European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaya Kallas affirmed on Monday that the EU welcomes the Arab initiative to rebuild the Gaza Strip.

Ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting, Kallas indicated that the European Union will contribute to supporting efforts to assist the people of the Gaza Strip.

Two civilians were killed and others injured in an Israeli drone strike on Monday evening east of Al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

According to local sources, the death toll in Al-Bureij camp today has risen to five with the death of the two citizens.

Earlier, four civilians, including a woman, were injured by shrapnel from a bomb fired by an Israeli drone and by Israeli tank fire in the al-Salam neighborhood east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

Earlier this afternoon, a number of young men were injured and killed when an Israeli drone bombed a gathering of civilians at the Wadi Gaza Bridge in the central Gaza Strip.

The death toll in the Gaza Strip since the start of the Israeli aggression on October 7, 2023, has risen to 48,572, the majority of whom are children and women. An additional 112,032 have been wounded, while a number of victims remain under the rubble and on the streets, unable to be reached by ambulances and rescue crews.

1. Senior coalition sources said during closed-door talks that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar stems not only from a lack of trust in them, but also to expedite the return of Itamar Ben-Gvir and his party to the government, according to the Ynet website on Monday.

Following Netanyahu's notification to the Shin Bet chief yesterday that he had decided to dismiss him from his post, numerous Israeli protest movements began preparations today to organize widespread protests against Netanyahu's decision to dismiss the chancellor and the Shin Bet chief.

Coalition sources claimed that Netanyahu's desire to return Ben-Gvir to the government as soon as possible stems from the approaching deadline for the Knesset to approve the state budget, which is expected to be at the end of this month. Otherwise, the government will automatically collapse and early general elections will be held.

The law stipulates that the state budget must be supported by a majority of 61 Knesset members. Following the withdrawal of Ben-Gvir and his Otzma Yehudit party from the coalition, the government now relies on the support of 62 MKs, in addition to MK Almog Cohen of Otzma Yehudit, who "rebelled" against Ben-Gvir's decision and did not withdraw from the coalition. Meanwhile, United Torah Judaism faction leader and Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf and another MK from his party are threatening not to support the budget, citing the failure to enact a law exempting ultra-Orthodox citizens from military service. Therefore, the coalition will rely on the support of 61 MKs for the budget.

Coalition sources said that Ben-Gvir would be satisfied that Netanyahu would fire the chancellor and the Shin Bet chief, or that he was working toward that, as he has been demanding their dismissal in recent months. This would pave the way for the Otzma Yehudit party's return to the coalition.

Meanwhile, a meeting was held today with the participation of approximately 60 leaders of Israeli protest movements, who decided on protest measures if the government approves the dismissal of the Shin Bet chief. Protest steps will begin with a march toward the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem tomorrow morning and continue the day after.

Against the backdrop of Netanyahu's decision to dismiss the head of the Shin Bet, opposition party leaders Yair Lapid, Benny Gantz, and Yair Golan held a meeting in the Knesset today.

Tel Aviv University President Professor Ariel Porat announced that he would strike and join the protests if the Shin Bet chief was dismissed, and called on the university's academic staff to join him.

Ze'ev Degani, principal of the Hebrew Herzliya High School, announced that his school would join the protests against the dismissal of the Shin Bet chief, and that its students would participate in the protests in Jerusalem tomorrow instead of going to school. Degani added that the Reali School in Haifa was also participating in these steps. Israeli Education Minister Yoav Kish commented, saying, "Ze'ev Degani is a criminal, and his announcement constitutes a serious and direct violation of the Compulsory Education Law. Therefore, Degani and the executive committee of the Hebrew Herzliya High School were summoned for an urgent questioning on Wednesday."

Dozens of Palestinians suffered suffocation on Monday during clashes with Israeli occupation forces in Al-Fawwar refugee camp, south of Hebron.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces fired live and rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters, and sound bombs at civilians, causing dozens of camp residents to suffer from suffocation.

In the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli army has committed genocide, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and explosive remnants of war continue to pose a grave threat to Palestinian lives, threatening to claim more lives and cause permanent disabilities, amid a lack of equipment or capabilities to deal with them.

Despite a relative lull in military operations, thousands of tons of bombs and explosives dropped on civilians over the course of more than fifteen months have turned into time bombs buried amid the rubble, exacerbating the suffering of people forced to pitch their tents amid the rubble of their destroyed homes.

Since the ceasefire began on January 19, the Gaza Strip has witnessed numerous incidents of unexploded ordnance (UXO) exploding, resulting in deaths and injuries in several areas, according to medical reports.

Among the injured was officer Bilal al-Mabhouh (37 years old), a member of the Gaza Police Explosives Engineering Department, who lost his sight as a result of an explosive device exploding during a work mission in Jabalia, north of the Strip.

Al-Mabhouh is in the Baptist Hospital in Gaza City after being hit by shrapnel in his face, eyes and body, leaving him completely blind.

Al-Mabhouh told Anadolu Agency that his administration receives dozens of reports daily about the presence of unexploded shells and other objects in the streets, homes, and facilities that have been bombed.

He added that on March 5, he led an explosives engineering team to inspect the site of a previous explosion on Mazaya Street, east of Jabalia, which injured three children.

Al-Mabhouh added, "While we were listening to citizens' testimonies and inspecting the site, a new explosion took me by surprise, throwing me to the ground covered in blood."

He pointed out that the occupation forces used various types of Israeli and American munitions, some of which were unfamiliar to explosives experts in Gaza. He added, "Our work did not stop throughout the months of war, despite the repeated bombing and targeting."

He explained that they had been collecting the waste in a special warehouse in northern Gaza, but it was demolished and bulldozed by the Israeli army during the ground operation in Jabalia.

He added, "All of our workplaces were destroyed, as was the place where we collected the remains and debris of unexploded missiles, along with the simple equipment we used in our work."

For his part, Colonel Mohammed Al-Zarqa, the Gaza police spokesman, revealed that there are estimated to be more than 30,000 explosive remnants of war scattered throughout the Strip, posing a catastrophic threat to the lives of civilians.

Al-Zarqa told Anadolu Agency that these objects constitute time bombs that threaten the lives of citizens, and that significant resources are required to remove them and neutralize their danger.

He added that the police explosives engineering teams operate with extremely limited resources, and a complete lack of safety procedures, equipment, and even vehicles to remove dangerous objects from their locations.

He explained that, "Given this difficult reality, engineering personnel are forced to partially deal with the waste by removing the detonators and transporting the objects to a location far from the population," adding that they need to be inspected and then destroyed, but that this is currently impossible due to a lack of resources.

He continued: "Small objects are being removed, while heavy bombs are simply secured around them and civilians are prevented from approaching them until they can be evacuated."

Al-Zarqa pointed out that the thousands of tons of ammunition and bombs dropped on Gaza during the months of war require enormous capabilities to deal with them, through engineering surveys of all areas in the Gaza Strip.

The police spokesman called on the international community and relevant institutions to urgently intervene to supply the Gaza Strip with specialized equipment for explosives engineering, to neutralize the threat posed by unexploded ordnance to the lives of residents.

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.

Today, Monday, the Israeli occupation forces arrested a boy from Al-Far'a refugee camp, south of Tubas.

The director of the Prisoners Club in Tubas, Kamal Bani Odeh, reported that the occupation forces arrested the boy, Muhammad Salah al-Din al-Yasidi (17 years old), from the Far'a refugee camp, while he was passing through the al-Hamra military checkpoint in the northern Jordan Valley.

The Israeli occupation forces notified the seizure of approximately 120 dunums of land in the town of Jalboun, north of Jenin.

Jalboun Mayor Ibrahim Abu al-Rab said that an Israeli army force stormed the town and issued notices of the seizure of approximately 120 dunams of its land in the southern area.

He added that these lands are owned by the town's residents and have been planted with olive trees for more than 50 years.

The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission documented the occupation's seizure of a total of 6 dunams of Palestinian land last February, and the allocation of 16,000 dunams for settler grazing.

Two citizens were killed and others injured on Monday in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.

According to local sources, two civilians were killed in an Israeli drone strike east of Al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

Four citizens, including a woman, were injured by shrapnel from a bomb fired by an Israeli drone and by gunfire from occupation tanks in the Al-Salam neighborhood, east of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.

In turn, the Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that the death toll in the Gaza Strip had risen to

48,577, the majority of whom are children and women, have been killed since the start of the Israeli occupation's aggression on October 7, 2023.

She added that the death toll has risen to 112,041 since the start of the aggression, while thousands of victims remain under the rubble.

It noted that 29 martyrs arrived at hospitals in the Gaza Strip, including 15 whose bodies were recovered, 14 new martyrs, and 51 others injured as a result of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip during the past 24 hours.

The sources indicated that a number of victims were under the rubble and on the streets, and that ambulance and civil defense crews were still unable to reach them.

New Zealand's political opposition is leading an initiative to introduce a bill before Parliament aimed at imposing sanctions on Israel for its illegal occupation of Palestinian territories and brutal war crimes against the Palestinian people.

The new bill, spearheaded by the New Zealand Green Party, received support from all components of the country's parliamentary opposition, primarily the Labour and Maori parties, according to the Palestinian Information Center.

The proposed law reflects a significant development in New Zealand's political discourse on the Palestinian issue, with figures from other opposition parties seeking to push for a more balanced foreign policy that supports the rights of the Palestinian people and criticizes the double standards in international positions toward the Israeli occupation.

The Green Party is one of the most prominent political forces pushing for more explicit positions in support of Palestinian rights. The party has publicly condemned the Israeli aggression and called for a ceasefire in Gaza.

In recent years, New Zealand has witnessed a significant increase in the positions of opposition parties on the Palestinian issue. These parties have emerged as critical voices of Israel's violations in the occupied territories, particularly following the escalation of aggression against Gaza and the West Bank.

These positions gained momentum particularly after October 7, 2023, when some political parties took more assertive positions in condemning war crimes committed by Israel and called on the New Zealand government to take a more stringent stance against the Israeli occupation.

For her part, Green Party co-chairwoman and New Zealand MP Chloe Swarbrick said, “The bill (I proposed) was put to a vote by MPs in December of last year and has not yet been withdrawn from the vote.”

In an interview with Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, she explained that "Parliament's bylaws stipulate that a draft law can bypass a vote and move directly to the House of Representatives for discussion if it receives the support of 61 of the 123 members of Parliament."

She pointed out that "in light of the support shown by all 55 opposition party MPs for the bill, we only need six MPs from the government coalition parties to support it."

Regarding her expectations for the ruling parties' stance, Swarbrick said, "I know that there are MPs within the government who understand their responsibility to defend human rights. I also know that they have heard this very clearly from the citizens they represent."

She added, "We must not forget, in this regard, that our country voted in favor of a resolution at the United Nations calling on countries to impose sanctions on Israel for its occupation of Palestine. This bill, from this perspective, is the beginning of implementing this process."

The Prisoners' Club stated that the Israeli prison administration continues its systematic and organized crimes against detainees. Torture, starvation, medical crimes, and repression continue to haunt their lives, in addition to the continued spread of diseases among them, specifically scabies.

The Prisoners' Club explained that the testimonies of 36 detainees recently visited in the Negev and Ofer prisons focused on the recent repression of detainees, the accompanying abuse, beatings, and various forms of assault, as well as the continued spread of disease among them.

In addition to hunger, which over time became a tool of torture, many of them suffering from severe weight loss, emaciation, and fatigue, there were also numerous daily details related to the lack of even the most basic necessities of life, including a scarcity of clothing and tools that could help detainees maintain their hygiene.

He reviewed a number of testimonies related to the recent conditions in the Negev and Ofer prisons, specifically regarding the repression operations carried out by special units, as rubber bullets were used in the Negev prison, targeting the feet of detainees.

The detainee (R. H.) stated: “The policy of repression is still continuing at an escalating pace recently, accompanied by attacks on detainees with severe beatings, tear gas, and the use of rubber bullets. Recently, Section (27) was stormed, and as a result of the repression, a number of them were injured.”

All detainees suffer from limited food quantities and poor quality. This also applies to clothing, as there is a shortage of clothing. Each detainee only has one change of clothes, in addition to the prison uniform. It is difficult for them to wash them, due to the lack of other changes.

Hamas' chief negotiator headed to Doha yesterday, despite statements by US envoy Steven Witkoff that Hamas' response to the US proposal was "unacceptable."

A Hamas source told Agence France-Presse that "a Hamas leadership delegation headed by Khalil al-Hayya headed to Doha yesterday morning," noting that "the delegation held fruitful discussions with Egyptian officials that focused on ways to push forward the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, in light of Hamas's acceptance of the updated American proposal."

He stressed that "the delegation asked the American mediators and guarantors to compel the occupation to implement the humanitarian protocol, immediately allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, and begin the second phase of negotiations," according to Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said yesterday that an Israeli delegation is currently visiting Egypt and participating in discussions with Egyptian officials in Cairo regarding the issue of prisoners in Gaza. There was no immediate comment from the Egyptian side.

Netanyahu's office announced Saturday evening that the prime minister had instructed the negotiating team for the exchange and ceasefire talks to prepare to resume talks based on the mediators' response to Witkoff's proposal for the immediate release of 11 Israeli captives in Gaza and half of the remaining dead.

The office added that the Prime Minister held an in-depth discussion on the issue of detainees, with the participation of ministers, the negotiating team, and heads of security agencies.

Witkov rejects Hamas' response

Netanyahu thus ruled out Hamas's offer to release an Israeli-American prisoner and return the bodies of four others, an offer also rejected by Witkoff. Speaking to CNN, Witkoff said Hamas' ceasefire proposal was not a suitable basis for negotiations, and considered the response received from the movement regarding extending the ceasefire in Gaza "totally unacceptable."

Witkoff noted that the US proposal includes the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, saying it would be a great relief for their families. He emphasized that the US proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza includes "the release of five living detainees, including an American citizen."

Witkoff said he believes there is an opportunity for Hamas, but it is fading quickly, adding that he encourages Hamas to be more rational than it has been.

This comes despite Hamas' announcement on Thursday that it had agreed to a mediators' proposal to release an Israeli-American soldier and the bodies of four dual nationals, in order to resume negotiations on the second phase of the agreement, which Israel violated.

The first phase of the agreement ended on March 1 without agreement on subsequent phases, but open warfare did not resume. The first phase of the agreement lasted six weeks and allowed Hamas to release 33 Israeli prisoners, including eight dead, while Israel released approximately 1,800 Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas confirmed on Saturday that "the ball is now in Israel's court," after offering to release an Israeli-American soldier it is holding captive, along with the bodies of four dual nationals, as part of negotiations to maintain the truce in the Gaza Strip.

For its part, the Israeli Prisoners' Families Committee in the Gaza Strip accused Netanyahu of seeking to return to war and called on US President Donald Trump to pressure him to conclude a swap deal.

The panel members said Netanyahu is trying to drag an entire country into war and force it to pay an additional price. They added that he could return the detainees, but is deliberately obstructing the second phase of the deal.

In this context, the Jerusalem Post reported on Sunday that Israeli military sources expect the Israeli government to approve military operations in the Gaza Strip if there is no last-minute breakthrough in the ceasefire agreement.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said that one million children in the Gaza Strip are struggling to survive, lacking basic necessities.

She explained that hundreds of thousands in the Gaza Strip lack clean water and sanitation services.

She stressed that a sustainable truce and unrestricted access to aid could save lives in the Gaza Strip.

Since the beginning of the ongoing aggression on the city of Jenin and its camp, the occupation has adopted a policy of occupying and controlling homes, turning them into military barracks and observation and monitoring points after expelling their residents, whose lives have been transformed into hell and suffering. This was the case with the residents of the "Al-Rayyan" building located in the Al-Mahta neighborhood in the city of Jenin, on the main street leading to the Horse Roundabout at the western entrance to the camp.

Despite the building and the area being approximately 100 meters away from the camp, it is considered a target of the occupation, as citizen Ahmed Diab explained, during every invasion and aggression against Jenin and the camp. He added, "At the beginning of every military operation, the occupation takes over the building and detains all residents under dire and tragic conditions."

During the recent aggression, the occupation closed off the Al-Sawha neighborhood and placed earth barriers at all its entrances. After isolating it, bulldozers destroyed the streets surrounding the neighborhood and the buildings all the way to the camp entrance. Dhiyab says, “The neighborhood was transformed into a military barracks, and the army took full control of it. It destroyed and ruined the streets, then stormed our homes and forced us to flee until further notice.” He added, “The occupation established a permanent base and a center for assembling tanks and bulldozers, deployed military reinforcements, and imposed strict measures that exacerbated the suffering of the citizens, who became homeless.”

Ahmed Diab is one of the victims of this occupation policy. He says, "My house is on the top floor of the Al-Rayyan building, and even though I own it, I am still prohibited from returning to my home or entering it." He added, "The occupation forces expelled us from our homes with just our clothes on and without any belongings. Our lives are difficult and harsh in light of this bitter reality."

Every day, the citizen, Dhiab, comes to the area, waiting at every moment for the occupation to withdraw and to be freed from the journey of forced displacement. He says, “This is the seventh time that the occupation has confiscated the building during the past period. They stormed our homes, expelled us, and seized the building since the beginning of the current invasion.” He added, “I tried several times to return to my home and bring our clothes and some of our belongings, but the occupation is still preventing us, and we face great suffering in providing housing, due to the large number of displaced people from the camp, its surroundings, and the area.”

He continued, "The aggression has destroyed our lives. Even the schools are closed, and the occupation has deprived our children of education and movement from one place to another due to checkpoints and arbitrary measures."

Citizen Dhiab and his family of seven have been living in the Al-Rayyan building since he bought an apartment 13 years ago, but the occupation makes their life miserable due to the repeated incursions. He says, “We have lost the taste of security, life, and stability, and we live with great suffering even on normal days, because with every incursion, the occupation confiscates the building and turns it into a military barracks and forces us to leave our homes without taking our circumstances into consideration.” He adds, “Our life is currently very difficult. There is no other shelter, not even houses to rent, due to the huge number of displaced people.”

"I felt pain and bitterness when we welcomed the holy month of Ramadan as displaced and homeless, living as guests of one of our relatives. This affected us greatly, like the rest of our people who suffer from the occupation's plans and policies of displacement and expulsion," he added. "This policy is a return to the occupation's fundamental plan in the 1948 Nakba, and it is being renewed again today, but we are steadfast and will not leave. My return to see my home despite its occupation confirms my identity in my home, my land and my country. They are pressuring us and want us to be permanently displaced, but we will remain steadfast and steadfast on our land, our country, our roots and our ancestors there." Citizen Dhiab expresses a firm position of steadfastness embodied by citizens who have been harmed by the occupation's policies, but who are committed to returning and continuing their lives to thwart Israeli plans aimed at uprooting, displacement and forced migration.

In an act of blackmail and fait accompli, the Jerusalem municipality has officially joined the planning process with extremist settler groups, as a prelude to a settlement construction plan in East Jerusalem.

The District Planning and Building Committee will discuss next Wednesday the Jerusalem Municipality's acceptance of two controversial plans aimed at expanding Jewish construction in the heart of Palestinian neighborhoods – in Sheikh Jarrah and Umm Lisson/Sur Baher.

Ran Yaron, a spokesman for the anti-settlement organization Ir Amim, revealed that the plan in Sheikh Jarrah includes the construction of a Jewish seminary called Or Simach on private land in the heart of a Palestinian neighborhood. Yaron said, "After the municipality was criticized for not serving all residents of the Palestinian neighborhood, the local committee decided to confiscate 40 percent of the land for public use. At the same time, however, it also decided to have the Jerusalem municipality officially join as a sponsor of the plan, giving it significant institutional support and advancing settlement in a neighborhood that has been a source of tension and conflict between extremist settlers and the neighborhood's original Palestinian residents."

The municipality's most obvious involvement, Yaron added, "appears in the Am Lisson plan, which aims to establish 450 Jewish settlement units within an existing Palestinian neighborhood. The only entrance to the Palestinian neighborhood is narrow and does not allow for construction."

The Ir Amim spokesperson continued, "Because the settlers don't own the land, they are unable to widen the road themselves. This is where the Jerusalem municipality intervenes, joining the plan to overcome this obstacle and working to widen the road, effectively facilitating the establishment of a Jewish settlement within the Palestinian neighborhood."

Ir Amim rejects the claim that the municipality's goal is simply to improve infrastructure, stating, "This is the first time the Jerusalem municipality has played the role of sponsor of a settlement plan in the heart of a Palestinian neighborhood." An Ir Amim report stated, "This is a purely political move. The Jerusalem municipality could have decided not to widen the road to serve a Jewish settlement project within a Palestinian neighborhood—but it chose the opposite."

She added: "With this, the municipality demonstrates its intention to advance settlement in Palestinian neighborhoods and villages in occupied East Jerusalem - not only by imposing a reality of planning discrimination against Palestinians, but also by exploiting its authority as a local authority to circumvent legal and planning restrictions, with the aim of facilitating the establishment of new Jewish settlements in Palestinian areas originally designated for natural Palestinian expansion, with the aim of strangling these neighborhoods and preventing their development and expansion."

Settlement and land expert Khalil Al-Tafakji said: “The project has been under discussion for a long time by extremist religious groups whose interests have converged with a group of extremist officials in the occupation municipality. Together, they approached the local committee in the occupation municipality to establish a religious institute consisting of nine floors above the ground and three below it, claiming that the land belongs to the “Israel Lands Authority,” which oversees the lands confiscated in 1968 as part of the largest confiscation operation carried out during that period, which included 3,345 dunams.”

Al-Tafakji added to Al-Quds: “The project is huge in a high-rise building in the heart of the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, which was the scene of settler violence led by the extremist former minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and the neighborhood is plagued by settlements and extremist settlers.”

Al-Tafkaji explained: "The occupation municipality granted the settlers a large building percentage in that area - 9,615 square meters on a land area of 4 dunams. He warned that this construction and settlement will harm and cause the expulsion and uprooting of several Palestinian families to the north of this project in order to build a five-story building with 10 housing units for the settlers. To the east of this school, a six-story building will be built to house offices for this huge settlement complex."

He said that this settlement will bring hundreds of settlers almost daily to the heart of the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, which connects northern Jerusalem, the Old City, and Al-Aqsa Mosque. This will increase friction and violence, he said, as protecting these settlers will require a permanent Israeli military and police presence in this Palestinian neighborhood plagued by settlements and extremist settlers.

Al-Tafakji warned of the danger of what is being plotted and planned for the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, linking settlements there to West Jerusalem, the Hebrew University, Israeli police buildings, and the headquarters of the largest extremist settler organization, "Amona," near the eye hospital.

He said: "A huge project has been proposed on an area of 17 dunams, including 316 settlement units. The occupation municipality aims through this project to link the settlement outposts in the eastern part, passing through the settlement of Kerem al-Mufti, reaching the Mount Scopus area, which includes the Hebrew University and the towers project."

Massive settlement expansion on Mount Scopus land to expand Hebrew University housing, a hospital, and Israeli police and government buildings in Sheikh Jarrah.

Al-Tafkaji stated that the combined goal of these projects is to create a massive settlement bloc that would form a wall dividing the neighborhood into a north and a south, facilitating control over it, and to connect the eastern and western parts of Jerusalem by establishing settlement outposts within Palestinian neighborhoods. This would prevent a geographical and demographic connection between the Old City and the Palestinian neighborhoods east of the city (Shuafat, Beit Hanina, and Qalandia), thus preventing the re-division of Jerusalem into east and west once again. He pointed out that part of these projects (building settlement units, Jewish synagogues, and public buildings belonging to the Israeli government) falls within the no-man's land (the buffer zone between the 1948 and 1967 borders) to erase the so-called Green Line.

Also, the Supreme Planning Council of the Israeli military government/Civil Administration will approve plans for 1,211 housing units in West Bank settlements next Wednesday, including two large plans in the Ma'ale Amos settlement (comprising 561 housing units) that expand the settlement's boundaries northward to connect it with the Efe Nahal settlement. Efe Nahal is considered a separate settlement, but in practice, it constitutes a neighborhood of Ma'ale Amos.

Since December 2024, the Supreme Planning Council has been holding weekly meetings to approve settlement plans. Prior to this date, it held four meetings. The council's weekly meetings not only normalize settlement construction, but also increase it. This is confirmed by the fact that it has approved the construction of 10,167 settlement units since the beginning of 2025, in a period of less than three months.

On Wednesday, the council will also approve construction plans in the settlement of Etz Efraim, which include the construction of 252 units, in the settlement of Mitzpe Shalem - 168, and in the settlement of Beitar Illit - 230 housing units.

British Minister for the Middle East, Tariq Ahmad, said that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is critical, with only 10% of the population having access to safe drinking water.

He added in a press statement that Israel's blockade has obstructed aid from reaching the Gaza Strip, and that it must work to prevent the suffering from worsening.

The British minister urged the occupation to lift restrictions on humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip.

It is noteworthy that the Kerem Shalom and Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossings have been closed for 16 days, with no time for aid to enter.

As the Palestinian Central Council convenes in mid-May, interest is growing regarding what needs to be discussed and decisions made at this crucial stage the Palestinian people are going through. Given the current circumstances of the escalating Israeli occupation, the wars on Gaza and the West Bank, and internal challenges, there is an urgent need to discuss several vital issues that could constitute an important step toward strengthening Palestinian unity and defining clearer paths for the Palestinian cause. Among the most prominent issues that should occupy the Central Council are:

Reforming the Palestine Liberation Organization

The current situation requires a comprehensive reform of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and a careful evaluation of the membership of the National Council. Some individuals have been admitted to the organization without clear legal justification, while others have been excluded from unions, syndicates, and other figures who could contribute to strengthening national action. It is essential that the reinstatement of membership be discussed democratically, through a vote to include unions, syndicates, and individuals previously excluded. This reform must take place within the framework of a healthy democratic process in which all Palestinian factions and vital forces in society participate.

Reforming the Palestinian National Authority

Among the important issues that must occupy the Central Council at this critical moment is the reform of the Palestinian National Authority. The Authority has faced numerous challenges due to administrative corruption and weak governance, which have affected its ability to provide basic services to the Palestinian people and achieve their aspirations to build an independent Palestinian state. A comprehensive reform plan for the Authority must be developed, focusing on rehabilitating its institutions, strengthening transparency and accountability, and preventing corruption. These reforms must include legal, administrative, and economic aspects, with the aim of making the Authority more effective and resilient in the face of current challenges. In this context, the importance of judicial independence and reform of the Palestinian National Authority's financial system must be emphasized, ensuring the improvement of the lives of Palestinian citizens, free from any external interference or individual discretion.

Revitalizing unions and federations

Freedom of association and the right to freedom of expression are fundamental rights for the Palestinian people. Unfortunately, many Palestinian unions and federations have experienced a long period of tyranny and domination of their leadership by certain figures without the presence of truly democratic elections. At this critical stage, the revival of union life and the restoration of citizens' political and social rights must be raised, so that unions and federations can truly represent the interests of the Palestinian people. Every individual must have the right to participate and express their opinion, and unions must be effective tools in defending the rights of workers and employees.

Facing Challenges in Gaza and the West Bank

The war on Gaza was not just a military war, but a war against humanity as a whole. The Central Council's priorities must include working to rebuild Gaza and supporting the people there sustainably through international organizations. The challenges in the West Bank are no less significant, as the Palestinian people suffer from ongoing displacement, especially in the Jenin, Tulkarm, and Far'a refugee camps. This requires an immediate response to ensure security and stability in these areas.

Ending the Palestinian division

The prolonged Palestinian division has become a stumbling block to achieving national goals. The Central Council must work to develop a comprehensive plan to end the division, ensuring the unification of ranks among all Palestinian factions, including those not part of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and establishing a clear mechanism for the upcoming Palestinian elections, with the Beijing Agreement as a reliable basis.

Appointment of a Vice President and the Role of the Bylaws

One of the controversial issues that requires serious discussion is the appointment of a vice president. There are legal discussions surrounding this matter, as the organization's bylaws do not explicitly mention this position. At the same time, the political reality requires an assessment of this issue in terms of its necessity in light of the current situation, while emphasizing that the bylaws stipulate that the President of the National Council deputizes for the President in his absence, while the President of the Legislative Council assumes the duties of the President in his absence. Therefore, there must be a clear presentation of this issue to ensure political stability.

Palestinian elections and the importance of holding them

One of the most important issues the Central Council must discuss is the holding of presidential and legislative elections. Conducting these elections on a sound legal basis can significantly contribute to rebuilding Palestinian institutions, especially in light of the challenges facing the Palestinian people in Jerusalem and the West Bank, including the occupation's prevention of participation in the elections. The Central Council is required to establish a mechanism that overcomes these complexities and allows all Palestinians to participate in the elections, achieving true representation of the people.

Reviewing relations with Israel

It has become clear that Israel does not recognize the right of the Palestinian people to establish a Palestinian state, and it renounces all signed agreements. In these circumstances, a comprehensive review of relations with Israel must be conducted, including withdrawing recognition of it and halting any normalization with the occupation, especially in light of the ongoing crimes against humanity in Gaza and the West Bank. The decision to reoccupy the West Bank cannot pass without real international accountability. Therefore, work must be done to change the policy towards the occupation, most notably implementing the previous decisions of the Central Council, which approved the cessation of security coordination with Israel, especially since there is no reward for it, but rather an increase in the violations and crimes of the occupation and the financial siege of the Palestinian National Authority.

The American role and international pressures

The role of the United States in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has become clear in its unconditional support for Israel, which threatens the continuation of the peace process. The Palestinian Central Council must work to exclude the United States as a mediator in any negotiations. An international peace conference must be called with the participation of countries with balanced positions, including the European Union and other major powers that respect the rights of the Palestinian people, to revive the two-state solution project that Israel has ended and the United States has disavowed, having originally sponsored it as part of its illusory projects for a solution.

Arab normalization with Israel

In light of Arab normalization with Israel, the Central Council must develop clear strategies to confront this phenomenon, which harms the Palestinian cause. There must be a clear call to halt any relations with countries that have normalized relations with the occupation until the Palestinian people achieve their right to establish their state. If necessary, relations with countries that support the occupation could be severed.

At these critical moments, the Palestinian situation requires decisive decisions that restore national unity and achieve social justice. Rebuilding institutions on democratic foundations, restoring union and individual freedoms, and ending the Palestinian division are essential steps toward achieving independence and freedom.

The Palestinian Central Council is called upon to confront military and political challenges and preserve the rights of our people under difficult circumstances. Unity and solidarity are the most important path to achieving justice and freedom for our people.

Palestine deserves actions, not words.

About "Sada News"

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At these critical moments, the Palestinian situation requires decisive decisions that restore national unity and achieve social justice. Rebuilding institutions on democratic foundations, restoring union and individual freedoms, and ending the Palestinian division are essential steps toward achieving independence and freedom.

With increasing severity and brutality, the third famine digs its fangs in, biting people, making them eat their hunger and quench their thirst in a manner that exceeds what they suffered in the first famine during the first six months of the war of extermination, and the second, whose pains deepened in the months of October, January, and December of last year.

"We drink seawater," a fact, not a metaphor. It's what we drink, wash, bathe in, and perform ablutions with, as one displaced person said in a report on a satellite channel. He added, "We get it after toiling all day, so that each family member has a glass of salty water."

“For two weeks, we haven’t eaten chicken, frozen food, or vegetables,” said another displaced person, describing the scale of the tragedy caused by the siege, compounded by the monopoly of merchants.

A friend who lives in a tent he pitched on the rubble of his house in Beit Hanoun told me that the commission on transfers reaches about 30%.

The price of a single lemon has reached five shekels, and the same goes for onions, garlic, and other vegetables and basic goods, whose prices have reached astronomical levels that people, who are suppressing their pain and managing their hunger and thirst, cannot bear.

Unfortunately, only days after the Arab Summit succeeded in proposing an Arab plan to respond to the displacement plan, Hamas entered into unilateral negotiations with the US administration, undermining all the decisions of the Arab Summit in Cairo. These included an Arab consensus on the Egyptian-Palestinian plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip, the formation of a community support committee linked to the Palestinian National Authority, and the empowerment of Palestinian security forces to manage the Strip's affairs. Although this Arab consensus succeeded in countering the displacement plan proposed by US President Trump, who quickly abandoned it in his press statements two days ago, emphasizing that he does not want to displace the Palestinian people, Hamas's unilateral approach in negotiating with the US President's hostage envoy, Adam Boehler, constituted a real challenge to the outcomes of the Arab Summit.

Despite the US administration's retreat from these direct talks, indirect negotiations continued between the two sides through US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. During his first round of negotiations in the region, Witkoff outlined a path to ending the fighting through the implementation of several principles, most notably the withdrawal of Hamas forces from the Gaza Strip, the end of its rule over the Strip, and the handover of Israeli detainees in a single batch. This would be in exchange for the delivery of aid to the Palestinian people, an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and a cessation of military operations. What's strange is that Hamas's positions in these negotiations deviated not only from the Arab Summit resolutions but also from the goals of the Palestinian national project. The movement insisted that it would not allow the Palestinian Authority or any other party to rule the Gaza Strip, and that it was prepared to sign a long-term truce of no less than 30 years, guaranteeing Israel's security and transforming itself into a political party that advocates peace, development, and stability. It also called on the United States to assist it in establishing a Palestinian state under its rule in the Gaza Strip, or any part of it (leaks say that the state proposed by Hamas is a mini-state located between Gaza City and Khan Yunis!). Unfortunately, all these demands are inconsistent with the Arab Summit resolutions. Indeed, they serve to undermine them.

The gap between US demands and Hamas's demands appears to be wide, prompting Butkov, who recently participated in the Doha negotiations, to propose an interim plan for a ceasefire to last several weeks in exchange for the delivery of aid and the release of a limited number of living and dead Israeli detainees. In other words, Butkov's second track proposes a temporary truce in exchange for aid and prisoners only, not a final resolution to the conflict.

In fact, I was not surprised by Hamas's position. In fact, the latest opinion poll conducted by the International Academic Campaign Against Occupation and Apartheid, the official results of which will be published today, Sunday (yesterday), indicates that Hamas will not facilitate the implementation of the Arab Summit resolutions, nor will it facilitate the empowerment of the legitimate Palestinian Authority to assume power and administer the Gaza Strip. The questions that arise in light of this Hamas intransigence are: Is Hamas's insistence on administering the Gaza Strip worth the price of the continued war of genocide waged by the occupation forces against the Gaza Strip? Why does Hamas insist on continuing its rule of the Strip, even though it has plunged the Strip into five wars that have achieved nothing but killing, genocide, and destruction for the Palestinian people? Isn't it time for this movement to review its strategies and admit its failure? Why do Hamas leaders praise national unity and reconciliation and hold Fatah responsible for the failure of reconciliation efforts, while they are conducting direct negotiations with the Americans under the slogan "There is no national authority in the Gaza Strip"? Does Hamas expect Arab countries to contribute to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and implement the decisions of the Arab Summit, if it insists on this position, to implement it, while these countries insist on their support for the return of the Palestinian Authority to the Strip and its participation in reconstruction efforts? These questions and others must be discussed by the Hamas leadership, and then new strategies must be developed that are beneficial not only to its members but also to the Palestinian people. This Hamas leadership, whose statements are contradictory and whose narratives differ, is the one that blessed the outcomes of the Arab Summit, but unfortunately, it is the first to deviate from these decisions!

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Why does Hamas insist on continuing its rule over the Gaza Strip, despite having plunged the territory into five wars that have brought nothing but death, genocide, and destruction to the Palestinian people? Isn't it time for this movement to review its strategies and admit its failure?

Muhannad Mustafa*

During his meeting with the Irish Prime Minister at the White House, US President Donald Trump said he would not expel Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, in response to a question from a journalist. Does this statement constitute a retreat by Trump from his idea of expelling Palestinians from the Gaza Strip?

Trump's statement has two interpretations:

First, he does not consider his plan to be an "expulsion" or displacement of Palestinians, but rather a fulfillment of their desires. Therefore, he did not understand the meaning of the question when it was directed to him about the expulsion, and he also dismissed the question, as he is convinced that his plan enjoys the support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Second, he actually backed down from his plan to displace the residents of Gaza. This was after he realized the difficulty of implementing this proposal, the Arab states' rejection of it, and his desire to achieve greater goals from the Gaza Strip. Displacement could create greater problems for him than the displacement itself and the gains he would gain from controlling the Gaza Strip.

The truth is that this debate is pointless, and it is risky to analyze his views on the idea of displacement based on a sentence he said in an interview, like many sentences he said and then retracted, or statements that were more harsh than realistic. Even Gaza itself bears witness to the man's claim regarding the release of all Israeli prisoners at once with a specific time limit, and nothing happened.

On the other hand, it is possible to risk misunderstanding the context of Trump's statement, which may indicate (i.e., the context, not the statement) that the idea of displacement is no longer a serious idea on the US administration's agenda. Hence, another statement by Trump regarding the annexation of the West Bank can be invoked.

During the joint meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which he presented his plan to displace the residents of the Gaza Strip, Trump promised to examine the West Bank annexation project within four weeks and publish his position on the matter. The result was that nothing happened, and after four weeks, the White House has not issued any position on the idea of annexing the West Bank.

Trump believed the idea of displacement was "outside the box thinking," which is in fact how the Israelis described Trump's proposal. However, he encountered a unified Arab position against the proposal, as well as a new Arab initiative to rebuild Gaza and resolve the general political impasse, represented by the failure to grant Palestinians their national and political rights.

The Arab initiative took a political direction similar to Trump's approach, offering not only a plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, but also a clear and timetabled political horizon for "peace," a term Trump frequently uses.

While Trump's approach was to raise the ceiling of his demands to get what he wanted, the Arab initiative came with a political ceiling that went beyond reconstruction and preventing displacement, with the goal of reclaiming Gaza from the captivity of the displacement idea that Trump launched, which has become entrenched in the Israeli imagination, and has become a department within the Israeli Ministry of Defense to implement the proposal.

The clear Arab and international stances played a restraining role in curbing Trump's push for this plan. Regardless of his recent statement, the most important thing is that he does not repeat the proposal. His silence on the proposal is important, not his discussion of it, even in a single sentence. Failure to discuss the idea indicates a retreat from it or the US administration's skepticism about its feasibility.

In comparison to Trump's reiteration of his other plans, the idea of displacing Gaza has been a topic of little interest to him for some time, compared to the mineral deal with Ukraine, the annexation of Greenland, the imposition of tariffs on Canada, and other plans that Trump continues to repeat and boast about, unlike his proposal to displace the residents of the Gaza Strip.

The US administration understands that ceasefire negotiations in Gaza will lead to a reality that opposes displacement. There is no clearer evidence of this than the talks conducted by US Special Envoy for American Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler with Hamas, which discussed a truce for at least five years in the Gaza Strip—a truce that would last beyond the terms of Trump and Netanyahu.

Boehler emphasized that his discussions were personally endorsed and supported by Trump, which is further evidence that the idea of displacement is not a priority for the Trump administration or for him personally. Regardless of the success or failure of these discussions, what matters to us is this indicator regarding the displacement idea, which confirms that the displacement proposal is no longer realistic or practical in the eyes of the US administration.

Moreover, Trump realizes that displacement contradicts his most important ambition to achieve peace in the Middle East, as he understands and defines it. It undermines all his plans to revive the normalization project in the region, stabilize it, and prevent wars.

Displacement threatens regional stability, in addition to returning the conflict with Israel to its original point in 1948, when Israel expelled the Palestinians from their homeland. Displacement will not resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict; rather, it will return it to square one, after Trump believed this conflict no longer exists, as Israel also believed. Therefore, there is a contradiction between stability and displacement, and between normalization and displacement.

So, there are more important indicators than Trump's statement that the idea of displacement is declining in the man's thinking. Frequent silence is one indicator, and practice is another indicator that this idea is declining and may even be abolished.

However, the Zionist entourage behind Trump, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and others, should not be underestimated. They may be pushing to keep this proposal on the table with Trump, not to mention the idea's strong appeal to the Israeli side, which is awaiting the opportunity to implement it, or at least preparing for it and taking it seriously.

But Trump's retreat from his proposal will have an impact on the Israeli side. Indeed, voices in Israel have begun to rise against this proposal, either for moral or political reasons, considering it an unworkable plan. Discussing it will cause harm to Israel on both the regional and international levels, in addition to threatening the lives and safety of Israeli prisoners and hostages.

* Palestinian lecturer in political science and history, and researcher at the Mada al-Carmel Center for Social Research in Haifa.

Despite US President Trump's blatant bias toward the Israeli colony, which he strongly supports and backs, and his and his extremist Zionist political team's clear rejection of Palestinian rights, we must pause and pay attention to the practical steps taken by the White House President, namely:

First: Netanyahu was forced to accept a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip before assuming his constitutional powers on January 20, 2025.

Second: Imposing the idea of a ceasefire, opening the door and negotiating table regarding Ukraine, and forcing it to accept the idea of reaching a ceasefire agreement with Russia.

Third: He played a pivotal role in reaching an agreement between Ahmed al-Sharaa's government and the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Fourth: Opening direct negotiations with Hamas, in contradiction with the policies of the colonial government and Netanyahu's policies.

Fifth: He practically and morally retreated from the issue of displacing Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, and publicly declared that no one would force them to leave.

He is a strong and extremist supporter of the colony, along with his political tools of ambassadors and ministers, the majority of whom are blatantly hostile to the Palestinian people, and therefore it is not expected that he will move from a state of support for the colony to support for the Palestinian people, or sympathize with their suffering in the Gaza Strip. However, despite the manifestations of racism and extremism devoted to the benefit of the colony, he can also be described as a practical, pragmatic person who prioritizes the interests of the United States, and seeks economic gains. His team is mostly from a commercial investment background, and their political backgrounds are low, and for this reason he rejected the option of war everywhere, and seeks practical settlements that end the option of wars as a solution to political issues.

Therefore, it must be dealt with, and the tools, means and methods that will make it responsive to Palestinian interests must be sought. First and foremost, there is a Palestinian people on Palestinian land, not a poor, helpless community, but a mighty, cohesive, steadfast and courageous people. It is the first and most important factor in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which cannot be ignored, ignored, erased or displaced. This is no longer in the Palestinians’ calculations or options.

The second factor is Israeli extremism, which has provoked the world and continues to provoke it, especially the Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the Emirates, and Qatar, which are deeply involved in the political situation and are friends of the United States. They can play a very important role in serving its national and regional interests, and there is understanding and coordination between them. This is in addition to the Islamic countries that stand united with Palestine.

The third factor is the deepening positive European and international stance toward Palestine. Additional momentum lies in the American and Israeli popular movements against the war, and in the agreement reached to end the war.

The factors of conflict are in favor of Palestine, with the exception of the Palestinian division, which provides a free service to the colony. Both the Fatah authority in Ramallah and the Hamas authority in Gaza bear responsibility for the failure of understanding and coordination between them, based on the monopoly that binds their political behavior together.

Here is the statement issued by the G7 industrialized nations: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, the United States, and the European Union High Representative, issued at their meeting on Friday, March 14, 2025. This is the beginning of the retreat from support for the two-state solution, and the beginning of the Hanjala dance. The Palestinian division is the reason for the beginning of the retreat from the two-state solution.

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The factors of conflict are in favor of Palestine, with the exception of the Palestinian division, which provides a free service to the colony. Both the Fatah authority in Ramallah and the Hamas authority in Gaza bear responsibility for the failure of understanding and coordination between them, based on the monopoly that binds their political behavior together.

The Israeli army continues to close the Gaza Strip's crossings, preventing the entry of aid, goods, and fuel for the 15th consecutive day. This exacerbates the humanitarian crisis facing the population, amid a stifling blockade and a sharp decline in humanitarian services provided by local authorities.

On the 56th day of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, Israeli tanks opened heavy fire on the southern areas of Rafah and the eastern areas of Abasan al-Kabira and al-Jadidah, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army has expanded its aggression on the Gaza Strip, killing more than 15 Palestinians in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll since the agreement came into effect to more than 150, according to the government media office in Gaza.

Hamas has once again demonstrated flexibility in negotiations by announcing its acceptance of the mediators' proposal to release Israeli-American soldier Idan Alexander and the bodies of four dual nationals. This is intended to allow for the resumption of negotiations on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement.

After days of procrastination, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced that Benjamin Netanyahu had directed the negotiating team to prepare for the resumption of the Gaza negotiations, based on the mediators' response to the proposal of US envoy Steve Witkoff.

The office said in a statement that Netanyahu "held an in-depth discussion on Saturday evening on the issue of the kidnapped soldiers, with the participation of ministers, the negotiating team, and heads of the security establishment."

This morning, Monday, the Israeli occupation forces launched an arrest campaign in the West Bank.

In Ramallah, occupation forces arrested two children, Abdul Qader Kamel Makhlouf and Ahmed Osama Alian, both 15 years old, after raiding and searching their parents' homes in the Jalazone refugee camp.

In Bethlehem, the occupation forces arrested: Laith Nidal Suman (24 years old) from Al-Saff Street, Ali Khaled Zawahra (25 years old), and Adi Bassam Zawahra (19 years old) from the Karkafa area in central Bethlehem, after raiding and searching their families’ homes.

In Hebron, occupation forces arrested freed prisoner Abdul Wahab Al-Atrash after raiding his home in the Qalqas area.

The occupation forces also raided and searched a number of homes in the Wadi al-Saman area, east of the city.

These forces also stormed Al-Arroub camp, firing live ammunition and sound bombs into the air, without recording any injuries or arrests.

In Tulkarm, occupation forces arrested Muqdad Ibrahim, Sayyaf Mustafa Ajouli, and Ayham Taama after raiding their homes in the town of Qaffin.

The Israeli occupation forces continue their aggression on the city of Tulkarm and its camp for the 50th consecutive day, and on the Nour Shams camp for the 37th day, amid an unprecedented escalation that includes intensive raids on homes, forcing Palestinians to leave, and burning and bombing others. The siege and raids continue, amid continuous military reinforcements.

Israeli occupation forces have escalated their attacks on residents of Tulkarm refugee camp, threatening the remaining families in the Qaqun neighborhood with the need to leave, in a continuation of their policy of forced displacement against the camp's residents.

Local sources reported that 200 families were displaced from their homes in Tulkarm camp over the past 24 hours due to the escalation of the occupation's aggression and threats to residents that they must leave their homes and not return.

The occupation forces continued to raid homes and shops in Tulkarm camp, searching them, vandalizing and stealing their contents, and converting a number of them into military barracks. They also raided the Al-Awda Center for Child and Youth Rehabilitation, vandalizing its contents and stealing its belongings.

The Israeli occupation forces continue their aggression on the city and camp of Jenin for the 56th consecutive day, amidst bulldozing and burning homes, and converting others into military barracks.

Israeli occupation forces continued to burn homes in Jenin camp, setting fire to a number of homes, including the home of Samir al-Nursi, on al-Hurriya Theatre Street. Meanwhile, infantry forces deployed in the camp's main square, while flares were fired around al-Zahraa School.

Occupation forces closed the entrance to Jenin Governmental Hospital with earth mounds and continued their military operations around the camp and on several streets in the city.

Occupation tanks and armored vehicles are positioned around the camp, while bulldozers continue to clear streets and widen others to allow military vehicles to enter.

The occupation forces completely demolished approximately 120 homes in the camp's alleyways and neighborhoods, damaging dozens of others, and displacing approximately 20,000 residents.

The United States and Israel have asked three East African governments to accept Palestinians forcibly displaced from Gaza, according to American and Israeli officials who spoke to The Associated Press.

The Associated Press reported Friday that the United States and Israel began discussing the forced displacement of Palestinians last month with the governments of Sudan, Somalia, and the breakaway region of Somaliland.

This comes after US President Donald Trump indicated last February that the United States might "take over" the Gaza Strip and expel the Palestinians. His announcement prompted Egypt to formulate an alternative plan for Gaza's reconstruction, which was adopted by Arab leaders on March 4.

The Egyptian plan, which envisages $53 billion to rebuild Gaza, rejects the displacement of Palestinians, focusing instead on redeveloping the Strip without evacuating its Palestinian citizens.

Earlier this week, Trump appeared to hint that he was backing away from a proposed mass expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza, saying when asked about it during a White House meeting with Irish leader Micheál Martin: "Nobody wants to expel any Palestinians from Gaza."

The Associated Press reports that the United States responded to Arab governments' rejection of its plan to displace Palestinians last month by ignoring it.

The foreign ministers of Somalia and Somaliland on Friday denied receiving any proposal from the United States or Israel to resettle Palestinians in their countries.

Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi stated that his country rejects "any proposal or initiative, from any party, that would undermine the right of the Palestinian people to live in peace on the land of their ancestors."

A senior Sudanese official also denied that Sudan had received any proposal, telling Reuters that such a plan was unacceptable.

Clashes erupted with Israeli occupation forces on Sunday evening in the town of Beit Furik, east of Nablus.

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

UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Edouard Beigbeder, described the situation of children in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank as "extremely worrying," stressing that all of them are affected in one way or another by the consequences of the conflict.

At the conclusion of a four-day mission to the West Bank and Gaza, Beigbeder said in a statement published Sunday on the UNICEF website that some children in the region live in "extreme fear and anxiety," while others suffer "the real consequences of being denied humanitarian assistance and protection, or of displacement, destruction, or death."

"Almost all of the 2.4 million children living across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip are affected in some way," he added.

He continued in his statement: "Without aid entering the Gaza Strip, nearly one million children are once again living without the basics they need to survive."

He continued, "Unfortunately, approximately 4,000 newborns are currently unable to receive essential life-saving care due to the severe impact on medical facilities in the Gaza Strip. Every day without ventilators, lives are lost, particularly among vulnerable premature newborns in northern Gaza."

The UNICEF official noted that there are more than 180,000 doses of essential childhood vaccines located a few dozen kilometers outside the Gaza Strip, sufficient to fully vaccinate and protect 60,000 children under the age of two, in addition to 20 ventilators for neonatal intensive care units.

He called for these life-saving health supplies to be allowed into the country, saying, "There is no reason why this should not happen."

"Before it's too late"

In his statement, UNICEF's Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa stressed the need to meet the basic needs of civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law, adding, "This requires facilitating the delivery of life-saving aid, whether there is a ceasefire or not."

A ceasefire in Gaza took effect on January 19, but was marred by some shelling. Israel has been preventing any aid from entering the Strip since March 2.

Beigbeder stressed that any further delay in aid delivery risks slowing or shutting down essential services and could quickly undo the gains made for children during the ceasefire.

"We need to get these supplies to children, including newborns, before it's too late. We must keep essential services running," he said.

The official expressed his regret over the power outage at the UNICEF-supported desalination plant in Khan Yunis, Gaza, noting that it had been the only facility receiving electricity since last November, before it was now cut off.

In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, he noted that more than 200 Palestinian children have been killed since October 2023, "the highest number recorded in this period in the past two decades."

He concluded his statement by saying, "Tens of thousands of children have been killed and injured. We must not return to a situation that drives these numbers even higher."

US envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday, March 16, 2025, that Hamas's ceasefire proposal is not a suitable basis for negotiations.

"The response we received from Hamas regarding extending the ceasefire in Gaza is completely unacceptable," Witkoff told CNN.

Last Friday, Hamas announced its agreement to release an Israeli-American soldier being held captive, along with the bodies of four detained dual nationals, as part of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

"Our proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza includes the release of five live hostages, including an American citizen," Witkoff explained during the interview.

He continued: "Our proposal includes the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, which would be great for their families."

The US envoy added, "Hamas's chances are fading, and I advise them to look at what we did to the Houthis in Yemen and to be more realistic in the negotiations."

It is noteworthy that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed the negotiating team to prepare for the resumption of Gaza negotiations, in accordance with the mediators' response to the proposal of US envoy Steve Witkoff.

The office said in a statement that Netanyahu "held an in-depth discussion on Saturday evening on the issue of the kidnapped soldiers, with the participation of ministers, the negotiating team, and heads of the security establishment."

For the American conservative commentators, it is rare that their issues have been as central to their political world as their supposed defense of “free speech” and the “First Amendment” to the US Constitution. Over the past decade, they have built a powerful political movement opposing the so-called cancel culture, which they claim has restricted open debate and punished free thinkers willing to express their opinions.

But with the Donald Trump administration seeking to deport Palestinian student and activist Mahmoud Khalil, a U.S. permanent resident (green card) holder married to an American-born woman who is eight months pregnant, from the country solely based on his political expression, many of these free speech advocates have changed their stance. The arrest and attempted deportation of Mahmoud Khalil demonstrates the blatant hypocrisy of many conservative voices regarding free speech in America. Conservatives who previously opposed "cancel culture" under the guise of defending free speech are now rushing to support state violence against critics of Israel by arresting and expelling these critics from American society.

On March 8, officials from the US Department of Homeland Security arrived at Khalil's home, arrested him, separated him from his wife, and transferred him to a detention center in Louisiana, a jurisdiction friendly to government lawsuits against immigrants. Although Judge Jesse Furman (of the Southern District of New York) temporarily blocked Trump's desire to immediately deport Mahmoud, the threat against him remains. The US government (which arbitrarily detained him) has not filed any criminal charges against him and has not presented any evidence to substantiate the Trump administration's propaganda claims that he "poses a threat to national security" and "incites violence," in the words of Tom Homan, the Trump administration's border official.

In fact, senior White House and Republican officials have essentially admitted that Khalil committed no crime. Secretary of State Marco Rubio justified his attempt to deport Khalil by claiming—without evidence—that he supports Hamas and “anti-Semitic activities.” This shows that even as Rubio blatantly misrepresents Khalil’s policies, he is actually trying to deport him because of his alleged policies. When asked what crime Khalil committed, House Speaker Mike Johnson reverted to propaganda talking points without any evidence.

It's worth noting what Khalil actually said in a 2024 interview with CNN, Mahmoud stated: "As a Palestinian student, I believe that the liberation of the Palestinian people and the Jewish people are intertwined and go hand in hand, and one cannot be achieved without the other. Our movement is a movement for social justice, freedom, and equality for all."

Perhaps that's why a large number of Jewish protesters took over the lobby of Trump Tower in New York City last Thursday (March 25, 2013) to demand Khalil's release. The Trump administration has argued that it has the authority to deport Khalil under the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1952, which states that "any alien whose presence or activities in the United States, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, may have potentially adverse consequences for the foreign policy of the United States, shall be deportable." But the White House has not explained how a ceasefire and an end to Israel's genocide in Gaza would have "potential adverse foreign policy consequences," unless one considers that demanding an end to U.S. support for that genocide is "harmful" to U.S. national security. Under the Trump administration's sweeping interpretation of this language, any lawful permanent resident of the United States who criticizes any aspect of Trump's foreign policy—from Trump's desire to occupy Greenland to his abandonment of Ukraine—could be deported.

According to experts, this constitutes a clear attack on the First Amendment and constitutionally protected freedom of expression. A wide range of conservative voices who have repeatedly criticized “cancel culture” have rushed to defend the Trump administration’s ugly actions. To cite a number of examples: Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who has made opposing so-called “cancel culture” and defending free speech a core part of his political and advocacy discourse, used the same argument to defend the deportation of Mahmoud, whom Kirk described as a “Hamas promoter” and claimed, without evidence, that he “distributed Hamas propaganda leaflets”—baseless claims. Dinesh D’Souza, an Indian-born immigrant of American descent, followed a similar path, arguing against “cancel culture” on the one hand while calling for Khalil’s deportation based on his alleged offensive rhetoric against “Western civilization,” a claim that appears to be based on a fake Instagram post.

To be fair, there have been exceptions to this hypocrisy. Ann Coulter, the most famous, stated in her usual X-rated fashion, "There's almost no one I wouldn't deport, but unless they've committed a crime, isn't that a violation of the First Amendment?" Candice Owen questioned the lack of criminal charges against Khalil and refuted conservative claims about what Khalil said.

It's worth noting that, as with many of Trump's actions, his attack on Mahmoud's right to free speech may have backfired by provoking a dramatic backlash from advocates for Palestinian civil rights and freedom. Protests have resumed on campuses across the United States, and the American Civil Liberties Union announced it had joined Khalil's legal team. Several organizations have launched grassroots campaigns calling on universities to oppose Trump's actions and protect students' rights. Some elected Democrats have also taken a stand in support of Mahmoud Khalil, though many have remained silent. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) declared, "Today it's Mahmoud Khalil. Tomorrow it's me or you." Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee posted "Free Mahmoud Khalil" on Twitter and denounced Republican hypocrisy on free speech, saying, "They're so pro-'free speech' that Republicans will lock you up if you disagree with them. This is cancel culture."

US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said in an interview with CNN that the ceasefire proposal presented by Hamas "is not a valid basis for negotiations."

The US official added, "The response we received from Hamas regarding extending the ceasefire in Gaza is completely unacceptable." He continued, "Our proposal includes the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, which would be a wonderful thing for their families."

According to Witkoff, the US proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza includes the release of five live hostages, including an American citizen.

"I think there is an opportunity for Hamas, but it is fading quickly," he added, stressing the need for the movement to be "more rational than it has been" in its approach to the negotiations.

For its part, Hamas has once again demonstrated flexibility in negotiations by announcing its acceptance of the mediators' proposal to release Israeli-American soldier Idan Alexander and the bodies of four dual nationals. This is intended to allow for the resumption of negotiations on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement.

After days of procrastination, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced that Benjamin Netanyahu had directed the negotiating team to prepare for the resumption of the Gaza negotiations, based on the mediators' response to the proposal of US envoy Steve Witkoff.

The office said in a statement that Netanyahu "held an in-depth discussion on Saturday evening on the issue of the kidnapped soldiers, with the participation of ministers, the negotiating team, and heads of the security establishment."

A citizen was injured on Sunday after settlers attacked him in the Old City of Hebron.

Activist Aref Jaber said that settlers carried out a provocative tour in Jaber neighborhood and assaulted the elderly man, Abdul Aziz Al-Shantir (64 years old), after storming his store in Jaber neighborhood near the Ibrahimi Mosque, which resulted in him suffering minor injuries to his head.