Israel's Central Court on Wednesday approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's request to cancel two sessions of his corruption trial scheduled for next week due to his travel to the United States.

Netanyahu is scheduled to leave Israel on Saturday evening, beginning a five-day visit to the United States, where he will meet with US President Donald Trump on Monday.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said: "The Central Court today (Wednesday) accepted the prime minister's request and canceled his testimony in his trial scheduled for next week."

She added, "This comes as a result of Netanyahu's diplomatic visit to the United States."

She continued: "The prosecution also agreed to Netanyahu's request to cancel his testimony next week, but at the same time asked the court to set a date for his testimony in the days following his return from the United States."

On Sunday, the court approved Netanyahu's request to cancel his trial sessions, scheduled for Monday and Wednesday of this week, citing his "political and security concerns."

Netanyahu has not appeared in court since the start of the war on Iran last June.

Netanyahu faces charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust that could lead to prison if convicted.

Last January, Netanyahu's interrogation sessions began. He denies accusations of corruption, bribery, and breach of trust in the so-called "1000," "2000," and "4000" cases. The attorney general filed an indictment related to these cases in late November 2019.

"Case 1000" concerns allegations that Netanyahu and members of his family received expensive gifts from wealthy businessmen in exchange for various benefits and assistance.

In "Case 2000," he is accused of negotiating with Arnon Mozes, publisher of the privately owned Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, to obtain positive media coverage.

Case 4000 concerns alleged favoritism offered to former Walla news website owner Shaul Elovitch, who was also an executive at Bezeq Telecom, in exchange for positive media coverage.

US President Trump is calling for the abolition of this court, amid divisions within Israel between those who oppose and those who support this call.

Israeli occupation forces stormed the town of Al-Khader, south of Bethlehem, on Wednesday.

According to local sources, occupation forces stormed Al-Khader and took up positions in the Umm Rukba area to the south. They raided and searched the home of Yousef Mohammed Salah, but no arrests were reported.

The Palestinian Prisoners Club said that the occupation authorities continue to escalate their targeting of journalists through the policy of administrative detention, as the number of journalists administratively detained in Israeli occupation prisons, under the pretext of the existence of a "secret file", has risen to (22) journalists, the last of whom is journalist Ahmed Al-Khatib, who was issued an administrative detention order for a period of six months. These are among (55) journalists in occupation prisons, including (49) who have been detained since the beginning of the genocide.

The Prisoners Club stated that the number of arrests and detentions of journalists recorded since the beginning of the genocide has reached at least (192) cases.

The club added that the increase in the number of journalists under administrative detention comes in light of the historically unprecedented escalation in the number of administrative detainees in occupation prisons, which reached (3,562) detainees by the beginning of last June.

By arresting journalists, the occupation authorities aim to silence their voices in the face of the horrific crimes committed by the occupation, target the Palestinian narrative, and impose further censorship and control over their work. We note here the case of journalist Nidal Abu Aker from Bethlehem, one of the longest-serving administrative detainees, having been detained by the occupation since August 1, 2022. He previously spent nearly 20 years in Israeli prisons, most of which were held under administrative detention.

In addition to the crime of administrative detention, the occupation continues to target journalists through what it calls detention based on "incitement" on social media. This form of detention has become a tool for suppressing freedom of opinion and expression, and has become another form of the crime of administrative detention. The majority of those arrested based on "incitement," against whom the occupation was unable to file indictments, were subsequently transferred to administrative detention.

Journalists detained in the occupation's prisons and camps face all the same crimes as prisoners, including systematic torture, severe beatings, starvation, and medical neglect, in addition to the ongoing humiliation and abuse they are subjected to. This is in addition to the ongoing policies of theft and deprivation against them, and their detention in harsh and degrading detention conditions.

UN expert Francesca Albanese called on companies to sever ties with Israel and hold their executives accountable for enabling and benefiting from its crimes, including illegal occupation, apartheid, and genocide in the occupied Palestinian territories.

UN Special Rapporteur Albanese's call for action comes in a scathing new report naming more than 60 companies, including major tech firms like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, accusing them of complicity in what she calls "transforming Israel's occupation economy into a genocidal one."

Albanese writes in the report, which was reviewed by Al-Quds newspaper and its website: “By shedding light on the political economy of an occupation that has turned into a genocide, the report reveals how the permanent occupation has become an ideal testing ground for arms manufacturers and major technology companies... while investors, private and public institutions, reap huge profits.”

A very large number of influential business entities remain closely financially tied to Israel's apartheid and militarism.

The detailed 24-page report, to be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council, identifies dozens of corporate actors, including those operating in the arms, technology, construction, and energy sectors, which it says are complicit.

These companies range from companies the report says are destroying Palestinian lives, including arms companies Elbit Systems and Lockheed Martin, to heavy equipment manufacturers whose machines are used in the construction of illegal Israeli settlements, such as Caterpillar and Hyundai.

The report also focuses on the historical and current role of technology companies, which it says have benefited from the "unique testing ground" in the occupied territories, highlighting how the oppression of Palestinians has become "increasingly automated."

It's worth noting that in October 2023, when Israel's internal military cloud load increased significantly, Microsoft and the Project Nimbus consortium, run by Google and Amazon, stepped in to provide critical cloud and AI infrastructure, according to the report.

The report also focuses on the artificial intelligence systems developed by the Israeli military to process and generate targets during the war on Gaza, noting the cooperation between Palantir Technology Inc. and Israel dating back to before October 2023.

The report added: "There is good reason to believe that Palantir has provided automated predictive policing technology, the essential defense infrastructure for building and deploying military software quickly and scalably, and its proprietary AI platform, which enables the integration of real-time battlefield data for automated decision-making."

The report added that 48 of the companies mentioned were "informed of the facts" that prompted Albanese to make her allegations, and 15 of them responded directly to Albanese's office, and their responses were not published.

But these companies are "just the tip of the iceberg," the report said, adding that Albanese's office has created a database of a total of 1,000 entities from the memos in a call for contributions to the investigation.

The report also found that since the start of the Israeli offensive on Gaza, the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange has risen by 179%, adding $157.9 billion to its market capitalization.

Albanese calls on UN member states to impose sanctions and a complete arms embargo on Israel, and to suspend all trade agreements and investor relations with any individuals or entities that endanger Palestinians.

It also says the International Criminal Court and national judicial bodies should continue investigations and prosecutions of corporate executives and entities "for their role in committing international crimes and laundering the proceeds of those crimes."

The Palestinian Prisoners' Club said that administrative detainee Muhammad Naseem Abu al-Ezz (19 years old) from Jericho, who has been detained since February of last year, was subjected to repeated torture and severe beatings in the Negev Desert Prison, which led to his loss of mobility.

The Prisoners Club explained in a statement issued on Wednesday that over the past period, Abu al-Ezz had suffered a rapid deterioration in his health due to the continuous abuse he was subjected to. His condition worsened to the point where he was unable to meet his needs, necessitating his transfer to the hospital, where he underwent a delicate back surgery at Soroka Hospital. Later, he was transferred to the so-called "Ramla Prison Clinic," where he currently suffers from a motor disability in the lower part of his body.

The Prisoners' Club stated that detainee Abu al-Ezz did not suffer from any health problems before his arrest, and today he represents another victim of the systematic torture crimes to which prisoners are subjected in the occupation's prisons and camps, which are carried out by the Israeli prison system through systematic and continuous methods, procedures and tools. Torture crimes have been the main reason for the martyrdom of dozens of prisoners and detainees in the occupation's prisons and camps since the beginning of the genocide.

Israeli occupation forces stormed the Shuhada Street kindergarten in the center of Hebron on Wednesday, detaining more than 70 children and their supervisors, whom they abused.

Activist Zidan Al-Sharbaty told WAFA that Israeli forces stormed the Shuhada Street kindergarten in the closed area of Hebron, where more than 70 children were attending a summer camp. They detained a number of staff and smashed one of their children's phones, sparking fear and terror among the children participating in the camp.

He explained that this camp was established to entertain the children of the area, amid the difficult circumstances that residents have been experiencing in the closed areas of Hebron for more than two years. The occupation forces impose an evening curfew on large parts of the city's neighborhoods under occupation control, in addition to restricting the movement of residents and imposing specific times and schedules for their transportation.

Israeli Army Radio reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested that his testimony be postponed until next week due to his visit to the United States.

According to the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, the Public Prosecution agreed to Netanyahu's request to postpone his testimony.

Netanyahu faces charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust that could lead to prison if convicted.

Last January, Netanyahu's interrogation sessions began. He denies accusations of corruption, bribery, and breach of trust in what are known as Cases 1000, 2000, and 4000. The Attorney General filed an indictment related to these cases in late November 2019.

The Saudi Cabinet stressed the need to create a reality in which Palestine enjoys peace in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions.

Minister of State, Cabinet Member for Shura Council Affairs and Acting Minister of Media Essam bin Saad bin Saeed, said in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session chaired by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah on Tuesday that the Council affirmed the role of the international community in ending the disastrous repercussions of the Israeli aggression against the brotherly Palestinian people, protecting innocent civilians, and creating a new reality in which Palestine enjoys peace in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions.

The Cabinet reviewed the latest developments in the region and the world, reiterating the Kingdom's positions, as expressed by the Crown Prince during his communications with leaders of sisterly and friendly countries, and its continued support for international efforts aimed at achieving regional and global security and peace, addressing crises, easing tensions, and activating dialogue through diplomatic means as an effective means of settling disputes and resolving conflicts.

The Revolutionary Court in the Gaza Strip gave Yasser Abu Shabab, who during the war founded an armed group opposed to Hamas east of Rafah, 10 days to surrender himself.

The court said: “We have decided, in accordance with the provisions of the Palestinian Penal Code No. 16 of 1960 and the Revolutionary Procedures Law of 1979, to grant the accused Yasser Jihad Mansour Abu Shabab, born on February 27, 1990, holding ID number 802621169, a resident of Rafah, a period of ten days from today, Wednesday, July 2, 2025, to surrender himself to the competent authorities for trial before the judicial authorities.”

The court charged Abu Shabab with “treason and communicating with hostile parties, in violation of Article 131,” as well as “forming an armed gang, in violation of Article 176.”

Among the charges against Abu Shabab, as stated in the court memorandum, is “armed rebellion in violation of Article 168.” The court stated that if he does not surrender, “he will be considered a fugitive from justice and will be tried in absentia.” The ruling concluded by stating, “Anyone who knows of his whereabouts must report him, otherwise he will be considered a cover-up for a criminal fugitive from justice.”

Over the past few days, armed clashes have erupted between Hamas activists and the Abu Shabab group, which operates close to the Israeli occupation forces advancing east of Rafah. Hamas claimed to have killed several members of that group. A few days ago, Abu Shabab, who leads the group calling itself the "Popular Forces," announced that he was investigating a number of Hamas activists he had kidnapped.

Abu Shabab's name has become increasingly prominent in recent times, after he called on residents of the eastern areas of Rafah to return and reside there. He coordinated with him after he formed the armed group, which is said to have established administrations to regulate the situation there, with Israeli support. On his group's Facebook page, Abu Shabab posted photos from his areas of influence showing him setting up tents for families to live in, as well as photos of him distributing food aid to them.

Abu Shabab denies any connection to the occupation, claiming that his weapons are tribal weapons and that he coordinates with the "legitimate Palestinian Authority." However, his tribe, the Tarabin, has disowned him, while the Palestinian Authority has not indicated any coordination with Abu Shabab. He has previously been accused of plundering humanitarian aid entering Gaza.

Due to its proximity to Israeli military positions, Hamas activists were unable to reach it. On one occasion during the previous ceasefire, drones attacked the movement's activists, forcing them to turn back before reaching Abu Shabab's area of influence.

Baha Rahal

On the door of the cemetery in Khan Yunis is a sign that reads: “Dear public, there are no graves. The cemetery is full and there are no empty graves. There is no place for the dead.”
A sign at the cemetery door tells the full extent of the catastrophe. For those who haven't heard or seen what's been broadcast on satellite channels all the time, it's enough for them to read that sign to understand the extent of the grief and tragedy, and to realize that the genocide has taken its toll. The chapters of killing, destruction, and annihilation have not yet ended, but rather continue under the law of the extremist government, which rejects all attempts by mediators, just as it has so far rejected President Trump's call, even if it wasn't as serious as he said when it came to the war between Israel and Iran. When will President Trump come out and stop the genocide? Everyone knows that he is the only one capable of halting this genocide, halting the destruction and killing, and imposing his decision on Netanyahu and his racist government.
The continuation of the genocide means more martyrs and wounded, more devastation, destruction and hunger, and more misery and oppression.
To this day, mediators are making strenuous efforts to reach a ceasefire, but to no avail. Witkoff's proposals have also failed to resolve the disputes, nor have they led to an agreement that would lift the injustice suffered by the people of Gaza and halt the raging, bloody, and brutal war.
The genocide has already taken its toll, a genocide that will remain the most horrific war and the most horrific act of annihilation the twenty-first century has ever witnessed. Its horrors have exceeded the limits of imagination and expectation, and its hours have dragged on, lasting for months and days. International institutions have been absent, UN charters and international laws have been violated in the worst possible way, and the occupying soldiers have indulged in their barbarism, committing acts unparalleled by beasts, and they have been more hideous than any description.
Trump's lack of seriousness so far in forcing Israel to stop its war, and his hesitation in making a decision to immediately halt the genocide, is what is pushing Netanyahu to continue his war and escalate his operations in Gaza and the West Bank, alongside the settlement and Judaization war in Jerusalem. If real and effective international pressure is not exerted, this war is likely to continue, with its accompanying repercussions. This is what is driving members of the occupation government to exploit Trump's lack of seriousness and the state of international silence, and to push for more killing, destruction, and devastation.
It's like an endless war, a hell that extends to every corner, every neighborhood, and every street. This is the state of Gaza, whose land is filled with graves. As for those who are alive, they live under siege, amidst hunger, thirst, and destruction, and under the bombardment of aircraft and the hell of extermination.

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Trump's lack of seriousness so far in forcing Israel to stop its war, and his hesitation in making a decision to immediately halt the genocide, is what is pushing Netanyahu to continue his war and escalate his operations in Gaza and the West Bank, in addition to the settlement and Judaization war in Jerusalem.

Ahmed Osman Jalajel

In a scene that recurs day after day, Palestinian villages in the West Bank are subjected to violent and organized attacks by heavily armed Israeli settlers under the direct protection of the occupation army.
These attacks are no longer just "individual assaults," but have evolved into an organized approach aimed at displacing landowners, terrorizing farmers and shepherds, and forcibly displacing Palestinians.
From the village of Al-Mughayyir, east of Ramallah, to Turmus Ayya and Burin, south of Nablus, and the town of Hizma in occupied Jerusalem, the same story is repeated: settlers storm agricultural land, burn greenhouses, destroy olive trees, and assault residents. Then the occupation army intervenes, not to deter them, but to protect the attackers, suppress the residents, and arrest those defending their land.
Recently, human rights organizations documented armed attacks on the villages of Al-Lubban Al-Sharqiya, Deir Jarir, and Ein Samiya, during which people were injured, vehicles were burned, and dozens of families were forcibly displaced from their homes in Area C.
Observers believe that what is happening is not merely a security breach, but rather a silent policy of ethnic cleansing practiced with clear complicity between the settlers and the Israeli military establishment. Reports indicate that most of the attacks occur within earshot of the occupation soldiers, who do not intervene to stop them. Instead, the settlers are often provided with cover, while the residents are suppressed with tear gas and rubber bullets, turning the lives of citizens in Palestinian villages into a daily hell.
What exacerbates the danger of these attacks is the impunity enjoyed by settlers. According to human rights reports, the percentage of investigations opened into settler attacks on Palestinians is extremely small, and they are often closed without indictments. This distorted legal environment further emboldens them, transforming them into militias that operate openly, even with excessive confidence, relying on the military and political protection provided by the Israeli government.
In many cases, the occupation army does not merely protect the settlers during the attack, but actually participates in the repression. Following every incursion or attempt at self-defense by Palestinians, the army intervenes by firing tear gas, arresting young men, or imposing a closure on the area.
The repeated attacks on villages cannot be separated from the larger settlement project, through which Israel seeks to control as much of the West Bank as possible, particularly fertile agricultural areas and highlands. These repeated attacks force farmers and shepherds to abandon their lands, creating a new reality that facilitates the subsequent process of annexing or surrounding them with settlements.
Despite all this, Palestinian villages demonstrate a determination to survive. Residents rebuild their tents after each demolition, cultivate their lands despite the threat, and establish popular protection committees to monitor settlement activity.
This steadfastness, even if it seems modest, is the most powerful weapon against settler arrogance.
What is happening in Palestinian villages is more than just attacks. It is a deliberate project to empty the land, a silent continuation of the Nakba. Between the armed settler and the complicit soldier, the Palestinian farmer remains clinging to his olive roots, standing up against the policy of slow annihilation.
International silence is an accomplice to the crime, and the responsibility falls on the world to break the circle of protection enjoyed by the settlers and expose the true face of an occupation that knows only the language of force, expulsion, and domination.
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What is happening in Palestinian villages is more than just attacks. It is a deliberate project to empty the land and silently complete the Nakba. Between the armed settler and the complicit soldier, the Palestinian farmer remains clinging to his olive roots, standing in the face of the policy of slow annihilation.

The Israeli military said Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir conducted a field tour inside Syrian territory yesterday, where he warned that the army would attack any concrete threat anywhere.
Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee quoted Zamir as saying, "Syria has disintegrated and is undergoing changes. We are holding on to key points and will continue to operate beyond the border to defend ourselves."
"We will attack any concrete threat, existing or emerging, wherever necessary," he added, stressing the importance of preemptive defense in the Golan Heights.
Israel took control of areas in southwestern Syria, including the buffer zone located within Syrian territory, after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad in December, and launched strikes targeting Syrian military weapons and capabilities.
The Times of Israel reported that Zamir conducted a field tour and security assessment in Syria, accompanied by senior commanders of the IDF's Northern Command.
Zamir pointed to Israel's ongoing campaign on multiple fronts against Iranian forces and their proxies in the region, stressing the army's determination to "continue targeting terrorist groups like Hezbollah."
During the visit, Zamir met with reserve soldiers stationed along the border.

The Israeli economic newspaper "The Marker" revealed that the Weizmann Institute of Science, one of the most important research centers in Israel and the world, suffered extensive damage following an Iranian missile attack targeting the institute in mid-June. The attack caused widespread destruction and enormous financial and scientific losses, threatening to halt vital research.
The newspaper report quoted Professor Alon Chen, head of the Weizmann Institute, as testifying before the Knesset Finance Committee, in which he admitted that two of the institute's buildings were directly hit by Iranian ballistic missiles. These were the Ullman Institute for Cancer Research and the Dolaro Building for Advanced Chemistry and Materials, which was built over the past five years at a cost of approximately $140 million. Chen did not address any other military-related damage that may have resulted from the bombing.
The institute is known as "Israel's nuclear mind," and it also provides research services to the Israeli military, including artificial intelligence, intelligence data analysis, and drone guidance.
The institute also works on developing autonomous or semi-autonomous weapons, precision tracking and guidance devices, electronic jamming and protection technologies, as well as research into directed energy and nuclear technologies, and support for military satellite systems.
Destruction in every corner
The institute's president said the chemistry building sustained a direct hit on its fifth floor, explaining that its demolition and reconstruction were inevitable. The institute's campus was closed for two full weeks after the attack, before partially reopening yesterday as rubble removal and damage assessments continued.
The newspaper quoted him as saying that the damage caused by the explosion extended throughout the university campus, and that five of the 112 damaged buildings will need to be completely rebuilt, including the Environmental Sciences Building, while approximately 60 other buildings will undergo restoration, with varying degrees of damage.
Even more serious, according to Chen, is that the destruction has affected pre-clinical research centers, which house more than 100,000 laboratory mice used in research into diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and various types of cancer.
"These are not just laboratory animals, but valuable scientific models upon which years of research have been based. Their loss would be a true scientific catastrophe," Chen told the committee.
The central machinery room, responsible for operating the campus's electrical, air conditioning, and water systems, was also damaged. The newspaper noted that the institute's residential area was also damaged, but fortunately, no human casualties were reported in the attack.
The Marker reported that Chen presented the Finance Committee with a color aerial map showing the extent of the damage. Entire areas were colored red, indicating severe damage, while other areas were labeled orange and yellow, depending on the extent of the damage and the need for restoration or reconstruction.
The newspaper noted that Israeli military censorship allowed these details to be published for the first time (meaning that damage to military components has not been disclosed), amid estimates that reconstruction work could take between three and five years, raising concerns among committee members about the impact on Israel's global research standing.
Threatening the future of research
The newspaper estimated the direct damage to buildings and equipment at between 1.5 and 2 billion shekels (about $443 million), but Chen explained that the long-term scientific and economic losses are much greater and cannot be measured in numbers.
"If we have a scientist who has collected clinical samples from cancer patients for 25 years, how do we account for this loss? How do we estimate the loss of decades of research work?" he asked the committee.
Chen also criticized the "inadequacies" of the property tax-based damage compensation mechanism, explaining, "If we bought a microscope for $1 million five years ago, its book value today might not exceed $200,000, while we would practically need to buy a new microscope for $1.5 million. Who will cover this gap?"
The newspaper claimed that the Weizmann Institute is run as a non-profit organization and receives only about 20% of its budget from state funding, compared to an average of 70% at other Israeli universities.
"Our development budget relies entirely on donations and self-reliance. We don't have tuition fees, and if we had to use our savings to rebuild, we wouldn't have anything left to fund day-to-day operations," Chen said.
The institute's president warned that the continuation of the crisis could force the institute to freeze the admission of new researchers, saying, "We accept between 10 and 15 new researchers each year. If we don't have 60 laboratories ready, we won't be able to accept any new researchers. This will create a serious gap in scientific research in Israel."
During the session, Knesset Member Oded Forer called for the establishment of a special mechanism to rehabilitate the institute, saying, "This is not an ordinary compensation case. We are dealing with direct, indirect, and exploratory damage. There must be a special mechanism run by a senior government official to bring all parties together."

It seems that the visit that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will make to Washington next Sunday will be the end of the political life of the "Patriarch", who is in the autumn of his life, after his longest period on the throne of Israel, which he ascended to on the body of Rabin, and concluded by killing tens of thousands of people whose water and electricity were cut off, and he issued a fatwa to kill them all, considering them descendants of the Amalekites, before he rode "Gideon's chariots" and ran over everyone in his path in the besieged Gaza Strip with fire and gunpowder, and whose residents are suffering from a severe shortage of money, lives and crops, in a way that exceeded their ability to bear and be patient with what they faced of gloom and bad outcome, throughout the 630 days of the relentless genocide.
Trump's talk of a ceasefire in Gaza, and his anticipated arrangements for the region, do not allow Netanyahu and his partners in crime to play any role in the next phase. Those who have been a tool for destruction will not be partners in construction and reconstruction, and those who have committed massacres will not be preachers in the sanctuary of peace.
The statements made by Smotrich and Ben-Gvir reveal much about the pressures Netanyahu will face, forcing him to give up and enter early retirement, exempt from accountability with American guarantees, in exchange for leaving political life forever.
The repeated statements by a number of senior Israeli politicians and military leaders, ahead of Netanyahu's anticipated trip, indicating that the war in Gaza has reached its end, are of great significance, as they represent a safe exit for the fox, who has not yet had enough of the blood of children and women in Gaza, the two groups most targeted in the raging genocide.
The coming days and weeks will witness dramatic developments regarding halting the genocide and initiating new arrangements with renewed leadership. Earthquakes have repercussions whose consequences are difficult to predict.

Dr. Dalal Erekat: This incident confirms the deliberate tampering with food shipments, making them a weapon in the hands of the occupation to destroy Palestinian society.
Nihad Abu Ghosh: The incident requires an urgent and transparent international investigation to uncover its circumstances and impose strict oversight on aid entering the Gaza Strip.
Imad Moussa: Gaza is facing an escalation in genocidal strategies and unprecedented threats to eliminate the will of its residents and destroy their social and health infrastructure.
Dr. Jamal Harfoush: This act is a form of psychological warfare and a crime against humanity, exploiting the urgent need for food aid to achieve destructive goals.
Nabhan Khreisha: The Palestinian people have the right to bring this issue to international courts and for the international community to assume its responsibility in holding the responsible parties accountable.
Adnan Al-Sabah: The incident is part of an Israeli strategy to "demonize" the Palestinian people, distort their image, and deliberately harm their cause and struggle.


At a time when the Gaza Strip has been groaning under a stifling siege and ongoing genocide for nearly 21 months, the discovery of narcotic pills hidden inside flour bags intended as humanitarian aid adds a silent tool of genocide to the suffering of Gazans.
In separate interviews with "I," writers, political analysts, specialists, and university professors believe that this serious incident has refocused attention on accusations that humanitarian aid is sometimes used as a malicious means to undermine Palestinian society from within under the guise of support and relief.
They point out that this incident could be a new chapter in the "silent genocide" policy targeting the psychological and social fabric of Palestinians, as food, essential for survival, is transformed into a weapon that threatens the lives and resilience of civilians.
Given Israel's complete control over the crossings, writers, analysts, specialists, and university professors believe that aid manipulation is no longer merely a possibility, but rather a malicious pressure tool that threatens to quietly dismantle society and may even serve to damage the Palestinian image in the eyes of the world.
In the face of this silent threat, calls are growing for a transparent international oversight mechanism to oversee the inspection of every food shipment arriving in Gaza. Amid the blockade, hunger, and hidden toxins, the people of the Strip find themselves facing a new battle: defending their right to clean food, free from manipulation and humiliation.


Criminal methods that exceed the limits of human imagination

Dr. Dalal Erekat, professor of diplomacy and conflict resolution at the Arab American University, describes the discovery of narcotic pills inside flour bags intended as food aid to the Gaza Strip as a reflection of the "horrific terrorism of the occupation" and its persistence in employing criminal methods that exceed the limits of human imagination.
Erekat asserts that this incident is not merely a one-off violation, but rather part of a systematic series of crimes aimed at dismantling the psychological and health structures of the Palestinian people, exploiting the dire need for food amid the ongoing Israeli blockade.
She points out that the occupying state, which practices starvation as a weapon of war, has resorted to using food, specifically flour, as a tool for drug distribution, in an attempt to drown Palestinian society in addiction and weaken it in the face of the challenges imposed upon it.
Erekat considers this act "the most horrific in its method," a violation of all rules of war, and a crime against humanity that requires urgent accountability in international forums.
She points out that this is not the first incident in which silent genocide has been used against Palestinians, but it stands out as a stark example of the brutality of Israeli policies.
Erekat explains that the occupation's complete control over Gaza's crossings, the absence of effective international oversight, and Israel's control over aid entry open the door to systematic interference in humanitarian aid, whether by manipulating its quantity, quality, or even its content.
Erekat asserts that this incident confirms the realistic assumption that food shipments are being deliberately tampered with, making them a weapon in the hands of the occupation to destroy Palestinian society, both materially and psychologically.

The need to establish an independent and transparent international mechanism to inspect materials before they enter

Erekat calls for the establishment of an independent and transparent international mechanism to inspect all materials entering Gaza to ensure they are free of any interference that threatens the lives of the population.
Erekat attributes the continuation of these crimes to the occupation's chronic impunity, noting that the inability of international justice institutions or their submission to political pressure encourages Israel to persist in its use of inhumane methods.
Erekat asserts that what is happening in Gaza is not just a humanitarian tragedy, but a test of the world's conscience and the effectiveness of the international system.
Erekat calls on countries that support justice and human dignity to demonstrate strong political will to hold the occupation accountable and put an end to its brutal policies, which aim to undermine the resilience of the Palestinian people.

Part of a series of systematic crimes committed by the occupation

Writer and political analyst specializing in Israeli affairs, Nihad Abu Ghosh, asserts that the discovery of narcotic pills inside flour bags intended as food aid for the Gaza Strip is part of a series of systematic crimes committed by the Israeli occupation, which cannot be explained rationally or logically.
Abu Ghosh believes that the occupying state, which is deliberately practicing genocide, has gone beyond the boundaries of traditional criminality to include starvation, torture, the destruction of homes, hospitals, temples, and shelters, the execution of prisoners, and the distribution of poisons and drugs through its collaboration with hired gangs with criminal records.
He explains that the occupation has failed, over the course of 21 months, to impose socially acceptable local leadership in Gaza. Families, clans, and community representatives have rejected all attempts to create loyal alternatives. As a result of this failure, the occupation has resorted to cooperating with small criminal gangs, lacking any social support, to carry out dirty tasks, including managing aid distribution points through a dubious American-Israeli company.
Abu Ghosh points out that these checkpoints have turned into "death traps," resulting in the deaths of more than 500 Palestinians, highlighting the danger these gangs pose to the nation and society.

A deliberate attempt to poison the entire Palestinian community

Abu Ghosh believes that smuggling narcotic pills into flour bags may be a reward for these gangs, directed at them, or perhaps a deliberate attempt to poison Palestinian society as a whole, with the aim of weakening it and dismantling its social and health structures.
Abu Ghosh asserts that all materials entering Gaza are subject to interference under the pretext of security inspections, with the occupation imposing strict measures to prevent the entry of materials deemed "dual-use." He explains that Israeli inspectors often act on their own whims, preventing the entry of children's toys, prosthetic limbs, medical aids, and some food items on the grounds that they are "non-essential." They even ban prefabricated houses because they conflict with displacement plans.
Abu Ghosh emphasizes that the occupation may resort to introducing sensitive devices and sensors into the aid for spying purposes, or to locate resistance fighters or Israeli prisoners, as part of an open war aimed at maximizing Palestinian losses and transforming life in Gaza into perpetual suffering.
Abu Ghosh points out that these policies are in line with the so-called "Trump Vision," which essentially aims to ethnically cleanse and uproot Palestinians from their land.

The incident requires an urgent and transparent international investigation.

Abu Ghosh stresses that the incident requires an urgent and transparent international investigation to uncover the circumstances of this crime, along with the need to impose strict oversight on aid entering Gaza to ensure its safety.
Abu Ghosh asserts that the continuation of these crimes reflects the occupation's impunity, which requires serious international action to hold Israel accountable and halt its violations, which aim to destroy the Palestinian people both materially and morally.

Hybrid warfare in which new methods of extermination are developed

Writer and political analyst Imad Moussa warns of the escalation of genocidal strategies targeting the Gaza Strip, accusing global powers of developing hybrid warfare methods that combine conventional weapons with irregular means, including the use of chemicals and cyberattacks.
Musa points out that food tampering is part of this strategy, whereby drugs, carcinogens, and other substances that cause infertility are inserted into food, with the aim of causing long-term harm to the population.
Musa cites a similar history, citing the use of anthrax in clothing prepared for Native Americans, as an example of genocidal tactics used to destroy communities.
Musa asserts that Gaza is currently on the cusp of a hybrid war, with Israel employing classic combat tactics supported by asymmetric warfare, while employing advanced cyber and chemical weapons to enhance its destructive impact.
Musa called for urgent intervention by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to verify the safety of food supplies distributed in Gaza, warning that these practices are being carried out "with everyone's knowledge" as part of a systematic plan to develop new methods of genocide.
Moussa calls on the international community to take immediate action to halt these violations, stressing that Gaza faces unprecedented threats aimed at annihilating the will of its residents and destroying their social and health infrastructure.
He explains that this hybrid war is not limited to military operations, but extends to targeting vital infrastructure and public health, calling for an urgent international investigation to uncover these crimes and hold those responsible accountable.


A deliberate attempt to undermine public health and spread addiction.

Professor Dr. Jamal Harfoush, professor of scientific research methods and political studies at the University of the Academic Research Center in Brazil, asserts that the discovery of narcotic pills inside bags of flour sent as food aid to the Gaza Strip is extremely serious.
Harfoush points out that this incident reveals a malicious intent targeting Palestinian society in one of the world's most suffering regions due to the years-long Israeli blockade.
Harfoush explains that concealing narcotic pills inside bags of flour, a staple food that forms the backbone of the daily food basket for Palestinian families in Gaza, is a deliberate attempt to undermine public health and spread addiction among the population, particularly among the most vulnerable groups such as children and youth.
Harfoush asserts that this act, if proven to involve hostile parties, constitutes a form of psychological warfare and a crime against humanity, exploiting the dire need for food aid to achieve destructive goals aimed at weakening Palestinian society's resilience in the face of occupation and siege.
He points out that the tight blockade imposed by the Israeli occupation authorities on the Gaza Strip, which includes complete control over the movement of goods through border crossings, creates uncertainty regarding the safety of food shipments.
Harfoush points out that the Palestinian authorities' lack of full control over these crossings makes food vulnerable to tampering, both in terms of quality and content, exacerbating the risks to the lives of residents.
He cited previous incidents in which expired or contaminated food was seized, which reinforces suspicions that such violations are likely to recur.
Harfoush calls for an immediate, transparent investigation at both the Palestinian and international levels to uncover the circumstances of this incident and hold those involved accountable. He also calls for the authorities overseeing the crossings to implement strict monitoring procedures to ensure such disasters do not recur.
It calls for the activation of neutral Palestinian oversight mechanisms, in cooperation with international institutions specializing in food safety monitoring, to ensure safe delivery of aid to the population.
It emphasizes the international community's moral and legal responsibility to pressure the occupying authorities to lift the blockade on Gaza and ensure the entry of humanitarian aid free from any interference that threatens the lives and health of citizens suffering from catastrophic living conditions as a result of the ongoing blockade and recurring wars.
Harfoush asserts that this incident highlights the urgent need for concerted international efforts to protect the Palestinian people from these crimes, which aim to cripple their ability to persevere.

multidimensional crime

Journalist Nabhan Khreisha asserts that the discovery of narcotic pills inside flour bags intended as food aid to the Gaza Strip is a multi-dimensional crime that goes beyond being a trivial incident to becoming a blatant violation of international law and humanitarian ethics.
Khreisha believes that this incident, if proven, constitutes a potential conspiracy aimed at dismantling the Palestinian social fabric, sowing chaos, and spreading forced addiction under the guise of humanitarian aid in a society exhausted by a nearly two-year war amidst an ongoing siege.
He points out that the nature of the narcotic pills has not yet been officially determined, but there is speculation that they may be powerful stimulants such as Captagon or amphetamines, sedatives such as benzodiazepines, or even hallucinogenic substances that slowly destroy the nervous system.
Khreisha asserts that, regardless of the substance, the goal is the same: targeting the health of Palestinian citizens and drowning them in addiction, threatening the social and health infrastructure of Gaza's residents, especially in light of the catastrophic living conditions they face.
From an international legal perspective, Khreisha believes that this incident, if proven, constitutes a full-fledged international crime, violating the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit the exploitation of humanitarian aid to harm civilians, and violating international agreements related to combating drugs.
He asserts that the act may amount to a crime against humanity if it is proven that the goal was to systematically spread addiction to destroy Palestinian society.
Khreisha believes this crime is not merely a logistical error in the supply chain, but a clear violation of international laws protecting civilians in conflict zones.

Urgent action on two tracks: investigation and oversight

Khreisha calls for urgent action on two fronts: first, a transparent and independent international investigation under UN supervision to uncover the circumstances of the incident, determine responsibilities, and hold those involved accountable, regardless of their culpability. Second, tightening controls on aid at Gaza's entry points, subjecting aid to rigorous laboratory testing before distribution to ensure its safety.
He stresses the need to establish an advanced Palestinian monitoring system that includes random and periodic laboratory testing of food shipments, along with accurate documentation of the aid's route from entry to its arrival at the beneficiaries, while involving the local community in monitoring any suspicions.
Khreisha asserts that the Palestinian people have the right to take this case to international courts, calling on the international community to assume its responsibility in holding accountable those responsible for this crime.
He warns that the continued manipulation of aid raises serious questions about its safety, especially given the occupation's control over the crossings.
Khreisha points out that drug-laced bread represents another aspect of the war on Gaza, which aims to weaken the resilience of its residents.
Khreisha holds international organizations, particularly the United Nations and the World Food Programme, responsible for directly overseeing the safety of aid, rather than simply issuing statements of condemnation or denying responsibility.
Khreisha calls on human rights organizations to monitor, document, and expose these violations to the world, while demanding transparent investigations and strict accountability.
Khreisheh emphasizes that Palestinians are not demanding privileges, but rather a basic right to safe food, pure medicine, and uncompromised aid, to ensure a minimum level of human dignity amid their ongoing suffering.

A pretext for political and media use against the Palestinian cause

Writer and political analyst Adnan Al-Sabah warns that the story of the discovery of narcotic pills inside flour bags intended as aid to the Gaza Strip is being orchestrated in a manner aimed at demonizing the Palestinian people and distorting their image and cause.
Al-Sabah believes that the public and sensational publication of this novel aims to portray Palestinians, who are suffering from famine, murder, and historically unprecedented conditions, as drug addicts, which constitutes a deliberate insult to the Palestinian cause and its resistance.
Al-Sabah explains that the primary goal of this campaign is to damage the Palestinian character and reputation, portraying them as a society that consumes drugs amid its humanitarian suffering, providing a pretext for political and media exploitation against the Palestinian cause.
He points out that everything related to Gaza, including humanitarian aid, is completely under the control of the Israeli occupation, which controls its content, distribution, and form.
Al-Sabah asserts that the occupation forces are meticulously inspecting everything, which raises suspicions about their direct involvement in smuggling drugs into the aid as part of their schemes.
He explains that aid enters Gaza through what is known as the American-Israeli company, which he describes as a purely Israeli security company that uses food, water, and medicine as tools of death and murder.
He believes that smuggling drugs into flour bags and exposing them in this sensational media manner reflects an Israeli strategy to further harm the Palestinian people and distort their image.
Al-Sabah asserts that nothing happens in Gaza or the West Bank outside the control and planning of the Israeli security services, which operate according to carefully considered plans to harm the Palestinians and their resistance.
Al-Sabah calls for caution regarding the narratives promoted by the occupation authorities, stressing that this incident is not merely a random occurrence, but rather part of a media and psychological war aimed at destroying the image of the Palestinian people and their cause.
Al-Sabah calls for an independent investigation to uncover the truth about this incident, along with the need to establish Palestinian and international oversight mechanisms to ensure the safety of aid.
Al-Sabah stresses that the continuation of these practices reflects the occupation's attempts to achieve its goals by all means, including targeting Palestinian dignity and distorting the image of the resistance in the eyes of the world.

Dozens of civilians were killed and injured in intense Israeli shelling of several areas in the Gaza Strip since early Wednesday morning.

Local sources reported that six civilians were killed and others were injured when the occupation forces bombed tents housing displaced people in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis. Ten civilians, including children, were also injured when tents housing displaced people were bombed in the same area, which is considered a "safe area" for displaced families. However, it has been repeatedly bombed in recent weeks.

It added that four other citizens were killed and others were injured as a result of the occupation's bombing of a house belonging to the Zeno family on Jaffa Street in central Gaza City.

Our correspondent reported that the four martyrs were Father Ahmed Ayyad Zeno, his wife Ayat Zeno, their two daughters Zahra Zeno, and their two children Obaida Zeno. The bombing also almost completely destroyed the house, and ambulance and civil defense crews continue to search under the rubble, amid fears that more victims may be missing.

Four civilians, including two children, were also killed in an Israeli airstrike on a house in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood, east of Gaza City.

In the city of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, medical sources reported that ten citizens were injured when an Israeli drone targeted a tent housing displaced persons near Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Several other citizens were also injured by Israeli drone fire in the Al-Karama neighborhood, northwest of Gaza City.

Medical sources reported that 13 citizens were killed in Israeli airstrikes on several areas in the Gaza Strip since dawn today.

Yesterday, Tuesday, the Gaza Strip witnessed a series of massacres committed by the occupation forces against families, with approximately 100 citizens killed by Israeli fire and airstrikes.

The death toll in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, has risen to 56,647, and the number of injuries to 134,105.

On Monday of next week Prime Minister Netanyahu is expected to meet President Trump in the White House.  Based on Trump’s social media post he is expected to tell Netanyahu that the war in Gaza must end and all of the hostages must come home.  From what we know (I know from first sources) Hamas has four demands: (1) a permanent ceasefire also known as ending the war; (2) withdrawal of all Israeli troops from Gaza; (3) release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons (including those who have killed Israelis); and (4) significantly increased humanitarian aid to Gaza.  In exchange, Hamas is prepared to free all of the hostages (50 in number including all of those alive and all of the bodies of those no longer alive); and Hamas is prepared to transfer the governance of Gaza to a Palestinian civilian professional technocrat government.  Hamas has not committed itself to disarmament, transferring its weapons to the new Palestinian government, or having its armed personnel or some of them leave Gaza with their families. That is the deal that can be done next week – first when Trump tells Netanyahu to make the deal, and then when Witkoff with Qatar and Egypt tell Hamas to make the deal and then they can all agree on the implementation plan. The war in Gaza could theoretically be over in one to two weeks from now. 

My assessment is that once there are no longer Israeli soldiers in Gaza, the armed Hamas personnel will no longer have targets.  Hamas does not have the ability or the motivation to continue to shoot rockets and mortars into Israel, once the war is over. They may feel that they need to protect themselves against angry Gazans and may want to continue to hold their arms until they feel more secure or until they are prepared to leave Gaza. The disarming of Hamas will take more time and must be completed by a new (albeit temporary) Palestinian legitimate government in Gaza which is not Hamas. The new Palestinian government will be able to invite Arab forces to come to Gaza to assist in establishing law, order, and governance. They will come, according to what they have said, but only coordinated with the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. 

What needs to happen now is that President Abbas must appoint the head of the temporary Gaza government or a list of names of people to run the government in Gaza.   A list of 15 names was published by the Palestinian Authority with the support of Egypt way back in the beginning of March of this year.  Most of those names are acceptable to most of the Palestinian people – at least that is what I have been told.  Different names can be selected as well.  The main point is that this must happen now. There is absolutely no reason for Abbas to wait even one day longer in announcing either the head of the temporary government or the list of names of what was called the “Gaza Support Committee”.

Since Israel prevented a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and Turkey from taking place, Abbas should call for a meeting of all of the foreign diplomats based in the Palestinian Authority and Israel to come to Ramallah to voice their opinion, and hopefully support for the Palestinian plan for taking control of Gaza when the war ends. Abbas will receive the support of most of the international community which is essential for having a concrete plan for deal with the humanitarian disaster in Gaza. 

Taking over Gaza and reuniting Palestinian governance is a Palestinian interest first and foremost and requires Palestinian pro-active decisions right now. If this were to happen now, the Franco-Saudi summit which may be rescheduled to take place in Paris at the end of this month, or in September at the meeting of the UN General Assembly in the framework of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two States Solution (which includes more than 90 countries) would then have a much more concrete agenda for the reconstruction of Gaza and for moving forward in advancing the two states solution. 

The international community would be able to push forward to implement the commitments addressed by Abbas in his letter to President Macron from June 10, 2025 which include the disarming of Hamas, the deployment of international forces to protect the Palestinian people with a UN Security Council Mandate, a full peace agreement with Israel for two states. Abbas also committed to new Palestinian elections within one year. Abbas wrote: “The State of Palestine stands ready to assume sole governance and security responsibilities in the Gaza Strip, with Arab and international support. Hamas will no longer rule Gaza and must hand over its weapons and military capabilities to the Palestinian Security Forces, which will oversee their removal from the Occupied Palestinian Territory, with Arab and international support.” The letter also included a commitment to “revoking the law of payments to families of prisoners and martyrs.”

The war must end now. The hostages must be returned home to Israel. Hamas can no longer govern Gaza and does not present a threat to Israel anymore.  Trump can assure Netanyahu that if Hamas tries to rebuild its military capabilities, Israel can re-enter Gaza with the blessing of the United States. Trump can tell Hamas that as long as they do not try to rebuild their military threat against Israel, that the United States will guarantee the ceasefire and the end of the war.  

This can all happen in the very near future.  

Washington - Saeed Erekat

US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that Israel had agreed to the terms of a proposed 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, warning Hamas to accept the agreement before the situation deteriorates further. This announcement came just days before Trump hosts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday for crucial talks aimed at ending the war on Gaza, according to informed sources.

"Representatives of my department held a long and productive meeting with the Israelis today regarding Gaza," Trump said in a statement. "Israel has agreed to the terms necessary to implement a 60-day ceasefire, during which we will work with all parties to end the war." Trump added that Qatar and Egypt will present the final proposal to Hamas.

Trump urged Hamas to accept the agreement, warning it that rejecting it would have dire consequences: "I hope, for the sake of the Middle East, that Hamas accepts this agreement, because the situation will not get better; it will get worse."

According to State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, the United States has intensified its diplomatic efforts in recent weeks, pressuring both Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire agreement that also includes a mechanism for the release of the hostages. Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer was in Washington on Tuesday to meet with senior US officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, to discuss a potential truce, regional threats, and Iran.

According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza (as of early July 2025), the number of Palestinian deaths reached more than 56,000 citizens, and more than 133,000 were injured, the overwhelming majority of whom were women and children.

The Israeli government claims that the first Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, killed approximately 1,200 people, including Israeli civilians and security personnel (including 311 soldiers). Since then, the Israeli military has reported that at least 891 soldiers have been killed in Gaza since Israel began its offensive on the besieged enclave.

The current ceasefire discussions come amid escalating humanitarian concerns in Gaza. More than 150 international aid organizations, including Oxfam, Save the Children, and Amnesty International, issued a joint statement on Tuesday calling for the dismantling of the controversial Israeli- and US-backed aid distribution system in Gaza. The system has faced mounting criticism amid reports of chaos and violence at food distribution points. According to documented figures, more than 510 Palestinians have been killed while trying to access food, a tragedy that has sparked the latest wave of condemnation.

Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes continued across Gaza, with Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis reporting at least 37 people killed in southern Gaza.

Complicating matters further, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stern warning after Israeli defense systems intercepted a rocket believed to have been launched from Yemen. Sirens sounded across Israel, and officials reported two additional projectiles being launched from Gaza. Despite all of them being intercepted, Katz warned that Yemen could "meet the fate of Tehran," a reference to Israel's 12-day war with Iran and the Iranian response that inflicted significant damage on Israel.

It's worth noting that when Trump was asked on Tuesday whether it was time to pressure Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire agreement, he said the Israeli prime minister was ready to reach an agreement: "He wants to. I think we'll reach an agreement next week."

"The operation in Gaza is the main arena," IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said on Friday. "In the near future, we will reach the lines we have defined for the current phase of Operation Gideon. From there, operational options will be developed and presented to the political leadership."

He added, "We will continue to work with determination to achieve the two main goals of the war - the return of the prisoners and the defeat of Hamas."

Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau and spokesman, said in response to the ceasefire proposal on May 30: "After careful study, it becomes clear that the Israeli response is primarily aimed at entrenching the occupation and perpetuating the policies of killing and starvation, even during what is supposed to be a temporary period of calm."

Although Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has not detailed the agenda for his upcoming visit to the White House, he has informed his cabinet that a trade deal will be among the topics to be discussed. Iran is also expected to feature prominently in the talks, particularly in light of Trump's success in brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Tehran. With the region still flaring and the humanitarian situation deteriorating, all eyes will be on Washington next week to see whether diplomacy will achieve a long-awaited truce, or whether the Gaza war will extend into an even bloodier chapter.

Today, Tuesday, the Israeli occupation forces notified the demolition of a residential tent belonging to Ibrahim Harbi Daraghmeh in the northern Jordan Valley.

Draghmeh reported that the so-called "Colonies Council" verbally notified him of the demolition of a residential tent he had erected two days earlier, replacing his own tent that had been consumed by fire earlier this week.

Draghmeh added that the occupation forces informed him that they were prohibited from building any tents in the area.

Settlers have established a new colonial outpost in the Al-Ma'rajat area, northwest of Jericho. This is the fifth of its kind along the Al-Ma'rajat road.

Hassan Malihat, general supervisor of the Al-Baidar organization for the defense of Bedouin rights, confirmed to WAFA on Tuesday that settlers had set up a tent, brought water tanks, and an electric generator a few days ago, and had begun fencing off the site in preparation for turning it into a settlement. This is a scene that has become a recurring occurrence in various areas of the West Bank.

Eyewitnesses from the Arab al-Malihat community, who were close to the site, confirmed that the outpost was established under the protection of occupation soldiers. Excavation and leveling equipment were installed, while settlers began erecting iron fences.

He added, "The new outpost indicates a 'comprehensive colonial plan' aimed at controlling an important corridor separating Jericho from the central West Bank, and restricting the movement of citizens between the northern and southern parts of the West Bank."

The witnesses continued, describing what is happening as a "gradual catastrophe" being carried out without bulldozers or direct displacement, but no less dangerous than mass expulsion. They warned that the colonial project aims to dismantle Bedouin communities and force them into forced migration.

She explained that "the outposts begin as a simple tent and then develop into full-fledged settlements," considering that "the settlers operate as unofficial arms of the occupation government," with full support from the Israeli military establishment.

Al-Baydar stressed that this plan cannot be separated from the Israeli policy aimed at emptying Area C of its Palestinian citizens, especially the Bedouins, whose facilities are being demolished and who are deprived of water and energy, while the settlers are granted extensive concessions.

Residents of the area expressed their anger at the international community's silence and the inability of official Palestinian authorities to confront this settlement expansion. One of the Arab al-Malihat community's leaders said, "They don't shoot at us or deport us in trucks. They just make our lives difficult until we leave voluntarily. This is another form of ethnic cleansing."

The organization concluded its statement by calling for serious international action, including ongoing field monitoring and daily documentation of violations. It asserted that what is taking place in Al-Ma'rajat is a "slow-motion massacre being perpetrated away from the cameras," urging human rights organizations to treat the situation as a case of ethnic cleansing proceeding at a rapid pace.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza said that "Al-Rantisi Children's Hospital in Gaza City has recorded hundreds of cases of meningitis among children," while the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) warned that the increasing spread of the disease portends a catastrophe and new dangers threatening the children of the Strip.

The ministry warned of the escalating spread of the disease in light of the ongoing collapse of the health sector and the catastrophic living conditions facing the population.

She pointed out that health facilities in the Gaza Strip are under unprecedented pressure as a result of the occupation's policy of blockade and systematic destruction of health infrastructure.

Dr. Ragheb Warsh Agha, head of the pediatric department at Al-Rantisi Children's Hospital in Gaza, said that deteriorating infrastructure and malnutrition have accelerated the spread of meningitis among children.

Agha warned of the seriousness of this disease in the absence of appropriate treatment, which could lead to a high mortality rate among children. He added that hundreds of children are infected with the disease every month.

Dr. Agha called on international and humanitarian organizations to take urgent action to provide safe drinking water and support health facilities with the necessary medicines and antibiotics to limit the spread of the disease, in addition to supporting primary healthcare units.

For its part, Hamas stated that the increasing spread of meningitis among children, with hundreds of cases recorded in the past few days, portends a new catastrophe and dangers threatening the children of the Gaza Strip, especially in light of the collapse of the health system, the worsening famine, the shortage of baby formula, and the cases of malnutrition resulting from the blockade and the concentrated targeting by the fascist occupation army.

Hamas called on the international community, the United Nations, and its institutions—particularly the World Health Organization—to intervene immediately to save the children of Gaza, who are facing an unprecedented humanitarian tragedy.

She called for action to break the unjust Israeli blockade and supply the Gaza Strip with medical supplies, especially those related to child care, as this is a legal, moral, and humanitarian responsibility that cannot be postponed.

In early March, Israel escalated its crimes by arbitrarily closing all crossings into the Gaza Strip, completely preventing the entry of humanitarian and relief aid, fuel trucks, and all supplies.

On the 18th of the same month, Israel reneged on the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement in effect since January 19, and resumed its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, despite Hamas's commitment to all terms of the agreement.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with US support, has been committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, leaving more than 190,000 Palestinians dead or wounded—mostly children and women—and more than 11,000 missing, in addition to hundreds of thousands displaced.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said Tuesday that the war on Gaza will not end until "the matter of Hamas is finally settled."

Ben-Gvir had called for halting the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, describing it as a "shameful disgrace" that must be completely halted, not merely suspended.

Ben-Gvir said in press statements on Thursday that "the aid currently entering Gaza represents a strong boost for Hamas," adding that "stopping it completely will quickly bring us closer to victory."

Ben-Gvir announced that he will demand that the issue of allowing aid into Gaza be brought up for a vote again at the next cabinet meeting, in an attempt to reconsider the government's decision on the matter.

Qatar has presented Israel with a new proposal for a prisoner exchange deal and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (Kan 11) reported Tuesday evening.

According to what the channel reported, citing two diplomatic sources, the proposal stipulates a 60-day ceasefire, the first day of which will see the release of eight living Israeli detainees.

The proposal includes the release of additional detainees on the fiftieth day of the ceasefire, along with the return of the bodies of 18 Israeli detainees in three batches.

The Qatari proposal also stipulates the withdrawal of the Israeli army to the Morag axis between Khan Yunis and Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, and an increase in the amount of humanitarian aid entering Gaza.

Sources familiar with the negotiations indicated a "great chance" of reaching an agreement, but stressed that disagreements remain between the parties, centered on the terms for ending the war and the extent of the Israeli army's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. This proposal comes at a time of intensified diplomatic efforts, as Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani discussed with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty joint efforts with the United States to resume the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

An official statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry stated that the phone call between the two ministers, held on Tuesday, emphasized the importance of joint action to "stop the bloodshed of the Palestinian people, release prisoners and detainees, and ensure the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip without delay or hindrance."

The Egyptian Foreign Minister announced on Monday evening that Egypt is currently working to formulate an agreement that includes a "60-day truce in exchange for the release of a number of Israeli hostages."

For his part, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari downplayed the current talks on Monday, saying they did not rise to the level of negotiations and stressing that "it is too early to talk about a timeframe for a ceasefire agreement."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he will travel to Washington next week to meet with US President Donald Trump and White House officials. This visit is expected to be crucial to resolving the war in Gaza and other issues related to expanding peace agreements in the region.

It's clear that Netanyahu wants to capitalize on the "successes" achieved by the Israelis in recent months, whether against Hamas in Gaza, the significant change taking place in Syria, or the targeting of Iran's military capabilities and its nuclear facilities.

Netanyahu confirmed on Tuesday that, in addition to Trump, he will meet with Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and members of the US Senate and House of Representatives. He explained: "This step follows the great victory we achieved in Operation Rising Lion (against Iran). Capitalizing on success is just as important as achieving it."

Netanyahu did not say when he would meet with Trump, but Israeli media reported that he would travel to Washington on Sunday and meet with Trump next Monday.

An Israeli source confirmed to the official Kan Broadcasting Corporation that Netanyahu will meet with Trump next Monday in Washington, D.C., in their third meeting since Trump assumed his second term.

A White House official confirmed to The Times of Israel that the meeting will take place on Monday.

The visit comes exactly two weeks after Israel and Iran agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire. A second US official told The Times of Israel that the top issues on the agenda will be Gaza and Iran, emphasizing Trump's desire to achieve an end to the war in Gaza and the release of the remaining hostages. Syria will also be discussed, according to the US official.

Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer arrived in Washington for meetings with US officials, in preparation for Netanyahu's arrival. Netanyahu also prepared for the visit with a series of meetings with his senior aides and ministers regarding the Gaza ceasefire negotiations.

The Security and Political Cabinet met twice, on Sunday and Monday, to discuss the future of the war in the Gaza Strip, but disagreements emerged that prevented a clear agreement.

Israeli sources confirmed that Netanyahu will hold another meeting on the issue on Thursday.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich rejected calls to end the war in Gaza, saying, "The way to bring Israel to its knees is not with missiles or nuclear weapons, but with kidnapping Jews."

He added, "No more dialogue with the murderers, no more pause, no more hesitation. It's time to continue the momentum of victory over the Iranians for a strong, decisive, and swift war that will destroy the enemy in Gaza and eliminate the threat it poses to Israel for many years to come."

But this was not the position of Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who said at the meeting that the war was difficult and complicated because of the presence of detainees.

Zamir argued with Smotrich, who told him that the country's security must not be sacrificed for the sake of the detainees' return. He also argued that the army was misleading the political leadership and failing to implement decisions made by the political echelon, including aid. He also argued with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, whom he accused of repeating the approach of his predecessor as army chief. He insisted that the primary goal was to defeat Hamas, not the return of the detainees, and that their return could only be achieved through military pressure.

Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Ben-Gvir and Smotrich's remarks did not please Zamir, who said that the army was fighting in Gaza, but would not be able to control a million and a half people. Zamir asked the ministers, "Are you kidding? We are fighting in Gaza, and the decision must come from the political echelon."

Yedioth Ahronoth reported that during the session, the army presented several options for continuing the battle in Gaza, including occupying the entire Strip, reaching an agreement, or employing a blockade and opening more distribution points.

Thursday's session, which precedes Netanyahu's trip to Washington, is expected to be decisive.

Israeli sources said Netanyahu wants an agreement because Trump also requested it.

In what appears to be a prelude to this agreement, Netanyahu, ministers, and senior Israeli military leaders have recently made statements suggesting that Israel is close to agreeing to an end to the war against Hamas.

An official in Netanyahu's office said earlier that Dermer was in the United States "in an attempt to get the Americans to pressure the Qataris to pressure Hamas."

"First and foremost, the hostages must be freed. Of course, we will also have to resolve the Gaza issue and defeat Hamas, but I believe we will accomplish both tasks together," Netanyahu said during a visit to a Shin Bet facility in southern Israel on Sunday.

His remarks were interpreted in local media as prioritizing a deal to return the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza above all else, a sign of mounting pressure from the Trump administration to end the conflict that has been ongoing since October 7, 2023.

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz also made statements saying that the current war in the Gaza Strip is nearing its end.

Trump has been vocal in recent days about his desire for Israel to agree to a deal to end the war.

Israel's Channel 12 reported that the Netanyahu-Trump meeting will focus on the Gaza issue. It added, "Israel still insists on two stages, according to the Witkoff plan, but the Americans want to see a faster and more comprehensive solution. The two sides must bridge this gap together in the room."

A source familiar with the negotiations told the channel that talks could take place within a few days, potentially leading to progress toward an agreement in the near future.

According to the source, Israel is striving to be flexible in formulating the agreement, allowing for significantly narrowing gaps regarding the deployment of military forces within the framework of the ceasefire and the entry of humanitarian aid, thus preventing Hamas from strengthening its power.

There are also indications from the mediators that the pressure they are exerting on Hamas may lead to greater flexibility on its part. According to Channel 12, the prevailing assumption in Israel is that after the Dermer-Wittkov talks, and only then, will the delegations be able to begin advancing the process. If negotiations resume, it will take a full week to reach an agreement. The channel added: "The preferred option for Netanyahu, as well as for the ministers and the defense establishment, is to seek an agreement and complete the process of returning the kidnapped soldiers."

According to the channel, Israel is clearly aware that the fighting in Gaza has been exhausted, and that entering new combat zones could put the kidnapped soldiers at great risk. Narrowing the gaps in the short term appears possible, and efforts are underway to allow delegations to depart to begin proximity talks.

In addition to Gaza, the United States is also interested in renewing negotiations with Iran. Israel wants to be involved in all aspects of the agreement and all possible scenarios, as well as influence the decision-making process regarding its content.

The United States is also seeking to create a new Middle East by expanding the scope of peace and normalization agreements. The country currently in the spotlight is Syria. Channel 12 reported, "There is a sense of decisive moments in Israel."

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi called on Tuesday for immediate international action to provide relief to the Gaza Strip, which has been reeling under an Israeli war and blockade since October 2023.

This came during his meeting in Amman with the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, according to a statement from the Jordanian Foreign Ministry.

Safadi stressed that "the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Strip and the prevention of aid entry, calls for immediate international action to enforce the entry of aid through relevant UN organizations, in implementation of international law and international humanitarian law."

He stressed that "Israel's denial of the Palestinian people's right to food and medicine is a war crime and a flagrant violation of international law, international humanitarian law, and shared human values, and must be addressed immediately and effectively by the international community."

Safadi also stressed "the centrality of UNRWA's irreplaceable role in Gaza and across its five operational areas, in accordance with its UN mandate, and the Kingdom's continued efforts to support it."

He also stressed the need for "joined efforts to immediately halt the Israeli aggression on Gaza, reach a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire agreement, and support the efforts made by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States to achieve this."

Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with American support, has been committing genocide in Gaza, including killing, starvation, destruction, and displacement, ignoring international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt it.

The genocide left approximately 191,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 11,000 missing, in addition to hundreds of thousands displaced.

The Trump administration has approved a new $510 million arms deal with Israel, providing it with Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMS), kits that convert bombs into precision-guided weapons, even as the United States continues to provide military aid to support the genocidal war in Gaza.

According to the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the State Department has notified Congress of the sale of 3,845 Joint Direct Attack Munitions for BLU-109 2,000-pound bombs and 3,280 Joint Direct Attack Munitions for MK 82 500-pound bombs.

The deal also includes "U.S. government and contractor engineering, logistics, and technical support services; and other related logistics and program support elements." The Defense Security Cooperation Agency stated that Boeing is the prime contractor for the deal. The notification of the potential sale begins a period in which U.S. lawmakers can block the sale, but there is little opposition to U.S. military support for Israel in Congress, despite the numerous war crimes in which the United States has been implicated by supplying Israel with weapons.

Bomb fragments equipped with US-supplied JDAM kits have been found at the site of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza that killed numerous civilians. In 2023, Human Rights Watch said it identified JDAM fragments found in two airstrikes on homes in central Gaza that killed 43 civilians, including 19 children and 14 women.

It is not clear at this stage how the deal will be financed, but many arms sales to Israel are funded by US military aid, and US aid to Israel has increased significantly since October 7, 2023. According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, US funding at that time covered an estimated 70% of Israeli war-related military spending.

According to a report published by Brown University, the United States has supplied Israel with more than $23 billion in weapons for use against the Palestinians besieged in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the Israeli war of extermination on October 7, 2023.

Today, Tuesday, settlers burned dozens of dunams in the village of Duma, south of Nablus.

According to local sources, settlers from the Yitzhar settlement set fire to dozens of dunams of agricultural land along the bypass road, burning hundreds of olive trees. Local residents and civil defense personnel rushed to control the fire.

Sources indicated that settlers and the occupation army prevented crews from filling civil defense vehicles with water from the village well near the Al-Murabba'a checkpoint.

The World Food Programme warned on Tuesday that the window of opportunity to address the famine caused by Israel in the Gaza Strip is "fast closing."

The UN program said on its X platform that its teams working in the Gaza Strip are "adapting immediately" to Israeli restrictions on the distribution of aid to Palestinians.

He explained that adaptation would be achieved by "establishing new distribution points, overcoming severe restrictions, and using safe routes to reach those in need wherever they are" in the Gaza Strip.

He stressed that "the opportunity to confront famine in Gaza is rapidly fading" due to continued Israeli restrictions on the entry of aid into the besieged Strip.

Several human rights organizations have criticized the UK Supreme Court's ruling that the lawsuit against the government for continuing to sell arms to Israel is not within the jurisdiction of the courts.

These organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Global Legal Action Network, and the Palestinian organization Al-Haq, described the decision day as "sad for justice, accountability, and international law."

Several human rights organizations delivered statements and media briefings outside the court building following the ruling on Monday.

Yasmine Ahmed, UK director of Human Rights Watch, condemned the Supreme Court's decision, saying, "Today is a sad day for justice, accountability, and international law, but it is even sadder for the Palestinian people, who continue to face genocide and other atrocities."

Doreen McCarthy, a legal researcher at Al-Haq, said the court's decision demonstrates "the UK's complicity in Israel's genocide in Gaza."

"This case is just the beginning in our struggle for justice and accountability," McCarthy added.

McCarthy called on countries to impose an arms embargo on Israel, sever all diplomatic, political, economic, and trade ties with it, expel Israel from the UN General Assembly as a state committing genocide, and arrest and prosecute perpetrators of genocide.

Amnesty International UK's Executive Director, Sacha Deshmukh, expressed disappointment with the court's decision.

"Although the court has made it clear that it is not the authority to decide on the export of F-35 spare parts, this does not absolve the executive or parliament from responsibility," Deshmukh said.

In 2024, Al-Haq and the Global Legal Action Network filed a High Court application against the British government after their requests to suspend arms sales to Israel were repeatedly ignored.

The two organizations called on the British government to suspend all arms sales licenses to Israel, including spare parts for F-35 fighter jets.

The death toll from the genocidal war and aggression waged by the Israeli occupation forces on the Gaza Strip has risen to 56,647  dead and 134,105 wounded since October 7, 2023.

Medical sources reported on Tuesday that the death toll includes 6,315 dead and 22,064 wounded since March 18, when the occupation resumed its aggression on the Gaza Strip following the ceasefire agreement.

Over the past 24 hours, 116 dead (including 4 whose bodies were recovered) and 463 injuries arrived at Gaza Strip hospitals.

Medical sources said that ambulance and civil defense crews are finding it difficult to reach the victims, as a large number remain buried under the rubble and in the streets.