Palestine TV correspondent Islam Al-Za'noun was shot by Israeli occupation forces on Thursday while covering the news.

The Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation reported that an Israeli drone fired directly at journalist Islam Al-Za'noun, injuring her in the shoulder.

Israeli media outlets covered the operations carried out by the resistance against the occupation forces that reached the city of Shuja'iyya in the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, while other media outlets reported on the massive number of civilians killed by Israel during the war.

The 98th Division arrived in Shujaiya to find itself facing three operations that killed one and wounded eight members of the elite Egoz unit, three of whom were in critical condition.

This is not the first time that the occupation forces have suffered severe blows in Shuja'iyya, where they carried out extensive operations during the war, inflicting massive destruction. However, they also lost a large number of soldiers and officers there.

3 operations in 3 hours

According to Itai Blumenthal, military affairs correspondent for the official Kan channel, the resistance carried out three operations within three hours against the force that had just arrived in the area. The resistance targeted an Egoz force entrenched inside a house with an anti-tank missile, injuring two soldiers, sustaining moderate and light injuries.

The attack took place between 8 and 8:30 a.m. Israeli soldiers pursued the attackers, who then fired another missile at them, hitting a tank operating with the Egoz, according to Channel 14 military affairs correspondent Hillel Rosen.

The missile killed Sergeant Yaniv Mikhailovich, who served in the 82nd Battalion of the 7th Brigade, and seriously wounded two others and one lightly, according to Blumenthal.

A sniper then fired from a distance, seriously wounding an Egoz commando. At around 12 noon, a bomb exploded in a D9 bulldozer, wounding two other soldiers, moderately and lightly, Blumenthal confirmed.

These clashes, which took place in an area where the army has operated repeatedly, reveal the presence of pockets of resistance and refute claims that Hamas has been eliminated, according to Yossi Yehoshua, a military affairs analyst for Channel 24 News.

According to Yehoshua, these operations also demonstrate the army's difficulty confronting anti-tank missiles, sniper fire, and explosive devices, and confirm that those who talk about eliminating Hamas are merely trying to justify a ceasefire.

Channel 13 military affairs correspondent Or Heller said that the forces experienced a difficult day in the Gaza Strip shortly before a potential deal, and that Hamas demonstrated its ability to bombard the Gaza envelope by launching two rockets at Sderot.

When will we stop killing civilians?

Separately, journalist Amnon Levy criticized Israel's insistence on killing civilians in Gaza and its justification for its brutal and foolish behavior, claiming that no one in the Strip is innocent.

Levy spoke of the 100 civilians killed in Gaza on Wednesday, and of the 100,000 killed since the war began, including women, children, and many civilians. He said, "The presence of terrorists (resistance fighters) who deserve to die does not mean that this huge number of people should be killed."

The number of martyrs killed by Israel in the Gaza Strip is equivalent to the population of Herzliya, according to Levy, who asked: "What would our position be if all the residents of Herzliya were killed?"

The journalist also wondered when Israel would decide it had taken enough revenge and stop labeling all Gaza residents as terrorists, including the twins who were killed four days after their birth.

A new bipartisan bill introduced in Congress on Wednesday would grant Israel access to US weapons to launch strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, similar to the law President Donald Trump signed last month.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) introduced the Bunker Destruction Act. “Iran, the leading state sponsor of terrorism and one of America’s most formidable enemies, cannot acquire a nuclear weapon. That’s why I strongly supported our military actions last month,” Gottheimer said in a statement. “Iran has killed dozens of Americans, including members of our military, and has repeatedly attacked our key democratic ally, Israel. Israel must be able to defend itself against Iran and ensure that Iran cannot rebuild its nuclear capabilities.”

Gottheimer has introduced similar bills in previous congressional sessions. If passed, the bill would grant Israel access to and use of American B-2 bombers and 30,000-pound GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs, which are currently used only by the United States.

On June 22, Trump deployed B-2 bombers and massive bombers to strike nuclear facilities in Iran.

While the legislation requires that Iran be working on a nuclear weapon before Israel can acquire the most advanced weapons in the US arsenal, politicians in Washington and Tel Aviv have consistently asserted that Tehran is developing a nuclear weapon without evidence.

These allegations persisted even as the Islamic Republic subjected itself to a comprehensive inspection regime from the International Atomic Energy Agency, which confirmed that Iran was not developing a nuclear weapon.

Tel Aviv and Washington used false claims that Iran was weeks away from obtaining a nuclear weapon to justify their aggressive war on Iran last month. Tehran announced on Wednesday that it would withdraw international nuclear inspectors in response to the intensified bombing campaign launched by the United States and Israel.

The United Nations Human Rights Council held a session today, Thursday, to discuss Item 7, related to the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, as part of its fifty-ninth session.

The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, presented her new report, "From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide," which reveals how the Israeli occupation has transformed into a profit-making system based on cross-border partnerships that include the arms industry, artificial intelligence, and digital surveillance.

Ambassador Ibrahim Khraishi, Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, expressed his gratitude to the Special Rapporteur for her courage and professionalism despite the threats and accusations she faces, emphasizing that those who support the genocidal government are anti-Semitic, not those who expose its crimes.

Ambassador Khraishi said the report complements last year's report on genocide and comprehensively analyzes how the occupation-linked economy has transformed into a genocidal economy, supported by a series of transnational partnerships, ranging from the arms industry to artificial intelligence and digital surveillance. The report attributes this system to what it accurately describes as "racist colonial capitalism," which reproduces the Nakba on a daily basis, using both the tools of the market and force.

He pointed out that more than 200,000 Palestinians have been killed, wounded, or missing in over 20 months, most of them children and women. Meanwhile, the occupation has forcibly displaced nearly two million Palestinians from their homes and destroyed infrastructure in Gaza, in addition to a systematic campaign of killing, arrest, and destruction in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

Ambassador Khraishi called on the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities, cease all forms of military and economic support for the occupation, end cooperation with the settlements, and implement international legal obligations, including Article 146 of the Fourth Geneva Convention and the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

He stressed the need to hold war criminals accountable, affirming that the Palestinian people will remain on their land and adhere to their national rights despite all the crimes committed.

The session was attended by numerous international and regional organizations and countries, who affirmed their support for the Special Rapporteur's role and the protection of her charter. They also emphasized the need to uphold international law, international justice, and accountability, achieve a comprehensive and just settlement, and establish a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. They also called for an urgent ceasefire and the delivery of humanitarian aid.

During her presentation of the report, Rapporteur Albanese explained that the Israeli occupation is based on what she described as "racist colonial capitalism," which reproduces the Palestinian Nakba daily, using market tools and military force.

She noted that the occupying power's impunity and the complicity of international parties have allowed it to expand its settlement regime and crimes, and called for an end to economic partnerships with the occupation and for officials implicated in the crimes of genocide to be held accountable.

On Thursday, the Israeli prosecution filed indictments against three Israelis on charges of "spying for Iran" in exchange for money.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said: "An indictment was filed with the Central Court in Beersheba (south) against a resident of the Hamra settlement in the Jordan Valley (West Bank), accusing him of communicating with an Iranian agent in exchange for money."

The broadcaster reported that the accused is named Mark Morgen Pinsky, 33 years old.

The indictment stated that Pinsky documented the locations of Iranian missile strikes and interceptions inside Israel, and sent video recordings of these locations to his Iranian handler.

"This development is part of a series of security issues related to Iranian espionage attempts inside Israel by recruiting local citizens for intelligence purposes," the authority said.

In this context, the Authority indicated that the prosecution also submitted to the Central Court in Nazareth (north) an indictment against two individuals from Tiberias, accusing them of spying for Iran in exchange for money.

The Israeli police and the General Security Service (Shin Bet) previously announced the arrest of a number of Israelis during the war on Iran.

According to previous Israeli police data, 23 Israeli cells were arrested on charges of collaborating with Iranian agents between the start of the war of extermination on Gaza on October 7, 2023, and the beginning of this month.

On June 13, Israel, with US support, launched a 12-day aggression against Iran, targeting military and nuclear sites, civilian facilities, and the assassination of military leaders and nuclear scientists. Iran responded by targeting Israeli military and intelligence headquarters with ballistic missiles and drones.

Hamas announced on Thursday that a delegation headed by the head of the Shura Council and head of the movement's leadership council, Mohammed Darwish, held a series of important meetings with the Turkish leadership in the capital, Ankara. The delegation noted that this comes "within the framework of the political and diplomatic efforts it is making to halt the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip."

According to a statement issued by the movement, the delegation met over the past two days with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Turkish Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalin. The meetings addressed developments in the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, international efforts to stop the genocide and lift the siege, as well as ways to strengthen regional and international action to stop the war and provide urgent humanitarian support to the people of the Gaza Strip. The movement's leadership expressed "its deep appreciation for Turkey's steadfast and supportive position towards the Palestinian people and their just cause, and for the political and humanitarian efforts made by the Republic of Turkey to stop the aggression on Gaza and alleviate the worsening humanitarian suffering in the Strip."

For its part, the Turkish leadership affirmed, as stated in the statement, "its firm position in support of the rights of the Palestinian people and its commitment to halting the aggression against the Gaza Strip," emphasizing that this issue occupies a priority in its regional and international efforts, despite the challenges and rapid developments in the region.

Hamas said on Wednesday that it received proposals from mediators regarding a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. The movement noted that it is conducting consultations to discuss the proposals "with great responsibility," adding: "We are acting with great responsibility and are conducting national consultations to discuss the proposals we have received from our mediator brothers in order to reach an agreement that guarantees an end to the aggression, achieves withdrawal, and provides urgent relief to our people in the Gaza Strip."

Anadolu Agency quoted informed Palestinian sources on Thursday as saying that the movement is moving toward accepting the Qatari-Egyptian proposal for a prisoner exchange and ceasefire, but has not yet made a final decision. It is currently consulting with various Palestinian factions and forces before submitting its official response to the mediators. The sources explained that the United States, Egypt, and Qatar have provided "broad guarantees" for the agreement's implementation, noting that Türkiye may be on the list of guarantor countries.

The UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine, Francesca Albanese, likened Israel's actions in the occupied Palestinian territories to the horrors of "Judgment Day," holding it responsible for "one of the most heinous crimes of genocide in modern history."

Albanese presented her report, "From an Economy of Occupation to an Economy of Genocide," which examines the economic drivers of Israel's genocide against Palestinians over the past 22 months, during a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on Thursday.

The UN rapporteur said the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories resembles "Doomsday," adding, "Israel is responsible for one of the most heinous crimes of genocide in modern history."

Albanese noted that the report reveals the economic conditions that enable Israel to displace Palestinians through destruction, isolation, and surveillance.

Arab Parliament Speaker Mohammed Al-Yamahi expressed his condemnation and categorical rejection of the dangerous statements issued by officials in the Israeli occupation government, the most recent of which were the statements made by the Israeli Minister of Justice, in which he explicitly called for the annexation of the West Bank and the imposition of Israeli sovereignty over it, in a flagrant violation of international law and relevant international legitimacy resolutions, and an attempt to undermine all opportunities for a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution and an end to the occupation.

The Speaker of the Arab Parliament stressed in a statement issued on Thursday that these statements reflect the expansionist colonial approach pursued by the occupation government, stressing his rejection of its blatant violations in the West Bank, including raids, arrests, expansion of illegal settlements, escalation of military attacks, demolition of homes and infrastructure, and displacement of citizens, in addition to the escalation of attacks by extremist settlers against civilians in the West Bank under the protection of the occupation forces, coinciding with the war of genocide in the Gaza Strip to eliminate all aspects of life and target the Palestinian presence.

Al-Yamahi warned of the danger of these policies, which aim to perpetuate a system of apartheid and domination, stressing that the occupation's continued imposition of new facts on the ground by force will not change the legal status of the Palestinian territories or grant legitimacy to an unacceptable and invalid occupation.

He reiterated his call on the international community, especially the Security Council and the United Nations, to shoulder their legal and humanitarian responsibilities and take urgent action to halt these systematic violations, hold those responsible accountable, provide international protection for the Palestinian people, and support their legitimate struggle to establish an independent, sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital, as this is the only solution to achieving a just and comprehensive peace that guarantees security and stability in the region.

He stressed that the Arab Parliament will continue its full and unwavering support for the Palestinian people and their legitimate national rights, foremost among which are their right to self-determination, return, and the establishment of an independent, sovereign state.

Three released prisoners deported to the Gaza Strip were killed at dawn on Thursday, as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Strip.

The Jerusalem Governorate reported the death of freed prisoner Bassam Abu Sneineh from occupied Jerusalem, as a result of an Israeli airstrike in an area of the Gaza Strip. He was one of the Jerusalemite prisoners forcibly deported by the Israeli occupation authorities to Gaza in 2011.

The same sources added that the two freed prisoners, Ayman Abu Daoud and Mahdi Shawer, both from the Hebron Governorate, were also martyred during the violent Israeli bombardment that targeted various areas of the Gaza Strip last night.

The three dead were among the liberated prisoners who had spent many years in Israeli prisons. They were released as part of a 2011 prisoner exchange deal, after which they were forcibly deported to the Gaza Strip as part of the occupation authorities' policy of collective punishment and forced exile.

The Ministry of Health announced in its latest statistics that 142 citizens had been killed, including three whose bodies were recovered, and 487 others injured, over the past 24 hours. This brings the total number of martyrs since October 7, 2023, to 57,012, and the number of injured to 134,592.

The Israeli Supreme Court issued a decision temporarily freezing the demolition orders and preventing their implementation until further notice. The court also gave the state until September 2, 2025, to submit a detailed response to the petition.

Tulkarm Governor Abdullah Kamil told WAFA on Thursday that the decision came after a legal petition filed by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the Adalah Center for Human Rights, in direct coordination with the governor, to the Israeli Supreme Court. The court accepted the petition and abruptly decided to freeze the implementation of the decision, requesting the Israeli military prosecution to submit its response and data by September 2, 2025.

He explained that the decision does not mean a final cancellation of the demolition, but rather a freeze. He emphasized that, during the specified period, comprehensive legal files will be prepared to pressure for the cancellation of the demolition order. All experienced and specialized legal professionals will be mobilized to stand before the Supreme Court against the Public Prosecution, seeking to issue a final ruling that halts the demolition process entirely.

Kamil said, "I thank UNRWA and Adalah, who played a significant role in our hope of achieving a complete reversal of the decision and halting this catastrophe."

Adalah clarified in a statement published on its website: "The army repeatedly makes vague justifications and ignores clear and feasible alternatives to mass home demolitions. The army again claims that additional space is needed for military movement—a claim that clearly contradicts the geographical reality of the area and Israel's obligations under international law."

The occupation forces continue their aggression on the city of Tulkarm and the Nur Shams and Tulkarm camps, for the 158th consecutive day, which resulted in the martyrdom of 13 citizens, including a child and two women, one of whom was in the eighth month of pregnancy, in addition to dozens of injuries and arrests, and widespread destruction of the infrastructure, and led to the forced displacement of more than 5,000 families from the two camps, meaning more than 25,000 citizens, and the complete destruction of more than 600 homes, and 2,573 homes were partially damaged, in light of the continued closure of the entrances to the two camps with barriers, turning them into almost lifeless areas.

Last Monday, the occupation forces notified 104 homes and buildings in Tulkarm camp of their demolition, giving them 72 hours to object, while allowing their owners to evacuate.

The Israeli newspaper Maariv revealed that pilots tasked with intercepting missiles and drones launched from Iran during the 12-day war with Israel dropped their remaining bombs on the Gaza Strip.

This revelation is the latest in a series of revelations about the Israeli military's behavior and practices in the Gaza Strip. The newspaper noted that pilots contacted the Gaza Operations Command Center during the first days of the war on Iran, offering to drop their ammunition on the Strip.

Maariv reported that this behavior continued throughout the 12 days of the war with Iran. The occupation claimed that this unprecedented step was taken to assist the occupation forces in Khan Yunis and the northern Gaza Strip. This action has since become routine and commonplace.

According to the newspaper, the Israeli Air Force commander requested that the initiative be expanded to include all Israeli aircraft. Pilots said that during the war on Iran, Gaza received heavy airstrikes.

It's worth noting that during the war on Iran, the intensity of Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip, particularly in the northern regions, increased, and that period saw a significant increase in the daily death toll.

Israeli occupation forces arrested 21 citizens from the town of Deir Istiya, northwest of Salfit, at dawn on Thursday, including six high school students.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces raided the town and launched an arrest campaign that included: Rafeh Rafiq Awad and his son Rafiq, Ammar Abdul Rahman Salman and his son Karim, Saad Tawfiq Mukhalafa and his son Karim, Samer Abdul Rahman Salman and his sons Abdul Rahman and Ali, Jamil Kokash and his son Ahmed, Khaled Al-Qadi and his son Salah Al-Din, Mithqal Al-Qadi and his son Majdi, Mahmoud Aql and his son Hamza, Durgham Abu Hijleh and his son Nour, and Mahmoud Odeh Al-Khatib and his son Rami.

The sources added that six of the detainees are students taking their high school exams this year.

A group of settlers, under the protection of Israeli occupation forces, stormed and vandalized the home of Suleiman Musa in the village of Arab al-Malihat, northwest of Jericho, at dawn on Thursday, forcing him and his family to leave.

Hassan Malihat, general supervisor of the Al-Baidar Organization for the Defense of Bedouin Rights, said that settlers stormed the house's perimeter, smashing doors and windows, and vandalizing furniture and personal property, while the occupation forces stood by and provided them with full protection.

Malehat added that the attack followed a series of ongoing threats and harassment, forcing Suleiman Musa to leave his home for his own safety and that of his family.

He considered what happened to be a flagrant violation of international law, particularly Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits forced displacement, holding the occupying authorities fully responsible for this crime.

Israeli occupation bulldozers demolished residential and agricultural facilities and razed lands in the Rawabi al-Issawiya area, northeast of occupied Jerusalem, on Thursday.

The Jerusalem Governorate reported that occupation forces demolished a number of residential and agricultural caravans and razed citizens' lands in the town.

Amin Al-Hajj

Tomorrow, the roar of the planes that have been invading the sky and stealing sleep from the eyes of children and mothers will stop. Twenty-one months of war have swept through Gaza's homes and dreams, until the men leave without knowing if they have homes to return to by evening. When it is announced that the war is over, people will cheer with joy, but they will leave with steps heavy with doubt and pain, looking around them, as if searching for the last proof that they are still alive. Umm Muhammad will walk through the rubble, stumbling over torn clothes and debris that rises above everything, repeating with eyes filled with tears: Twenty months, and I don't know if my son is alive or "dead." Every time I ask, they say, "Wait, we haven't counted the names yet."
In the narrow alleys, another woman sits in the shade of a half-standing wall, hugging what remains of her, her little daughter, and whispering: We thought we would be displaced for days... Many months have passed, and we no longer have a home or a father. She wipes her daughter's tears and tries to smile, but she knows that the pain does not go away with a smile, nor does it disappear with the end of the war.
Tomorrow the war will end, tears will fall instead of bullets, mothers will wander between hospitals looking for a husband or a son, men will go out looking for a father or a brother, and they will strike with their hands in the rubble, before the bulldozers swallow everything. There, all the chapters of the crime will be revealed: unknown bodies, remains without names, and names without a trace in the ground. In the midst of this destruction live stories that no one tells. A child in a corner of a school where he lived for an age, hugging his toy to his chest and muttering: I miss my bed... My mother says we will return soon, but I do not believe anyone. I want to sleep one night without fear.
In hospitals that have become testaments to the world's helplessness and complicity, a doctor sits among beds crowded with wounded and groaning, saying in his tired voice: Every morning I open my eyes and I am afraid. Death has become normal, but seeing children dying without us being able to help them broke our hearts forever. Another says: We used to go out under the bombing to search for the wounded, and every time I saw children trembling and finding no one to hold their hands. The worst moment is when a child asks me if I have seen his mother, and I have no answer.
This war has not left a heart unburned. It has stopped the wheel of life. There are no factories, no shops, not even markets. Bread has become a distant wish, and water a luxury that only a few can obtain. In every corner you will meet pale faces searching for a trace of life, a memory that saves the soul, and a mother sitting on a rusty chair, whispering to herself the names of children who have departed one after the other, or a child asking for a heart to embrace him when darkness falls.
And tomorrow, too, the fighters will return after the longest war Palestine has known. Pale faces, tired eyes, shoulders heavy with rifles and the memory of those who have passed away. They will not only walk out waving the banner of victory, but with steps topped with a silent recognition that every war steals something from the souls of those who fought it. They will return to mothers who waited with hearts suspended between fear and pride, to sons who grew up knowing nothing but the image of an absent hero adorning their mobile screens, to homes of which nothing remains but ashes, and conversations that bear no resemblance to their childhood or the smell of their homes. But in their eyes, there is a spark of certainty that Gaza is greater than any siege and stronger than any death.
Tomorrow the war will end, but it will leave hearts suspended between certainty and despair. Tomorrow may not be a day of victory or defeat, but rather a day of bitter recognition that this land has paid a price beyond all ability to bear.
On the morning of the first day of silence, they will cry a lot, and their hands will be clasped in a message to the world that we are here, not numbers, but souls that bled dry, but despite everything we love life as much as we can.
Tomorrow the war will end... but Gaza's pain will never end. Its heart bears witness to the pain, and its face tells the story of a people who have been broken a thousand times, but never were.

The Pentagon said Wednesday that US intelligence assessments indicate that strikes on Iranian nuclear sites would set back the country's nuclear program by two years.

"We've degraded their program for at least one to two years—that's what intelligence assessments within the Department of Defense indicate," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said at a press briefing, adding later, "We think it's probably closer to two years."

On June 21, US B-2 bombers struck Iran's Tanzania and Fordow nuclear sites with 30,000-pound GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs, while a guided missile submarine struck the Isfahan nuclear site with Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Israel launched an air war on Iran, targeting Iranian nuclear sites, scientists, and senior military leaders on June 13, just as the United States was planning to resume the sixth round of talks with Iran, in what Israel claims is an attempt to end Iran's nuclear program.

Tehran has repeatedly asserted that its nuclear program is peaceful, a position documented by all US intelligence agencies.

The US operation was massive, involving more than 125 US aircraft, including stealth bombers, fighters, aerial refueling tankers, and a guided missile submarine.

The Trump administration is closely monitoring the evolving US intelligence on the impact of the strikes, after Trump said almost immediately that Iran's program had been completely destroyed, language Parnell echoed in his press briefing on Wednesday (2/7/2025).

Experts say such findings often take weeks or more for US intelligence agencies to determine their impact.

"All the intelligence we've seen leads us to believe that Iran's facilities — and particularly those facilities — have been completely destroyed," Parnell said.

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, stated last Sunday that Iran could produce enriched uranium within a few months, raising doubts about the effectiveness of US strikes to destroy Tehran's nuclear program.

Many experts have also warned that Iran likely removed a stockpile of highly enriched uranium, nearly weapons-grade, from the deeply buried Fordow site prior to the strikes, and may have been able to hide it across dozens of locations.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated last week that he was unaware of intelligence indicating that Iran had moved highly enriched uranium to protect itself from US strikes.

A preliminary assessment released by the Defense Intelligence Agency last week indicated that the strikes may have set back Iran's nuclear program for only months. However, Trump administration officials said this assessment was of low confidence and was overshadowed by intelligence showing that Iran's nuclear program had suffered significant damage.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, for his part, acknowledged that the US strikes on the Fordow nuclear site caused extensive damage. In an interview broadcast by CBS News on Tuesday, Araghchi said, "No one knows exactly what happened at Fordow. However, what we know so far is that the facilities were severely damaged." He added that while the targeted nuclear facilities may not be intact, "the technology and know-how are still there."

When asked whether Tehran would return to uranium enrichment, Araghchi said Tehran was "evaluating... and developing our policies."

"We also went through 12 days of imposed war, in addition to everything we did to this nuclear program. So, people will not easily back down from enrichment."

Iran insists its nuclear program is designed for civilian use only, but it has enriched uranium to 60% purity, which is above the levels needed for civilian use and far below the level needed for weapons, according to experts. It has also expanded its ballistic missile capabilities.

Israel, which according to all experts possesses nuclear bombs, claimed to have intelligence indicating that Tehran is taking active steps to build a nuclear bomb.

In a related development, Iran officially suspended its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, after President Masoud Pezeshkian signed the law passed by parliament last week. Tensions between Tehran and the UN agency have escalated over Israel's 12-day war on Iran, which targeted Iranian military and nuclear facilities and included the assassination of nuclear scientists. The United States joined in by launching unprecedented strikes on three major nuclear facilities in Iran.

Iran threatened to halt cooperation with the agency, accusing it of bias toward Western countries and providing justification for the Israeli airstrikes that began the day after the IAEA Board of Governors voted on a resolution declaring Iran non-compliant with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The Iranian parliament passed the law on June 25, the day after the ceasefire began. The law stipulates that any future IAEA inspection of Iranian nuclear sites will require the approval of Tehran's Supreme National Security Council. The law does not specify the procedural steps for this.

The Guardian Council, the body responsible for reviewing legislation in Iran, approved the draft law and referred it to the executive branch for implementation.

State television reported that Masoud Pezeshkian "ratified the law suspending cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency."

This is the second law passed by the Iranian parliament regarding cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Iran significantly reduced its cooperation with international inspectors following its withdrawal from the Additional Protocol to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in February 2021. This step was implemented in accordance with the "Strategic Action to Respond to US Sanctions" law passed by parliament in December 2020.

President Trump withdrew from the nuclear agreement with Iran on May 12, 2018.

Israeli occupation forces injured a citizen and arrested others, Thursday morning and at dawn, during a campaign of raids in the West Bank.

In Tubas, the director of the Prisoners Club in Tubas, Kamal Bani Odeh, reported that occupation forces arrested two young men, Alaa Jihad Muhammad Sawafta and Salah Moatasem Abu Alian, during their raid on the city.

In Bethlehem, the occupation forces shot the truck driver, Jihad Abu Bakr (30 years old), while he was trying to cross the Ash-Ghurab gate. He was injured in the foot and was taken to the hospital for treatment.

In Ramallah, the occupation forces arrested citizen Zainab Abu Zaid (Amira), director of the “No Borders for Studies and Research” organization, after raiding her home and ransacking its contents in the town of Beitunia, west of Ramallah. They also arrested the young man Nour Fouad Abu Al-Hajj (27), after raiding his home and ransacking its contents in the village of Deir Sudan, north of Ramallah.

In the same context, occupation forces raided several homes during their raids on the Batn al-Hawa neighborhood and the al-Ain Mosque area in the city of al-Bireh, and the village of Deir Abu Mash'al, west of Ramallah.

In Hebron, occupation forces stormed the city and arrested five citizens: Muhammad Khalaf Ghaith, Luay Muhammad Ghaith, Imad al-Ja'bari, Saif al-Natsheh, and Hudhayfah Abdul Qader Idris, after raiding their homes, searching them, and vandalizing their contents.

The occupation forces also stormed the town of Halhul in the north and arrested citizen Khalil Abu Rayyan to pressure his son, Muhammad, to surrender to the occupation.

The occupation forces also raided the home of Ismail Al-Za'aqiq in the town of Beit Ummar and seized his vehicle.

Medical sources reported that 63 citizens were killed since dawn on Thursday, as a result of the occupation's bombing of various areas in the Gaza Strip.

It added that among the dead were 28 citizens shot by the occupation forces while waiting for humanitarian aid in the central and southern Gaza Strip.

Local sources reported that Israeli warplanes bombed the Mustafa Hafez School, which was sheltering displaced persons west of Gaza City, killing 13 civilians and wounding dozens more, who were transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital.

It added that the occupation forces opened fire on those waiting for aid east of Nabulsi Roundabout, west of Gaza City, killing six citizens.

In Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip, three martyrs, including a woman, and several wounded people arrived at Nasser Hospital after the occupation forces targeted the tents of displaced people near Al-Barakah camp in the Al-Majayda neighborhood in the Al-Mawasi area.

A citizen was killed and three others were injured when the occupation forces targeted a group of citizens near Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip.

Mohamed Zidan: Smotrich's statements are part of the ideology of religious Zionism and reflect the prevailing approach among most components of the current government.

Dr. Ibrahim Abu Jaber: We may witness, in the coming period, projects that threaten the Palestinian cause and seek to liquidate it, amid international silence.

Ismat Mansour: The talk so far is about deals and a new Middle East, which whets the appetite of the Israeli right, like Smotrich and Ben-Gvir.

Dr. Hassan Marhej: Smotrich's statements about "liberating" the Middle East from its dependence on the Palestinian cause reflect an extremist approach aimed at marginalizing it.

Adel Shedid: The Israeli far right agrees that the opportunity allows for the liquidation of the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people, based on the principle of force.

Wadih Awawdeh: Smotrich's statements come in the context of addressing his audience, fearing their anger if a ceasefire and a move toward a political settlement were proposed.

Exclusive to "I"

The recent statements by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, in which he rejected any potential ceasefire agreement in Gaza, a prisoner exchange deal, and any project leading to a settlement of the Palestinian issue, are part of the ideology of religious Zionism and reflect the prevailing trend among most components of the current Israeli government. In return, he seeks to impose his vision and project based on genocide, erasure, and the complete annexation of the West Bank, the liquidation of the refugee issue, and the thwarting of any hope of establishing an independent Palestinian state.

In separate interviews with "Y," writers and analysts warned that Smotrich is calling for expanding settlements and colonization in the West Bank in an effort to annex and impose full Israeli sovereignty over it. He claims that stability and peace do not come through negotiations with the Palestinians, but rather through imposing facts on the ground through force and control.

They said that while US President Donald Trump's talk of his determination to find a solution carries a degree of optimism, it also raises significant concerns. The nature of the proposed solution is largely ambiguous and lacks clarity, whetting the appetite of Smotrich, Ben-Gvir, and the extreme right-wing religious movement that controls the policies of the occupation government.

Trump's populist tendencies... and the lies of the liberal movement

Journalist and analyst specializing in Israeli affairs, Mohammed Zidan, said, "To understand Minister Bezalel Smotrich's statements, they must be placed within the context of understanding them, as part of the religious Zionist ideology that drives the settler movement, through this fascist current that has permeated Israeli politics and government institutions for more than two decades."

He added that Smotrich is one of the most prominent figures of the extreme right-wing religious nationalist movement in Israel. He serves as the head of the Religious Zionism party, which views the "Greater Land of Israel" as a sacred land that may not be relinquished. He also strongly opposes any settlement based on accepting a "Palestinian state," considering it a dangerous and contradictory embodiment that threatens "the historical and religious right of the Jewish people to the entire land west of the Jordan River."

Zidan asserted that Smotrich calls for expanding settlements and colonization in the West Bank in an effort to annex and impose full Israeli sovereignty over it, claiming that stability and peace do not come through negotiations with the Palestinians, but rather through imposing facts on the ground through force and control.

He pointed out that this ideology is the actual embodiment of his statements, which state that this does not conflict with expanding agreements that promote normalization and peace with Arab states, and which come in the form of surrender to Israeli power, not "accepting a Palestinian state as a precondition for any agreement," as Zionist liberalism promotes.

Zidane believes that "Trump's populist tendencies make him the president most closely associated with shattering the lies of the liberal movement, and the Palestinian issue becomes one of the biggest of those lies, given that Arab and Islamic countries, as well as Western countries - according to Israeli liberalism - will accept normalization with the fait accompli imposed by Israel based on strength and mutual interests, without the issue of peace and normalization remaining hostage to the Palestinian issue. Simply put, this is the basic understanding: (We can make peace with the Arabs because we defeat them, and because we are stronger, the world will accept what we do)."

He noted that Smotrich serves as a minister in the Israeli Ministry of Defense and has been granted unprecedented powers in the so-called "Civil Administration" in the West Bank, including broad powers related to managing the civil affairs of Palestinians and settlers in the West Bank. This appointment has significant implications for the actual and gradual annexation of the West Bank to Israel.

Journalist Zidane considered Smotrich's statements to reflect the prevailing attitude among most components of the current Israeli government. However, these extremist positions have not led to actual international isolation or effective political deterrence.

He pointed out that Western countries continue to develop their relations with Israel, and that some of these countries support Israel politically and even militarily during its wars against the Palestinians, as has been the case since the beginning of the current war on Gaza and, more recently, in the war against Iran.

He said that these countries have not taken any serious action to prevent the expansion of settlements (which has implications for ending the "two-state solution") that they verbally seek, and have not worked towards a genuine negotiating process that would lead to its realization.

Zidane concluded by saying: “In order not to remain hostage to this bleak picture painted by the dreams of religious Zionism, it is necessary to point to the changes taking place in the street and in global public opinion (even though it has not yet transformed into an effective political force), in addition to the legendary steadfastness of Gaza and its people, and the Palestinians remaining on their land, despite the displacement and starvation projects and the continuation of normalization, and with hope for some initial changes taking place in international blocs, in order to create a different image, based on the authenticity of right and truth, and their ability to inevitably triumph over injustice and falsification based on the logic of force.”

Attempts to liquidate the refugee issue

Israeli affairs expert Dr. Ibrahim Abu Jaber asserted that the region is facing projects whose scope is known only to God Almighty. It appears that their outcome will be part of an attempt to liquidate the Palestinian cause, as well as the refugee issue, based on what is happening in the Palestinian camps in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

He added that there are upcoming changes in the region, including Israel's attempts to win over some Arab countries to its project and the United States' project, represented by the Abraham Accords, and the expansion of normalization with Arab and Islamic countries.

He also noted that there are Israeli and American efforts to eliminate the Iranian nuclear project and prevent Tehran from completing it. He also noted indications of preparations for potential strikes targeting Ansar Allah in Yemen, according to Israeli media reports.

Regarding Gaza, Abu Jaber said: "There is talk of a vision agreed upon between Trump and Netanyahu, published by the newspaper Israel Hayom, which includes several provisions, most notably:

Formation of a committee of four Arab countries to manage civil affairs in the Gaza Strip.

Maintaining security and military control in the hands of Israeli forces, with the possibility of a limited US military presence in the Strip.

Deportation of Hamas leaders from Gaza.

Annexing parts of the West Bank (Area C) to Israeli sovereignty.

Expanding the scope of the Abraham Accords.

The displacement of a number of Palestinians to other countries, and the United States may seek to impose this on some of these countries.

Abu Jaber pointed out that the Netanyahu government is pursuing a policy of expansion and attacking the vital forces in the region, particularly in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Gaza. He predicted that this government would remain in power until October 27, 2026, unless it falls due to internal factors.

He stressed that one of the most significant challenges facing the Israeli government is the law on conscription of religious Jews (Haredim), who are threatening to withdraw from the government if they are not exempted from military service.

He added that there is another threat from Smotrich and Otzma Yehudit party leader Ben-Gvir, should a swap deal or ceasefire be signed with Hamas, as they threaten to withdraw from the government and bring it down.

He pointed out that bringing down Netanyahu's government could be achieved through a vote of no confidence or a bill to dissolve the Knesset, but previous attempts have failed, the most recent of which occurred just two weeks ago.

Abu Jaber criticized the international silence, at a time when efforts are intensifying to liquidate the Palestinian cause and destroy the dream of establishing a Palestinian state.

If Trump is serious, he must take into account the demands of the Palestinian people.

Ismat Mansour, a journalist specializing in Israeli affairs, said that while President Trump's talk of his determination to find a solution carries a degree of optimism, it also raises many concerns. The nature of the proposed solution is largely ambiguous and lacks clarity.

He added that Trump's relationship with Netanyahu, and their handling of the conflict, is truly worrisome. All the talk so far has revolved around a solution, deals, normalization, agreements, new horizons, and a new Middle East, without any involvement from the Palestinian side or even a consideration of their perspective. Even the Arab position is almost completely absent from these discussions.

Mansour continued: This approach whets the appetite of the Israeli right, such as Smotrich and Ben-Gvir, to enshrine the concept of "peace for peace," meaning that merely signing a peace agreement with Israel is an achievement and should not be linked to the Palestinian issue or the necessity of resolving it. Netanyahu describes this type of peace as "peace from a position of strength," and considers it the foundation upon which the Abraham Accords were built. From this perspective, Israelis are no longer hostages to the Palestinian issue.

He added: "I see this approach as dangerous, but also unrealistic, because the Saudi, Jordanian, Egyptian, and Arab positions in general still emphasize linking any normalization to a solution to the Palestinian issue. What happened on October 7th carries a great lesson: The Palestinian issue cannot be ignored as long as most of the region's crises stem from the absence of a just solution and the continued Israeli occupation."

He continued: "If Trump is truly serious about reaching a solution, he must take into account the demands of the Palestinian people and the minimum that can be agreed upon by Palestinians and Arabs, based on the Arab Peace Initiative. Anything less will be mere illusions, a waste of time, and talk for public consumption, nothing more."

The necessity of addressing the internal Palestinian situation

Regarding what is required of the Palestinians, Mansour pointed out that the Palestinians will not be able to impose themselves and their demands on the international community unless they address their internal situation. The state of division, weakness, lack of reform, poverty, and isolation between the political leadership and the people are all factors that weaken the Palestinian position.

Mansour added: "The Palestinian leadership must take serious internal steps to strengthen its internal cohesion, reinforce its relationship with its people, and restore popular support so that it can confront future challenges with confidence and clarity."

Official Israeli discourse seeks to bypass the Palestinian issue regionally.

For his part, Middle East expert Dr. Hassan Marhej said, "Smotrich's statements about 'liberating' the Middle East from its dependence on the Palestinian cause reflect an extremist Israeli approach aimed at completely marginalizing the Palestinian cause, viewing it as a 'lie' that obstructs what they call 'real peace' based solely on Israeli power and interests, rather than on the national rights of the Palestinians."

He pointed out that this discourse promotes broad normalization with Arab countries without any political price for the Palestinians or any prospect of a Palestinian state. Rather, it categorically rejects any Palestinian national entity, emphasizing "peace for peace" and expanding the Abraham Accords.

Marhej stressed that the official Israeli discourse today seeks to bypass the Palestinian issue regionally.

Dr. Marhej concluded by emphasizing that Smotrich's statements reflect a major shift in the regional political landscape, indicating that the Palestinian issue may face new challenges amid shifting priorities.

Marhej added, "It will be essential for the Palestinians to work to redirect international and Arab attention toward their cause to ensure continued support and their status as a central issue in the region."

Trump and Netanyahu's attempts to build a "new Middle East" will fail.

In turn, Israeli affairs expert Adel Shadid said: "It is clear that the right-wing religious nationalist movement, which shares power with Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, agrees that the opportunity presents itself to liquidate the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people, based solely on the principle of force."

Shadid does not believe that the Middle East that Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump seek to build will succeed, regardless of the collusion of certain regimes. He believes that the majority of Arab peoples will remain vibrant and have not lost their sense of direction. They will rise up to defend their dignity and will be capable of thwarting this project.

Resolve the conflict with iron and fire..!

For his part, journalist and expert on Israeli affairs Wadih Awawdeh asserted that Smotrich and Netanyahu, along with broad circles within the Likud Party and the Israeli right, have for some time been promoting the idea of normalization without resolving the Palestinian issue. According to this approach, there is no Palestine or Palestinian issue, and peace is for peace, not for land, contrary to what was previously practiced.

He added that this movement believes that the conflict with the Palestinians, who continue to resist and demand their rights, must be resolved with an iron fist, as Smotrich expressed in his 2017 theory.

Awawdeh believes Smotrich's recent statements are intended to appeal to his audience, particularly given his fear that this audience might turn away or become angry if the possibility of a deal, a ceasefire, or normalization with Saudi Arabia were raised in exchange for a political settlement of the Palestinian issue, which could ultimately lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state. This proposal angers and worries the right.

Partisan and personal points scoring

He did not rule out the possibility that Smotrich's statements were intended to score party and personal points, especially given his declining popularity according to recent opinion polls.

Awawdeh continues: "Ultimately, what matters is not what Smotrich says, but what Netanyahu does. On the ground, Smotrich plays an active role as Finance Minister and an additional minister in the Ministry of Defense. He has the ability to influence Netanyahu. Over the past two or three years, he has contributed to deepening Judaization and settlement expansion and escalating daily attacks on Palestinians, particularly in the West Bank. All of this is an official Israeli decision, not a coincidence."

Awawdeh concluded by saying, "I believe the Palestinians have a major role to play at this stage in restoring their unity, making it difficult for any party to bypass them, especially since Netanyahu has continued with his strategy of entrenching the geopolitical separation between Gaza and the West Bank for more than twenty years. Therefore, the Palestinians must seize the initiative and work to prevent further deterioration of the Palestinian issue."

The reservoir of sorrows overflowed, and hearts overflowed with endless pain, before being joined by more pains that multiply day by day, hour by hour, in a sequence of death and genocide of the people in all their categories, within a precise engineering of geography and demographics, killing, starvation, demolition, and terrorizing, until the entire sector became a barren wasteland, a wasteland of scattered dust.

With axes and knives, with bullets flying over the heads of the starving, between aid boxes and bags of flour, and with an arc of fire extending from Tel Aviv to Tehran, in a few weeks the hot iron coming out of the smelting furnaces, which were designed for humans and stone, will be hammered to shape the region in a way that is different from what was prevalent before the fire of the Holocaust was lit.

In the leaks, the "peace of submission" is the commodity on offer in the settlement market, sometimes through enticement, sometimes through intimidation, through bargaining and trade-offs on fragile borders and weak authorities, as is the case in Syria, where Israel is trading peace in exchange for preserving the head of the regime, who is suffering from a severe security vacuum due to the dissolution of the army and the loosening of the security grip on the state's sprawling borders, in which terrorist movements, both awake and dormant, are nested, waiting for the right opportunity to liquidate the maps and awaken sectarian and ethnic strife.

Despite all the rumors about a new batch of normalizing states poised to join the "Abrahamic Peace" movement, the exits remain unsafe, and the atmosphere remains tense due to the genocide and its anticipated repercussions, which will make openness to the rogue state extremely difficult.

The horrors and tragedies that will be revealed after the fires of the incinerator are extinguished will curb any reckless rush on the normalization train, before the price of boarding is convincing enough for the targeted countries to enjoy a peace that preserves dignity, protects rights, and ensures that wars will not recur, and that the blood that has been shed and the lives that have been lost over the past 21 months are not wasted.

Likud party ministers and Israeli Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday evening to immediately annex the occupied West Bank.

This came in a letter signed by 14 ministers and officials, sent to Netanyahu, leader of the Likud party, and published by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on the X platform.

The signatories said in their letter: "We, ministers and members of Knesset, demand the immediate application of Israeli sovereignty (annexation) and law to Judea and Samaria (the biblical name for the West Bank)."

They added: "It is time for the government to ratify the decision to implement sovereignty (from today until the end of the summer parliamentary session)" on July 27.

For decades, Israel has occupied Palestine and territories in Syria and Lebanon, and refuses to withdraw from these territories and establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, along the pre-1967 borders.

The signatories of the letter stated that "the strategic partnership and support from the United States and President (Donald) Trump create an opportune moment to push for this step (annexation) now."

They considered that "the principle of settlement blocs and the establishment of a Palestinian state on the remaining land is an existential threat to Israel."

The letter was signed by the Ministers of Defense, Economy, Agriculture, Energy, Communications, Transportation, Justice, Tourism, Innovation, Science and Technology, Culture and Sports, Diaspora Affairs, Education, Social Equality, and Regional Cooperation, in addition to the Speaker of the Knesset.

Since the start of the Israeli war of extermination on the Gaza Strip in 2023, Tel Aviv has accelerated and expanded settlement activity in the West Bank, escalated talk of annexing it to Israel, and rejected the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

The United Nations affirms that settlements in the occupied territories are "illegal," warns that they undermine the possibility of resolving the conflict according to the two-state solution, and has called on Israel for decades to halt them, to no avail.

On July 29, 2024, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion affirming that Israel's continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is "illegal."

The Court (the highest judicial authority of the United Nations) stressed that international organizations, including the United Nations, are obligated not to recognize the situation arising from this illegal presence.

The Palestinian National Authority affirms that the West Bank is an integral part of Palestine and adheres to an independent state on the lands of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

She stressed that these calls, which she said "contradict international legitimacy resolutions and international law, all of which affirm the necessity of ending the occupation from all Palestinian territories occupied in 1967, including the West Bank and East Jerusalem."

Calls are escalating within Israel, the occupying power, to annex the West Bank, as Tel Aviv, with US support, has been waging a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023.

The genocide left more than 191,000 Palestinians dead and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 11,000 missing. Hundreds of thousands were displaced, and famine claimed the lives of many, including dozens of children.

In parallel with the annihilation of Gaza, the Israeli army and settlers escalated their attacks in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, resulting in the deaths of at least 988 Palestinians and the injury of approximately 7,000 others, according to Palestinian data.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) expressed concern on Wednesday about the escalation of hostilities in Gaza City and Jabalia, amid reports that the Israeli occupation forces have killed dozens of civilians in the past 36 hours.

In a statement, the committee called for the protection of medical personnel and facilities in Gaza, noting that the escalation of hostilities comes "at a time when Gaza's already devastated healthcare system is struggling to cope with the continuing increase in critical cases."

"Almost all public hospitals in Gaza have been closed or severely damaged due to months of hostilities and restrictions on the entry of essential medicines and equipment," she added in her statement.

"The few medical facilities that are still operating, including the Red Cross field hospital, are overwhelmed and suffering from a severe shortage of basic supplies and fuel," she continued.

The World Health Organization said it evacuated 19 sick children and 39 companions from Gaza to Jordan, and four patients and seven companions to Türkiye.

The WHO added in a statement issued Wednesday that Israeli airstrikes occurred near the patient evacuation convoy, damaging vehicles and ambulances.

The Jordanian Armed Forces - the Arab Army announced on Wednesday that it had evacuated the sixth batch of children from the Gaza Strip for medical treatment, including 23 children, accompanied by 46 family members, as part of the "Jordanian Medical Corridor" initiative.

Nineteen of the children will be treated in private Jordanian hospitals, accompanied by 39 of their relatives. Four of the patients will be transferred to Turkey, accompanied by seven of their relatives, for treatment there, reflecting the response of several countries to the humanitarian initiative.

Settlers established a new colonial outpost on Wednesday evening on land belonging to the village of Arab al-Malihat, northwest of Jericho, approximately 150 meters east of the Arab al-Ka'abneh Elementary School.

Hassan Malihat, general supervisor of the Al-Baidar Organization for the Defense of Bedouin Rights, said that the settlers had erected two tents, built a livestock pen, and brought in their flocks, along with mattresses and blankets for sleeping. They also began establishing a new colonial outpost, a clear indication of an escalation in their attacks and harassment of residents in the area.

Malehat emphasized that what is happening constitutes a dangerous escalation aimed at imposing new colonial realities in sensitive areas close to Palestinian population centers, warning that the international community's silence regarding these actions encourages further encroachment on Palestinian lands and the rights of indigenous people.

The Israeli occupation army issued new evacuation orders in the Gaza City area and asked residents to head south to Al-Mawasi.

Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued a warning to residents of the Gaza City area, including the neighborhoods of al-Tuffah, al-Daraj, and the Old City, to evacuate, identifying Blocks 602, 699, 715, 716, and 717.

Adraee wrote, "The IDF is operating with extreme force in the area and will attack any area used to launch rockets toward the State of Israel for your security. Immediately evacuate south to the Mawasi area and refrain from returning to dangerous combat zones."

Adraee indicated that the Israeli attack will continue and expand to the city center and include all of the city's neighborhoods.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced on Wednesday that there were what he called "positive indications" regarding the possibility of reaching a prisoner exchange deal and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

This came in statements made by Sa'ar during a press conference with his Estonian counterpart, Margus Tsakna, in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, according to the Hebrew news website Walla.

Sa'ar claimed: "We are serious about our intention to reach a deal to release the kidnapped soldiers and a ceasefire in Gaza."

Hamas has repeatedly declared its willingness to release Israeli prisoners "in bulk" in exchange for an end to the genocide and the withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, is evading the agreement by proposing new conditions, and is only seeking partial deals that will ensure the continuation of the war.

The Israeli opposition asserts that Netanyahu is continuing the war in deference to the more extreme right-wing faction within his government, to advance his personal political interests, particularly his continued hold on power.

Regarding the possibility of reaching a deal, Sa'ar added: "There are certain positive indicators (which he did not specify), and our goal is to begin indirect talks as soon as possible."

On Wednesday, Hamas announced in a statement that it was consulting on proposals it had received from mediators to reach an agreement that would guarantee an end to the war, Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, and relief for the Palestinians.

This came a day after the official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, citing two unnamed diplomatic sources, announced that Qatar had presented Israel with a new prisoner exchange proposal that includes a 60-day ceasefire.

Tel Aviv estimates that there are 50 Israeli prisoners in Gaza, 20 of whom are still alive. Meanwhile, more than 10,400 Palestinians languish in its prisons, suffering from torture, starvation, and medical neglect, many of whom have died, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.

The organization also quoted unnamed informed sources as saying, "There is a strong possibility of reaching a deal, but there are still disagreements, including the terms for ending the war and the extent of the Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza."

On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump claimed that Israel had accepted the "necessary conditions" for a 60-day ceasefire, expressing hope that Hamas would also agree.

With American support, Israel has been waging a genocidal war in Gaza since October 7, 2023, including killing, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement, ignoring all international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt the operation.

The genocide left more than 191,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 11,000 missing. Hundreds of thousands were displaced, and famine claimed the lives of many, including children.

Saudi Arabia on Wednesday expressed its condemnation and denunciation of statements made by an Israeli occupation official calling for the imposition of sovereignty over the West Bank in Palestine, in violation of international law.

In a statement issued by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saudi Arabia reiterated its rejection of any attempts to expand settlements on Palestinian lands and emphasized the importance of obligating the Israeli authorities to abide by international resolutions.

The statement also reiterated Saudi Arabia's full support for the Palestinian people in regaining their legitimate rights in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, and in establishing an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The statement described this position as "firm, unwavering, and unwavering."

Three civilians were killed and others injured in an Israeli airstrike targeting a tent housing displaced persons near Al-Dahyan School in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, west of Gaza City.

Dozens were also injured, most of them seriously and critically, when the occupation targeted a shelter for displaced persons west of Gaza City. All were transferred to the Arab Baptist Hospital.

In Khan Yunis, local sources confirmed the martyrdom of Ahmed Haidar Abdullah Al-Majayda in an Israeli bombardment on Al-Majayda Street in the city center.

Medical sources announced that 11 citizens waiting for aid were killed by Israeli army fire in several areas of the Gaza Strip since this morning.

The same sources confirmed that the death toll has risen to 67, following Israeli airstrikes targeting several areas in the Gaza Strip since dawn today.

In its weekly session on Wednesday, the Council of Ministers discussed the repercussions of the difficult field and economic situation facing our people, in light of the ongoing occupation aggression and escalating settler attacks, along with the continued withholding of clearance funds and the imposition of a stifling economic blockade that threatens the ability of our national institutions to perform their basic duties and increases the living pressures on public sector employees and all segments of society.

Prime Minister Mohamed Mustafa said that despite the gravity of the challenges, the presidency and government are continuing their efforts to halt the aggression against our people and secure the urgent release of clearance funds, in cooperation with sister and friendly countries, to alleviate the economic crisis and protect the resilience of our national institutions. He stressed that our resolve will not waver, and we will continue working to restore our people's political and economic rights.

Mustafa called for intensified international efforts to save our people in the Gaza Strip, and to pressure the Israeli occupation government by all possible means to stop the daily killing, starvation, and displacement of two million Palestinians in the Strip. He also called for ensuring the entry of aid through humanitarian means and with the involvement of international organizations to avoid the daily killing of those waiting for aid, which has claimed the lives of more than 600 martyrs and thousands of wounded since the resumption of the aggression.

The Cabinet discussed the dangers of Israeli plans in Area C, the escalation of attacks by the occupation and its settlers, and the annexation and seizure projects.

The Council approved the formation of a national team to develop a practical vision for pursuing land settlement in these areas, in conjunction with the efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the diplomatic corps to mobilize international positions in support of our people's rights and in rejection of illegal Israeli measures.

The Council also followed up on the Ministry of Education and Higher Education's preparations for holding the General Secondary Education Examinations (T2E) in the Gaza Strip, and its cooperation with various ministerial technical teams working on the ground in the Strip to ensure the success of the exams. The Council also discussed the Ministry's preparations to address challenges and field conditions, and its preparation of various question models to ensure the integrity of the exam procedures.

The first reading discussed a system for standards for self-consumption energy systems, including regulation of pricing, production, and consumption of renewable energy. This is particularly true in light of the government's move toward relying on renewable energy sources and increasing local energy production, which requires regulations and legislation to regulate the sector. This includes pricing and regulations for the relationship between consumers seeking to produce energy and distribution companies, while taking into account the addition of storage units.

The system was referred to government departments and various relevant authorities for study and feedback, in conjunction with consultations being conducted by the Electricity Regulatory Council and the Energy Authority with various partners.

As part of the Ministry of Education's initiative to improve the school environment and rehabilitate schools and educational facilities, the Council approved the recommendations of the special committee to evaluate old and unsuitable school buildings. These recommendations included the demolition and reconstruction of several schools in several governorates to ensure student safety.

He also approved the formation of a steering committee to govern the National Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies project, which is being implemented with funding and in partnership with the Korean government. The project aims to promote research and development in artificial intelligence, build national capacities in education and training, transform research findings into smart solutions and products, and support leadership and emerging companies in artificial intelligence.

Based on the presidential decree issued in March 2025 regulating the General Authority for Borders and Crossings and amending its name, the Cabinet approved the organizational structure of the Ministry of Interior, placing the General Authority for Borders and Crossings directly under the Minister of Interior, thus contributing to the development of a range of services provided to citizens.

He also approved the Ministry of Local Government's recommendation to dissolve the municipal council in Kafr Ra'i, Jenin, based on reports and recommendations from the relevant authorities.

The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced on Wednesday that 142 dead and 487 wounded had arrived at hospitals across the Strip over the past 24 hours. The Ministry noted that the bodies of a number of victims remain under the rubble and in the streets, with ambulances and civil defense teams unable to reach them due to the ongoing shelling.

The Gaza Health Ministry said in a statement that the death toll from the Israeli occupation's aggression has risen to 57,012 dead and 134,592 injured since October 7, 2023, amid continued bombing and targeting of civilians.

In a related development, the ministry confirmed that the death toll from "living martyrs"—those killed while attempting to obtain humanitarian aid—has risen to 640 and 4,488 injured, with 39 people killed and more than 210 others injured in the past day alone.

The Ministry of Health mourned the death of Dr. Marwan Sultan, director of the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, along with several members of his family. The Ministry noted that the repeated targeting of medical and humanitarian personnel "reflects the occupation's bloody approach and its insistence on eliminating workers in the health and humanitarian sectors."

The ministry confirmed that the ongoing aggression has caused widespread destruction to health facilities, further exacerbating the humanitarian situation and hindering the provision of medical care to the wounded and sick.