by the United States, Israel, and other countries seeking to bypass the United Nations and its institutions. This culminated in America and Israel threatening the International Criminal Court and imposing sanctions on it. Israel also failed to implement any resolution regarding its withdrawal from the occupied territories, while other countries did so in a humiliating manner. These behaviors necessitate the birth of a new international order that reflects multipolarity, changes in political geography, and the nature of alliances. It is entirely possible that new ambitions and alliances could lead to a third devastating war. Here, the opportunity is ripe, as we see in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe, as well as America's new expansionist and aggressive tendencies. The new world order, whose features have clearly begun to emerge, is manifested in the bypassing of new international bodies, contempt for international law, the rapid formation of alliances and poles outside the United Nations, and the lack of funding for the international organization or the political conditions that hinder its work.

The question is: Since the new world order is taking shape before our eyes, what is the role of the Arabs, and consequently the role of the Palestinian people, in this order?!

Will we be among the victims who pay the price for this transformation? Or will we be completely absent from the scene? Or will we and our Arab nation have another say?

If the Palestinian people are the sacrifice offered in the massacre of the great ones, such that the Palestinian homeland was lost on the table of the League of Nations, should we wait, God forbid, to be divided again or to be erased forever?

To answer this question, it is related to the Arab system, which enjoys all the conditions and wealth that qualify it to have a strong presence at the international table, and to impose its agendas and interests on the world. The Arab world lacks nothing in order to be present in the new world order through its diplomacy, moderation, ability, and its rulers who have learned the lesson well. And until we all emerge, Arabs and Palestinians, and until we have a place under the sun in the new order, this Arab position will not succeed in protecting the Palestinian cause, the two-state solution, preventing the elimination of the Palestine Liberation Organization, as well as protecting the legitimate leadership, and confronting the idea of displacing the Palestinian people, if there is no clear Palestinian strategy based on:

• Ending the shameful Palestinian division, unity of ranks, unity of position, and the inclusion of all under the banner of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and strengthening its legitimacy for the Palestinian people, as the sole representative.

• Strengthening relations with Arab countries, by unifying visions and taking into consideration what some countries are offering regarding the development of Palestinian leadership frameworks, and most importantly, the unity of the Fatah movement, the guarantor of Palestinian nationalism.

• Strengthening the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on the ground, and pushing towards a broad and pure peaceful popular resistance, especially in areas classified as (C).

• Work hard to ensure that the Palestinian Authority assumes its legal, administrative, and security authority over the Gaza Strip, and reunifies and rebuilds Palestinian institutions in a way that the international community sees as the institutions of the Palestinian state being complete, transparent, and capable of leadership.

• Raising the banner of defending our institutions and the city of Jerusalem, and strengthening the steadfastness of the people of the Holy City.

• Work hard to contain Israeli policy, especially on the media, political and legal levels, and activate all forces of Palestinian society, including popular diplomacy.

• Permanent adherence to international legitimacy resolutions, and making efforts with Arab brothers and all friends to support the implementation of these resolutions.

• Review alliances, taking into account international balances, and enabling relations with China, Russia, and emerging countries such as India and Brazil.

Protecting the idea of statehood is the responsibility of all Palestinians, under a unified Arab umbrella, especially from the moderate Arab states that are now capable of playing a significant role in international politics.

The world is changing rapidly, and the unipolar system has failed to achieve lasting peace. Consequently, we are facing the formation of a new international system based on multipolarity. This means the birth of new international bodies, perhaps new states, and new alliances. Multipolarity means the distribution of power and influence at the expense of the weak. In order not to be victims of this system, and in order not to pay the price through absence or surrender, it is necessary for us to find an effective way to be present and participate in this world. As for our country, Palestine, it has taken a long time to be part of a global system with multiple visions, powers, and alliances.

Whatever the nature of the new international order, the establishment of a Palestinian state will remain dependent on Palestinian readiness, our people's commitment to the right of self-determination, and the firm Arab position committed to an independent Palestinian state.

It's normal to sleep on your right side and wake up on your left. But what's not normal these days is to go to bed with good news in this world only to wake up to the worst.

I'm not talking about the rising prices of eggs and milk in the market, nor the prices of cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and meat during Ramadan. These rise and fall according to supply and demand and the greed of some merchants.

The matter is much bigger. Gaza is a source of anxiety and pain, but also of joy and happiness, compared to the days when tons of American-made and imported Israeli bombs rained down on it. The days when the occupation waged a genocidal war against the people of Gaza, killing children and women, destroying homes, and burning the tents of the displaced, after every person in the Strip had been displaced more than once.

For fifteen months, Israel has been waging the dirtiest war against humanity in modern times. The world watches with blind eyes and iron ears.

Until Trump, the new occupier of the White House, came with dark threats and hostile stances against not just one but several countries. He threatened to abolish Canada and annex it to the United States, occupy Greenland, harass Mexico, and of course, buy Gaza without paying a single dollar. He began to seek and pressure the displacement of the people of Gaza. I wish he would understand the difference between "people" and "residents." The former refers to the legitimate owners of the land, rooted in its roots for thousands of years. The latter refers to those residing there, and a resident's residency can expire for one reason or another and he may be deported.

But don't worry about everything Trump said in his first days in office. He has either retracted most of what he said himself or has been retracted by his aides.

Regarding the displacement of the people of Gaza, the firm stance of Jordan and Egypt, the two countries he asked to host them "temporarily or permanently," as he put it with his own tongue, had the greatest impact on his retreat from the "creative idea" that resulted from his thinking outside the box, the box of Netanyahu and the Israeli right.

Trump realized that Netanyahu wanted to embroil him in the sands of Gaza and the quagmire of the Middle East. He ignored him and jumped directly to the main issue: the Palestinian resistance. He dispatched his envoy to Doha to conduct direct negotiations with Hamas for the first time, away from the eyes and knowledge of Netanyahu and his failed extremist team.

With these negotiations, Trump dealt Netanyahu a painful blow. Not only did he ignore him, he was negotiating with a movement classified as a "terrorist" under US law. But he is known for his fondness for "strongmen" and his disrespect for failures. What could be more powerful than fighters who have trumped the "undefeated army" and who have stood firm against the most powerful force in the region throughout this war?

During the US elections, I told a friend living in America, "If I were American, I would vote for Trump." He was surprised and said that the Democratic Party and its candidate, Kamala Harris, were better for Arab issues than the fiercely offensive Trump. I replied that Biden had given Israel more than his country had given to any other country, and that it was enough that he boasted of being a Zionist. Who knows, perhaps Trump, the "real estate developer," will turn the tables on Israel, use a calculator to calculate how much America has given Israel since its inception and demand that it return those sums.

So far, Trump's policy has been in this direction, and he may treat Netanyahu in the same way he treated Zelensky, forcing him not to stop fighting, but to withdraw from Gaza and end the war.

But nothing is certain. What you go to bed with, you might wake up with the opposite, especially with Trump!

Israeli Energy Minister and cabinet member Eli Cohen ruled out the possibility of normalizing relations with Lebanon at this time on Wednesday evening, considering it premature to discuss the matter and requiring a targeted attack on Iran before any steps in this direction could be considered.

This came in a press interview conducted by Cohen with Israel's Channel 14, following statements made by a senior Israeli official in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, in which he said that Israel was interested in achieving "normalization of relations with Lebanon."

Speaking to a right-wing channel favored by Netanyahu and members of the governing coalition, Cohen said it was too early to talk about normalizing relations with Lebanon, and that this would only happen after what he called "targeting Iran" by the United States or Israel.

Cohen said in a statement: "I think it's too early to talk about normalization with Lebanon. I think it will be after we're able to target Iran, and after Trump succeeds in completing the mission, by agreement or otherwise. And if Trump doesn't do it, we will. Only then can it be discussed."

Earlier yesterday, an Israeli political official claimed that the Israeli Prime Minister's announcement on Tuesday of negotiations with Lebanon over the land border is part of a "broad and comprehensive plan," and that Israel is interested in achieving "normalization of relations with Lebanon."

The same official claimed, as quoted by Israeli media, that "the prime minister's policy has changed the Middle East, and we want to continue the momentum and reach normalization of relations with Lebanon. We and the Americans believe this is possible after the changes that have occurred in Lebanon." He added, "Just as Lebanon has demands regarding the borders, we also have demands, and we will discuss these matters."

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement on Tuesday that a meeting was held in the Lebanese border town of Naqoura with the participation of representatives from the Israeli military, the United States, France, and Lebanon. It was agreed to "form three joint working groups to address outstanding issues" with Lebanon.

He said this includes "the five points controlled by Israel in southern Lebanon, discussing the Blue Line and the contentious border issues, and the file of Lebanese prisoners held by Israel." He also announced Israel's agreement to release five Lebanese prisoners in what he described as a "gesture of goodwill."

In contrast, sources in the office of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stated that the formation of three working groups to resolve the contentious issues with Israel is a continuation of the implementation of Resolution 1701, not a separate step. They denied that this constitutes a prelude to direct negotiations to normalize relations between the two sides.

In a related development, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajai, during a meeting with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Natasha Franceschi, stressed the need for Israel to withdraw from the Lebanese territories it occupies and implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

On Wednesday, Rajai received Franceschi, accompanied by US Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson, and "the political and security developments in Lebanon, as well as the latest developments in Syria, were discussed," according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants.

Rajai stressed "the necessity of Israel's complete withdrawal from the Lebanese territories it occupies and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701." He thanked "the United States for its mediation to secure the release of Lebanese prisoners held by Israel and for the assistance it provides to the Lebanese army."

The occupiers did not lack a means, and left no path untried, to satisfy the desire for revenge that possessed them, to the point that its signs were sharp on their faces, from the intensity of their anger, the greatness of their plotting, and their lying in wait to carry out whatever evils their souls conjure up to them, so that the devils are unable to keep up with them in their evil deeds.

The army of extermination has mastered every form of killing, destruction, and terrorizing our people in Gaza. However, cutting off water, food supplies, and fuel needed to operate the generators that generate electricity in the tents and what remains of buildings and hospitals for eleven days now represents a hellish extension of the extermination that began sixteen months ago and is now proceeding slowly to cut off the lifeline and force people to emigrate, voluntarily or by force.

The Holy Qur’an contains what urges believers to the values of altruism and to feed people more, “And they feed the poor, the orphan, and the captive, in spite of their love for him.”

The Chosen One, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, urged that the possibilities of life be kept away from monopoly and control, as people share three things: “water, pasture, and fire.”

But the colonial occupiers use cutting off the means of life shared by all people as a means of genocide and ethnic cleansing, in accordance with the will of one of the leaders of the Zionist gangs in their dealings with Palestinian villages and towns on the eve of the first Nakba: "If we cut off their water, the orchards will turn yellow and the flowers will wither."

This is the doctrine inherited by the descendants of the Stern Gang, Lehi, and Haganah, who today reproduce it to a greater extent than their founding fathers, who hold the patent for it.

1. This morning, Thursday, the Israeli occupation forces launched a campaign of raids and arrests in the West Bank.

In Tulkarm, occupation forces arrested Wael Al-Aboudi, Hussein Muhammad Fuqaha, Ahmad Muntaser Thalthin, and Abdullah Shaker Abu Khameesh, after raiding their homes and vandalizing their contents.

In Hebron, the occupation forces stormed several neighborhoods in the city and arrested 11 freed prisoners, namely: Bilal Abu Armila, Jawad al-Jaabari, Abdel Hadi Abu Khalaf, Darar Abu Manshar, Ali Dofash, Fathi al-Julani, Alaa Asem al-Jaabari, Ayman al-Juneidi, Qidar Ghaith, Abdel Azim al-Natsheh, and Ali Zidan Abu Madi, after raiding and searching their homes and abusing them.

The forces also arrested Youssef Arfaiya after raiding and searching his home.

It's worth noting that the occupation forces have been carrying out a large-scale arrest campaign in the city of Hebron for the fourth consecutive day, most of whom are former prisoners.

In Bethlehem, Israeli occupation forces raided the Husan village council headquarters, west of Bethlehem, last night.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces raided the headquarters, examined the surveillance cameras, and then withdrew from the area.

It is noteworthy that the occupation forces had stormed the village earlier, and were stationed in the Al-Matina area, amidst the firing of live bullets, tear gas and sound bombs, which led to the suffocation of a number of citizens, and the injury of a woman, as a result of her falling to the ground.

In Ramallah, the occupation forces arrested Ms. Fadhila Yousef Alian after raiding her home in the Umm al-Sharait neighborhood in the city of al-Bireh.

The occupation soldiers also detained six young men after forcing them out of their vehicles at the Atara checkpoint, and abused them before releasing them.

Israeli occupation forces also raided dozens of homes during raids on several neighborhoods in the cities of Ramallah and al-Bireh, the town of Beitunia to the west, the villages of Shaqba, Qarawat Bani Zeid, Nabi Saleh, and Kafr Ein, northwest of Ramallah, the towns of Abwein and Aroura, and the villages of Ajul and Jaljalia, north of Ramallah. An Israeli army force also raided the Qaddoura camp in the city of al-Bireh.

In Tubas, Kamal Bani Odeh, director of the Prisoners Club in Tubas, reported that the occupation forces arrested the young man, Muhammad Jamil Abdul Razek, while he was passing through the Hamra military checkpoint in the northern Jordan Valley.

In Jericho, Israeli occupation forces stormed the Aqabat Jaber and Ein Sultan camps from the northern and southern entrances to Jericho, raiding a number of homes and interrogating their residents. Among the raids was the home of freed prisoner Nassar Abu Dahouk in Aqabat Jaber.

Ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip continue in the Qatari capital, Doha, after the Israeli negotiating delegation, sent by the Israeli government, decided to extend its stay to continue discussing the Gaza agreement, which Israel has reneged on.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting on the negotiations, attended by ministers and security chiefs, amid anticipation of the deal's fate.

This comes after the foreign ministers of Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organization's Executive Committee presented a plan for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip to US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, in response to US President Donald Trump's plan to displace Palestinians from the enclave.

UN rapporteurs also condemned the widespread arbitrary detention of Palestinians, including children, and the systematic use of torture in Israeli detention centers. They also denounced the mass forced displacement of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, and the ongoing crimes of genocide aimed at destroying the Palestinian people and attempting to eliminate them on ethnic grounds.

This comes as the International Court of Justice announced it will hold hearings next month to examine Israel's humanitarian obligations toward the Palestinians, amid accusations that the Israeli occupation is preventing aid from reaching Gaza.

Last December, the UN General Assembly approved a resolution requesting the court to issue an advisory opinion on the occupation's legal obligations in this regard. The court announced in an official statement that the hearings will begin on April 28 at its headquarters in The Hague.

US President Donald Trump used the word "Palestinian" for the second time on Wednesday, during his meeting with Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin in the Oval Office, insulting Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, who he described as "Palestinian."

Trump made the remarks while discussing Democratic reactions to his speech to Congress last week.

Trump said: "Schumer has become a Palestinian, in my view. You know, he has become a Palestinian. He used to be a Jew. He is no longer a Jew. He is a Palestinian."

Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in US history, did not respond or comment on Trump's description of him.

Trump had described former US President Joe Biden in his only debate with him on June 27, 2024, during the middle of their election campaign (before Biden withdrew from the presidential race on July 21, 2024). Trump said that day of Biden that he was a "very bad Palestinian" and unwilling to help Israel "finish the job" against Hamas in its war on Gaza.

The leading American Muslim civil rights organization has condemned Donald Trump for attempting to use the word "Palestinian" as an insult when he attacked Senate Minority Leader Schumer, describing him as "no longer Jewish."

“President Trump’s use of the term ‘Palestinian’ as a racial slur is offensive and unbecoming of the dignity of his office,” said Nihad Awad, national executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

He added, "He must apologize to both the Palestinian and American people. The continued dehumanization of the Palestinian people is what has led to horrific hate crimes against Palestinian Americans, the genocide being perpetrated in Gaza with American support, and decades of denial of Palestinian human rights by successive US administrations."

Trump repeatedly said, "Schumer is a Palestinian," amid his rambling, incoherent remarks about congressional Democrats, the war in Ukraine, the conflict between Israel and Hamas, and the impending government shutdown, which Democrats could avoid if enough senators voted with the Republicans who control the chamber, putting Schumer in a difficult political position.

Trump has previously insulted Schumer with similar language, calling him a Palestinian and a "proud member of Hamas." The president has also regularly questioned why Jewish Americans vote for Democrats, even as concerns about anti-Semitism among his aides, advisors, and followers grow.

“Donald Trump has no business defining who is Jewish. Senator Schumer is the highest-ranking Jewish American official in the country, and the word ‘Palestinian’ should not be used as a slur,” said Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA). “These comments are hateful but revealing, and it’s time to call them out for what they are—Donald Trump is an anti-Semite, an Islamophobic, and a bigot, and that’s why the vast majority of Jewish voters have never, and will never, support him.”

“Once again, this administration’s goal is not to combat anti-Semitism or protect Israel,” said Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Public Affairs Council. “It is to weaponize anti-Semitism to persecute their political enemies, advance an extremist agenda, and undermine democracy—and that only makes Jews less safe.”

In the Oval Office, Martin was asked whether, as the leader of one of the three European countries that recognize the state of Palestine—the other two being Norway and Spain—he would inform the president of his views on Gaza. He said, "I don't have to inform the president. He's fully aware of the entire situation. We share the president's relentless focus on peace."

When the same reporter asked about Trump's recent proposal to force Palestinians to leave Gaza so the US could redevelop the land, Trump interrupted, saying, "Nobody's expelling any Palestinians," and mocked the reporter for being from Voice of America.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says the Gaza Strip is experiencing a shortage of food, water, and health services following the Israeli occupation authorities' decision to halt the entry of aid and cut off water and electricity to the Strip for 11 days.

"People across Gaza are finding it increasingly difficult to find enough food, water, health services, and other vital supplies," the office said.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in his daily press briefing that only 16% of medical facilities in North Gaza are still fully or partially operating. This includes three of five hospitals, six of 50 medical facilities, and four of more than twenty medical centers.

Regarding solid waste collection, the spokesperson reported significant challenges. He said that garbage accumulation leads to unsanitary conditions and increases risks to public health. The problem is exacerbated by the lack of spare parts, as 80% of garbage collection vehicles and containers are either destroyed or damaged.

Dujarric spoke of the inability to adequately handle infectious medical waste, in addition to a mixture of solid waste contaminated with explosive devices.

According to Dujarric, UN partners are working to remove waste from 70 random dump sites to 30 temporary sites, but most are already piled up. He stressed the urgent need to access other sites near the border.

Regarding education in the Gaza Strip, the UN spokesperson said that UN partners have established more than 200 temporary learning spaces, bringing the total number to more than 630. These spaces support more than 170,000 children, with 60% of school-age children in Gaza having access to some form of learning, whether in schools or temporary spaces, according to Dujarric.

The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Michael Fakhri, said that the Israeli occupation authorities' continued denial of humanitarian aid to Gaza constitutes "a continuation of war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity."

He explained that Israel is starving Gaza's 2.3 million residents, and this is the fastest starvation process in modern history.

Fakhri called on the international community to impose broad sanctions on Israel, covering a wide range of areas, from the economy to diplomacy.

Israeli occupation forces, which continue their aggression against the city of Tulkarm and its two camps (Tulkarm and Nur Shams), carried out a campaign of arrests, demolitions, and the conversion of additional residential buildings into military barracks on Wednesday.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces arrested activist Khairi Hanoun this evening from the vicinity of Nour Shams camp, while they arrested citizen Suad Al-Salman "Awda" (41 years old) after raiding her home in the southern neighborhood of Tulkarm and vandalizing its contents.

The occupation forces also dispatched military reinforcements, including heavy machinery and bulldozers, to Nour Shams camp, where they began a sustained demolition of homes and buildings in the Manshiyya neighborhood. This is part of their plan to demolish dozens of homes under the pretext of paving a road and changing the camp's geographic features.

This morning, Israeli occupation forces forcibly forced a number of families to leave their homes after raiding the Jabal al-Nasr neighborhood in Nour Shams camp, amid heavy gunfire aimed at terrorizing residents.

The occupation forces also pursued citizens as they headed to inspect their homes in Tulkarm camp, threatening to arrest and shoot anyone who tried to enter their homes, whether men or women.

In Tulkarm, the occupation forces forced residents of Khrioush Buildings No. 4 and No. 5, located behind the traffic department on Nablus Street, to evacuate and convert them into military barracks. The occupation forces also brought water tanks into these buildings.

Earlier, during its ongoing aggression against the city and its two camps, the occupation forces seized a number of residential buildings on Nablus Street, which connects the Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps, after expelling their residents. They turned them into military barracks, while their vehicles and bulldozers were stationed at their entrances. Meanwhile, occupation soldiers set up military checkpoints in the middle of the street, obstructing the movement of vehicles and abusing citizens.

The occupation forces also reinforced their military measures by setting up checkpoints at the city's entrances. They set up a checkpoint at the Jabara Bridge gate at the southern entrance to Tulkarm, and imposed strict inspections on those leaving the city. They also set up another checkpoint on the employees' housing street in the eastern suburb of Aktaba, where they stopped and searched vehicles, checked the identities of their passengers, and subjected them to interrogation.

A citizen was injured and suffered fractures on Wednesday evening after settlers attacked him in the town of Burqa, northwest of Nablus.

According to local sources, settlers attacked the citizen while he was working on his land east of the town, before iftar. They assaulted him, causing injuries and fractures to his hands. He was taken to the hospital for treatment.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a security assessment meeting with ministers and security leaders, coinciding with the ongoing Gaza ceasefire talks in the Qatari capital, Doha.

She added that the meeting will be attended by the new Chief of Staff of the IDF, Eyal Zamir, Director of the Mossad Intelligence Service, David Barnea, Director of the General Security Service, Ronen Bar, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, and National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi.

A Hamas spokesman said earlier that a new round of ceasefire negotiations in Gaza began on Wednesday, stressing that the movement is approaching these negotiations "responsibly and positively," including discussions with the US envoy for hostage affairs.

An Israeli military spokesperson announced that they had received an initial report of an operation that took place near the Ariel settlement in the West Bank, confirming that the details of the incident are under investigation.

Later, Channel 14 reported that initial reports indicated that an Israeli soldier was moderately injured by gunfire from gunmen near the settlement.

Following the incident, security measures were reinforced around the Ariel settlement, with a heavy deployment of occupation forces. The perpetrator withdrew from the scene, while occupation forces began a search and combing operation to locate and apprehend him.

The Israeli occupation authorities have not yet revealed further details regarding the incident, while the search for the perpetrator continues.

Today, Wednesday, settlers bulldozed large areas of citizens' land in the Khallet Hassan area, west of the town of Bidya.

According to the Salfit Governorate, settlers bulldozed approximately 70 dunams of Palestinian land, uprooted 80 trees, including 50 olive trees over 20 years old, as well as almond and fig trees. They also demolished stone walls and a rainwater collection well.

For several years, the Khallet Hassan area has been subjected to ongoing violations by settlers under the protection of the occupation forces, preventing farmers from accessing their lands in the area.

A meeting was held in the Qatari capital, Doha, on Thursday, with the participation of Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar; Ayman Safadi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Jordan; Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Dr. Badr Abdel Aty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt; Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates; Mr. Hussein Al Sheikh, Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization; and Mr. Steve Witkoff, US President's Special Envoy to the Middle East.

The ministers discussed the Gaza reconstruction plan approved during the Arab Summit held in Cairo on March 4, 2025. They agreed to continue consultations and coordination among the relevant parties, including the US envoy, to ensure the plan's implementation as part of the Gaza Strip reconstruction efforts.

The participants also emphasized the importance of consolidating the ceasefire in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories, while stressing the need to launch a genuine effort to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution, ensuring the fulfillment of the Palestinian people's aspirations for freedom and independence.

The Arab ministers reiterated their commitment to continuing dialogue and promoting calm, emphasizing the need for joint action to consolidate security, stability, and peace in the region through intensified diplomatic efforts and continued coordination with various regional and international parties.

The Gaza Strip Municipalities Union said on Wednesday that the Strip is facing a comprehensive "humanitarian catastrophe" due to the continued Israeli power outages and closure of crossings, following a genocide committed over the past 16 months.

The union explained in a statement that "there is an urgent need to provide sufficient and sustainable supplies of water and electricity, especially after the central desalination plant was shut down as a result of the Israeli occupation's power outage, threatening the lives of Palestinians and deepening the health and environmental crises."

He added, "We condemn the recent decision by the Israeli Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, and the continued power outage in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the aggression, which has deprived the residents of the Strip of their primary source of energy."

The union noted that "the power outage in Gaza has paralyzed basic services, particularly in the areas of health, water, and sanitation. Water desalination plants, sewage treatment plants, and many municipal facilities have shut down, increasing the risk of the spread of epidemics and diseases."

The statement also noted that "the continuation of these punitive policies against civilians constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and exacerbates the suffering of the people of Gaza, who are facing the worst humanitarian crisis in history."

The union stressed that "the refusal to allow the entry of building materials, spare parts, machinery, and alternative energy systems has reduced municipalities' ability to find effective solutions, further exacerbating the crisis and threatening the collapse of basic services."

The Union called on the international community and humanitarian organizations to intervene immediately to secure a sustainable supply of electricity, fuel, and water, and to guarantee the entry of equipment necessary to enable municipalities to continue operating and avert health and environmental disasters that threaten the lives of more than two million people in Gaza.

On Sunday, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority announced that Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen had decided to halt the supply of electricity to the Gaza Strip "immediately."

With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, leaving more than 160,000 Palestinians dead and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 14,000 missing.

The power outage in the Gaza Strip for approximately 17 months has had disastrous repercussions, impacting all vital and essential services in the Strip, such as hospitals, water, and sanitation, resulting in the deaths of individuals due to the lack of these services.

The first phase of the 42-day ceasefire agreement in Gaza ended in early March, while the Israeli occupation refused to enter the second phase and end the war.

With the end of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, the occupation re-closed all crossings into Gaza to prevent the entry of humanitarian aid, a move aimed at using starvation as a means of pressuring Hamas to accept its dictates. It later cut off electricity.

In contrast, Hamas repeatedly affirms its commitment to the ceasefire agreement, demands that the occupation abide by it, and calls on mediators to immediately begin second-phase negotiations.

US President Donald Trump spoke on Wednesday about the voluntary emigration plan for Gaza residents, saying that the people of the Strip will not be deported.

He added: No one wants to expel Palestinians from Gaza.

Trump made these remarks at the start of a White House meeting with Irish Prime Minister Meahn Martin, in response to a question. This statement contradicts his plan, presented just a month ago, under which "we will destroy the Strip, and 1.8 million Palestinians will be forced to leave."

"We call for a ceasefire in Gaza," the Irish Prime Minister said at the start of the meeting. "We want peace. We want the release of the hostages. All hostages must be released, and aid must be allowed into Gaza."

Israel has already begun preparations to implement the Trump plan to allow voluntary passage of Palestinians from Gaza to a third country via the Ashdod port and Ramon Airport—preparing for the departure of thousands of Palestinians daily by air and sea.

At the beginning of the week, the cabinet was supposed to discuss Katz's proposal to expand the possibility of voluntary transfer for Palestinians, but in the end, the cabinet did not discuss the issue, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.

The foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Qatar, along with the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and the Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organization's Executive Committee, held a mini-meeting in Doha on Wednesday.

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the meeting addressed ways to coordinate the Arab position and discussed the outcomes of the extraordinary Arab summit held in Cairo, as well as the extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah, where the focus was on supporting the Palestinian people.

The statement added that the meeting discussed "ways to promote and mobilize funding for the Arab-Islamic reconstruction plan for early recovery and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip," while emphasizing Egypt's hosting of the international reconstruction conference in cooperation with the United Nations and the Palestinian government, with the attendance of donor countries and agencies.

The meeting also addressed the current situation between Hamas and Israel, with Qatar and Egypt, along with the United States, mediating a ceasefire between the two sides and facilitating the release of hostages held in Gaza since October 7, 2023, in exchange for the release of Palestinians in the occupying state.

In a related context, the member states of the Arab League adopted a plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip on March 4, 2025, at a cost of up to $53 billion, without displacing the population.

This plan came in response to former US President Donald Trump's proposal to displace Palestinians from Gaza and resettle them in Jordan and Egypt. Cairo and Amman strongly rejected the proposal, considering it a threat to regional stability.