The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is threatening to derail negotiations between the United States and Iran by attacking Iranian nuclear facilities.

The report indicated that the Israeli threat led to a tense phone call between Netanyahu and President Trump, and a series of meetings between senior American and Israeli officials in recent days.

Reporters asked Trump on Wednesday whether he had warned Netanyahu against attacking Iran during a phone call last week. He said, "Well, I want to be honest. Yes, I did."

"It's not a warning," the president said. "I said I don't think it's appropriate. We were having very good discussions with Iran, and I don't think it's appropriate now."

Trump added, "If we can resolve it with a very strong document, inspections, and no trust—I don't trust anybody—no trust." He added that he believes the United States and Iran are "very close to a solution," but warned that this solution could "change at any moment."

Trump threatens to bomb Iran if no agreement is reached, even though US intelligence agencies recently confirmed there is no evidence that Iran is developing a nuclear weapon.

The United States is demanding that Iran completely eliminate its nuclear enrichment program as part of any agreement, a condition Tehran has categorically rejected. While the two sides appear far apart, reports indicate the possibility of reaching an interim agreement to buy time for further negotiations toward a long-term agreement.

Netanyahu also demands that any agreement dismantle Iran's nuclear enrichment program and is unlikely to be satisfied with any interim agreement. The Times report stated that Israel could launch an attack on Iran alone, although it is unlikely that Israel would inflict any significant damage on Iranian nuclear facilities without American support.

US officials are concerned that Israel might attack Iran without warning, and that a unilateral attack could draw in the United States. The newspaper report stated that Israeli officials "close to Netanyahu believe the United States would have no choice but to assist Israel militarily if Iran launches a counterattack."

Some indications suggest that the United States and Israel may be considering a covert attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. According to the report, CIA Director John Ratcliffe recently visited Israel to discuss covert options. Israel has a history of launching attacks on Iranian soil, including assassinations and sabotage of nuclear facilities.

Jenin Mayor Muhammad Jarrar said that direct damages from the ongoing Israeli occupation aggression on the city of Jenin and its camp, which has been ongoing for the 129th consecutive day, have reached $300 million to date in the governorate, including the town of Qabatiya. These damages are ongoing and are increasing daily due to the ongoing aggression.

He added to local sources that the municipality was able to prepare a comprehensive report that included only the direct damages from the aggression, which amounted to $300 million. Meanwhile, the occupation prevents municipal crews from entering the camp to assess the damage to buildings and sewage networks. However, estimates indicate that the camp requires complete reconstruction, due to the complete destruction of more than 600 housing units, while the remaining buildings were partially damaged, rendering them uninhabitable.

Jarrar said that the occupation had destroyed road, water, electricity, and sewage networks, burned a large number of homes, and partially demolished others, which means they must be rebuilt so their owners can return to them. He noted that, according to the municipality's study, which was based on professional principles, this would require approximately $160 million to restore the camp to its former state, a livable and habitable place.

He added: "The municipality's crews are working within an emergency plan based on providing economic relief to the city, because remaining in a state of economic paralysis would mean Jenin's complete collapse, which is what we seek to avoid. The cessation of economic activity in the city over the past four months has led to the permanent bankruptcy of 1,200 merchants, and the loss of 4,000 workers of their livelihoods. Maintaining the status quo means that these numbers are likely to rise, leading to the collapse of Jenin economically and, consequently, services."

Jarar pointed out that the ongoing occupation aggression has caused the city of Jenin to lose between 50,000 and 70,000 shoppers daily, coming from the villages and rural areas of the governorate.

He continued: "The emergency plan is based on first repairing the roads to enable access to the city for visitors, particularly those from the 1948 territories, should the Jalameh checkpoint remain open, and for shoppers from the governorate's villages and towns."

Jarar emphasized that providing relief to residents in terms of water, electricity, and basic services has been one of the municipality's main goals since the first day of the aggression.

He explained that the city's entrances have been repaved and repaired to enable citizens to enter smoothly, while work is underway to repave major streets in the city, including Nazareth Street, Al-Bayader Street, and the street leading to Ibn Sina Hospital in the city center. Work is also underway to repair the water network in the eastern neighborhood and half of the sewage network in the same area, at a cost of up to 17 million shekels.

Regarding Jenin Governmental Hospital, which the occupation has sealed off with earth mounds, Jarrar said that since the first day of the aggression, efforts have been made to supply it with water and electricity, ensuring that it receives the minimum necessary to operate and provide services to patients, in cooperation with the hospital administration. He pointed out that ambulances are having difficulty reaching the hospital due to the closure of its entrance from the Jenin camp side, and the destruction of the main street leading to its gates, and that patients’ access to it has become limited.

Jarar said, "We hope to be able to work freely, unhindered by the occupation, around the hospital to rebuild what was destroyed, including paving the road and repairing the water and sewage networks and power lines. We were able to connect them in an emergency manner to ensure uninterrupted services to patients."

On the ground, an Israeli special forces force surrounded a house in the village of Siris, south of Jenin, and arrested two young brothers from inside. They also arrested a citizen from the village of Al-Jadidah, south of the city, after storming the house with several military vehicles.

Yesterday, Wednesday, the occupation forces stormed the eastern neighborhood of Jenin and raided a number of homes, while bulldozers demolished a barn belonging to the Nassar family.

Villages in Jenin Governorate are witnessing almost daily incursions as the aggression against the city and camp continues. Daily military movements are recorded in most of the governorate's villages, alongside a constant presence of occupation patrols and vehicles. The occupation continues to send military reinforcements to Jenin refugee camp and its surroundings, while occupation soldiers continue to fire live ammunition intensively inside it. Infantry units are also deployed in a number of surrounding neighborhoods in the city.

Over the four months since the start of the aggression on Jenin and its camp, approximately 22,000 residents have been displaced from the camp and its surrounding areas, posing significant challenges to the Jenin Municipality on both the humanitarian and economic fronts.

The percentage of displaced persons reached 25% of the city's total population, creating challenges in economic, social, environmental, service, and health aspects. According to the Palestinian Prisoners' Club, the occupation has arrested nearly 1,000 citizens from Jenin and Tulkarm over the past four months, including those who were later released.

The number of martyrs since the beginning of the aggression has reached 40, in addition to more than 200 injuries.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced the deaths of 64 citizens, including 30 in Gaza City and the north, in Israeli attacks since dawn today.

Six civilians were killed this afternoon in a new massacre perpetrated by the occupation forces at the Al-Saraya Junction in central Gaza City.

The death toll from the war of extermination waged by the Israeli occupation forces on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, has risen to 54,249 dead and 123,492 wounded, according to what the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported on Thursday.

Between March 18, 2025, and today, the Ministry of Health in Gaza recorded an additional 3,986 dead and 11,451 injuries, in a continuing escalation of the aggression, now in its twentieth month, amid worsening humanitarian conditions and a near-total collapse of the health and logistical systems within the besieged Strip.

Israeli occupation forces bulldozed streets, water lines, and agricultural lands in the town of Duma, south of Nablus, on Thursday.

Local sources reported that occupation forces, accompanied by two military bulldozers, stormed the village and began bulldozing streets and water lines east of the village.

She added that the two bulldozers then headed southeast of the village, where they razed rocky hills and agricultural lands.

The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Michael Fakhri, said that Israel has brought Gaza to the "most dangerous stage of starvation," and that the effects will last for generations. He stressed that what is happening in the Strip constitutes "genocide, starvation, a crime against humanity, and a gross violation of human rights."

Fakhri added in a press statement on Thursday that what he witnessed during the past months of war clearly reveals Israel's plan for the Gaza Strip.

He continued: "Israel's plan has always been to inflict the greatest possible damage and destruction, and to inflict the highest number of casualties, in order to achieve its primary goal of occupying and annexing all of Gaza."

He added, "Israel has declared its intentions, in one way or another, since the beginning of the war. The situation continues to deteriorate, and we are witnessing a tangible and systematic escalation of violence on the part of Israel."

Fakhri stressed the importance of not forgetting that Israel announced its intention to use starvation as a weapon on October 9, 2023.

He added, "Israel has completely blocked, restricted, or deliberately attacked humanitarian aid convoys. Now, what we are witnessing is the most dangerous phase of the starvation campaign."

The UN rapporteur said that the Gaza Strip had recently witnessed a small amount of aid entering the Strip, as Israel had allowed a very small number of relief trucks into Gaza, "but they did not meet the needs of the population."

He stressed that "the most important thing to remember is that the numbers we have now are always far lower than the reality, because international journalists are not allowed in, and a very limited number of aid workers are allowed to work there. So we know that the reality is much worse than we can imagine."

"Everyone knows that what is happening is genocide," he added.

He continued: "We were among the first to expose the famine resulting from the Israeli starvation campaign. The International Court of Justice recognized the risk of genocide, and the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, among the charges against them, including the use of starvation as a weapon of war."

The UN rapporteur stressed the need for "urgent" access for humanitarian aid convoys to enter Gaza, saying, "This is what must happen, and it must happen now."

Three citizens were injured on Thursday during an Israeli occupation forces raid on the village of Al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that its crews dealt with a child injured by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the neck area, another citizen (55 years old) injured by a rubber bullet in the hand, and an elderly woman (75 years old) who was assaulted and taken to the hospital.

The occupation forces demolished the home of Anwar Samih al-Na'san, forced his family to evacuate, and bulldozed the garden belonging to the village council.

The village of Al-Mughayyir is subjected to repeated attacks by settlers, including setting fire to wheat-planted lands in the "Al-Rafid Plain" and attacking farmers and harvesters while working on those lands.

US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said that President Donald Trump is finalizing a new written agreement on Wednesday that could form the basis of a potential ceasefire in Gaza between Hamas and Israel.

"We are about to send a new terms document, and we hope it will be delivered later today," Witkoff said.

He added, "The president will review it. I have very positive feelings about reaching a long-term solution, a temporary ceasefire, a long-term peaceful solution, to this conflict."

Witkoff made these remarks at the White House, standing alongside President Trump, who said his administration is working to expedite food deliveries to Palestinians in Gaza.

"We're dealing with the entire situation in Gaza. We're delivering food to the people of Gaza. It's been a very bad situation," Trump told reporters. The deal calls for the release of 10 living Israeli hostages, along with an unspecified number of bodies of the slain hostages, in exchange for "an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners, guaranteed by the mediators," according to the agreement.

The Times of Israel quoted an unidentified Israeli official as rejecting Hamas's claim of an agreement with the United States, describing the statement as "psychological warfare" and "propaganda."

"Hamas' proposal is unacceptable to both Israel and the US administration," the official added, adding, "As [Wittkopf] himself said two days ago, while Israel has accepted Witkopf's framework, Hamas continues to maintain its rejection."

Hamas announced on Wednesday that it had reached an agreement with Witkoff "on a general framework that achieves a permanent ceasefire, a complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, the flow of aid, and a professional committee taking over the management of the Strip's affairs immediately after the agreement is announced."

"The agreement includes the release of 10 Israeli prisoners and a number of bodies, in exchange for the release of an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners, guaranteed by mediators," it said in a statement, in addition to an unspecified number of bodies of the slain hostages.

An unidentified Israeli official quickly denied Hamas's claim of an agreement with the United States, describing it as "psychological warfare" and "propaganda."

Hamada Faraana

The head of the colonial government boasts of showing himself in the tunnel of provocation, and attacking one of the Muslims' sanctities: Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The tunnel was dug to reveal the existence of antiquities lost over hundreds of years. However, the colony's archaeologists thwarted the Zionist colonists' hopes of claiming Jerusalem as theirs based on history, heritage, and antiquities. Their gamble was dashed when they found no trace of their presence beneath Al-Aqsa Mosque. The excavation and tunnel remained, allowing Netanyahu to boast politically, saying: Jerusalem is ours. It was reclaimed in the Six-Day War of 1967.
With the participation of the extremist settler minister, Smotrich, carried on shoulders, and chants chanted by his followers from the colonial settlers: "Let's raze Gaza to the ground," meaning to annihilate Gaza and its people, as they are doing, through killing, destruction, genocide, and ethnic cleansing in the political, humanitarian, and moral sense. They are committing crimes, with complete clarity and public bravado.
They also chanted: "Let's burn Shuafat," indicating what they are currently doing in the West Bank: burning Palestinian property, impoverishing them, ruining their lives, and making them unstable. They are working to "destroy," "liberate," and "purify" the West Bank of its owners, its people, and its people, to achieve two clear goals in terms of aim, action, and procedure:
First: That united Jerusalem is the capital of the colony.
Second: The West Bank is not Palestinian, it is not Arab, it is not occupied. Rather, it was liberated in 1967, after having been part of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, as a result of the “unification” between the two banks after 1948.
Zionists are working on:
1- The colony’s survival, continuity, and expansion to include the entire land of Palestine.
2- Restricting the Palestinians’ life opportunities and making their land, country and homeland unfit for normal living, after the colony failed to expel, displace and expel the entire Palestinian people, while half of them remained on their land, whether in the first occupation areas in 1948 or the second occupation areas in 1967.
The deliberate killing in the Gaza Strip, the oppression and displacement in the camps and countryside of the Palestinian West Bank, and the Palestinian Negev from the 1948 territories, have not and will not be spared from their expansion, and the protests against the demolitions, uprooting, oppression and displacement, from and in the Negev villages, continue, led by:
1- The Central Follow-up Committee for Palestinians of Israel, 2- The Higher Steering Committee for Negev Arabs, 3- The Forum of Arab Local Authorities, 4- The Regional Council for Unrecognized Villages.
Confrontations, clashes and Palestinian action are not limited to one region or another, but include the territories of 1948 and the territories of 1967. The Israeli action, despite its cruelty, fascism and extremism, is based on the unity of Palestinian destiny, work, reality and future, so that it is unified: in the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, as it is in the Negev, the Carmel, the Galilee, the Triangle and the mixed cities, even if the means and tools differ, and even if the dates, times and days differ, each according to its circumstances, time and preparations.

.............

Confrontations, clashes, and Palestinian action are not limited to one region or another, but rather include the territories of 1948 and 1967. Despite its cruelty, fascism, and extremism, Israeli action is directed against the unity of Palestinian destiny, work, reality, and future.

Amin Al-Hajj

Six hundred days have passed since the massacre, the likes of which contemporary history has never known. Six hundred days of continuous genocide, not through a passing bombardment or a momentary massacre, but through a systematic policy of eradicating lives, obliterating cities, annihilating a people, and assassinating a dream in broad daylight.
Six hundred days later, the world flipped through the channels, searching for the weather forecast or news about female artists, while the bodies of children decomposed under the rubble. Gaza, which had been suffocating under a siege for two decades, was drowned in blood.
What happened in Gaza was not a war, nor even a "traditional" aggression. It was a massacre orchestrated in the dead of night, involving aircraft, ships, tanks, and even robots. Western capitals "blessed" it with their silence, and even publicly supported it with their weapons, positions, and misleading rhetoric.
Every house that was destroyed, every child that was charred, every mother who bowed her head at her child’s grave, the blood that soaked the earth, the minarets that wept before they were bombed, and the churches that were destroyed were all the result of this shameful global complicity.
Six hundred days and the massacres continue without interruption, and the enemy does not "tire" from killing, until life in Gaza has become a "miracle."
Six hundred days of displacement and starvation, until flour became more precious than gold, and Western capitals did not bat an eyelid. Rather, white flags were raised in capitals drowned in silence and abandonment. Wheat was burned, schools were destroyed, hospitals demolished, electricity and water were cut off, and the air was poisoned with white phosphorus. This was all in plain sight of an international community that contented itself with cold statements of condemnation when it remembered.
Gaza has become the scene of a slow-motion massacre, a daily test of failed humanity, a city where the patience of heaven and earth is tested. In times of war, neutrality is not morality, but complicity. Who says hunger doesn't kill? In Gaza, infants starved to death before they could even say "mama." In Gaza, not only are people killed, but consciences are killed, and humanity is slaughtered live on air.
But, in the midst of this hell, Gaza stood firm. It did not fall, nor did it raise the flag. It turned into a living witness to what remained of the nation's dignity, and into a curse that haunts everyone who betrayed it or remained silent about its pain. It foiled the plans for displacement or subjugation, all the plans to tame the Palestinians, and all the lies that promoted the illusion of peace and the state project. Oslo fell, the shame of security coordination was exposed, and all the theories that "promised" the taming of a people who love life because they deserve it evaporated. In every displacement tent, and in every child who lost limbs, the occupation is defeated once again despite the hunger. While the women of Gaza were baking on firewood, they were teaching their sons that dignity cannot be bought or given.
Six hundred days have redefined the homeland and exposed the fragility of relying on international conferences and resolutions. The state we were promised was not born, and will not be born, from the womb of silence, or at the tables of the mean. The state project breathed its last in the ruins of Rafah, as it did in Jabalia, Beit Hanoun, and Deir al-Balah.
What remains of the homeland cannot be summed up on a map, but is written in the blood of martyrs, in the voices of mothers, and in the eyes of children who have not been to school for two years. If the blood of Gaza were oil, capitals would have raced to save it, but it is the blood of dignity, and they have chosen to ignore it.
We write now not to cry, but to document, to be angry, to remind ourselves and the world that Gaza is not a temporary tragedy, but an eternal stain on the brow of humanity.
We write because we do not have the luxury of silence, and because Gaza's cry has the right to shake this dull world. Gaza, which they wanted dead, comes to life every day.
Six hundred days and there are still people in Gaza who say we will not leave.

.............

Every house that was destroyed, every child that was charred, every mother who bowed her head at her child’s grave, the blood that soaked the earth, the minarets that wept before they were bombed, and the churches that were destroyed, were all the fruit of this shameful global complicity.

Bin Muammar Al-Hajj Issa

While the scars of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip are still evident in every stone, street, and camp, other chapters are unfolding, no less brutal than the scene of destruction...these are the testimonies of Palestinian detainees from Gaza, who are still languishing in the occupation's camps and prisons, bitterly recounting stories that transcend the bounds of human pain.

Six hundred days have passed since the genocidal massacre in Gaza, but what lies hidden in the cells of Sde Teiman and Ofer prisons is even more horrific. There, the torture machine continues its cold, silent, and malicious mission on bodies exhausted by shackles, isolation, and abuse.
Legal teams from the Prisoners' Affairs Commission and the Palestinian Prisoners' Club conducted a series of visits to detainees in Gaza during the month of May, revealing shocking scenes of a reality that no longer meets even the most basic standards of human dignity. The detainees' accounts reveal a systematic system of torture that begins at the moment of arrest, continues through interrogation, and extends to the deadly details of daily life inside the camps.
Detainee Y.S. recounts: "They stripped me naked, filmed me on the phone, and threatened me with a four-hour "disco" interrogation. For twenty days, I didn't remove the handcuffs, and each court session lasted no more than three minutes over the phone. I've only changed my clothes once since arriving in Sde Teman. We don't have any food, and we eat with our hands like animals."
Detainee "M.D." says they are held in shacks, forbidden from speaking, forced to remain seated at all times, and the intensity of the assaults is determined by the Israeli soldier's mood. "Since my arrest more than three months ago, I haven't changed my clothes. We are beaten if we raise our heads, and we are humiliated at every moment."
The abuses are not limited to neglect, but extend to the use of cold water as a means of torture, and the denial of medical treatment, even to those injured.
Detainee "A.R.", who suffered shoulder and cartilage injuries, recounted: "I begged for days for painkillers, but to no avail. We are being collectively punished and humiliated in front of one another."
Detainee A.L. said, "I haven't changed my clothes for five months. We're forced to shower with cold water, we're punished collectively, and we watch our fellow inmates being tortured in front of us to intimidate us. There are no utensils or cleaning supplies, and we only use the bathroom once a day."
The Prisoners' Affairs Commission and the Prisoners' Club emphasized in their report that these testimonies are not exceptions, but rather reflect a systematic policy aimed at breaking the will of Palestinian detainees and continuing the cycle of genocide outside the bombardment, within the cells of torture, isolation, and humiliation.

The facts indicate that the number of Gaza detainees held as "unlawful combatants" has reached 1,846, according to the latest occupation statistics. This figure does not include all prisoners from Gaza, nor does it take into account the dozens of martyrs who died under torture or who continue to be victims of enforced disappearance.
What is happening in the occupation's prisons today is a crime against humanity, a crime that continues without accountability, without pictures, without voices... except for screams coming from the hell of the cells, which may not reach anyone, but they cry out: We are human beings.

..............

These testimonies are not exceptions. Rather, they reflect a systematic policy aimed at breaking the will of Palestinian detainees, continuing the cycle of genocide outside the bombardment, inside the cells of torture, isolation, and humiliation.

Dr. Fawaz Aql

For many years, I haven't left home without reading Al-Quds newspaper. My relationship with it began in 1984, with a boy at the entrance to An-Najah University. He was in the eighth grade, calling out: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Jerusalem today." Then he said: "Uncle, uncle, what do you think about buying a copy?" I looked at him and said yes.
The next day, he was standing at the university entrance and called out, “Professor, professor, today’s newspaper, would you like a copy?” I said yes, took a copy, and it was Thursday. Then he said, “Can I deliver the newspaper to your home tomorrow?” I said yes, thank you. Our relationship has continued through this young man to this day, even though his children are now at university and he still brings me the newspaper every day.
At that time, there were three distributors in Nablus city center: Abu Ayyash, Abdul Haq, and Muhammad Amira. My relationship with Al-Quds newspaper continued, and I began sending my articles to the newspaper. My first article was in 1984, titled "Education: Where to?" Then there was an article about Al-Quds Open University, which was being prepared. I still write various articles on a weekly basis about education and learning, and I enjoy reading Al-Quds newspaper from twenty years ago.
Al-Quds newspaper has been distinguished by its independence and responsible opinion, welcoming all ideas without bias. Despite technological advancements and the shift to electronic media, Al-Quds newspaper continues to lead the print scene with its professionalism, patriotism, resilience in the face of change, and diversity of topics in terms of both source and content.
I cannot but quote verses of poetry published by Professor Dr. Moataz Al-Qutb in Al-Quds newspaper on Wednesday, May 21:
Seventy years and she is still determined to shout to the earth that Jerusalem belongs to the Arabs
Al-Quds newspaper: Today, you are our flag. We follow you to escape from lies.
Oh bouquet that gathered what we needed of politics, enlightenment and literature
The press is like a flowering garden, and the colors of the flowers in Jerusalem are amazing.
The mother of newspapers depicts our world and has accompanied people throughout history and eras.
Every day, the talk of Jerusalem comforts us with the love of the people of Jerusalem, the people of knowledge and wisdom.
How many times have you accompanied us in the morning on our journey, bringing our coffee like cakes and dates?

.........

My relationship with Al-Quds newspaper continues through this young man to this day, even though his children are now studying at university and he still brings me the newspaper daily.

Every one of us, every viewer, every listener, every silent person, every silencer, every one who gives legitimacy even through their silence—is a partner. And every one of you has the power to refuse.
This month, two scenes took place in the Knesset plenum in front of everyone and were recorded in the annals of history. They will remain etched in my memory for many years to come.
The first occurred on May 9, Victory Day over Nazism.
I stood on stage and spoke, as I do every year, about the historical lessons we must remember on this particular day: about the triumph of life over the machine of annihilation, about the defeat of racist and inhuman ideologies, and about the moral test we are failing these days: the killing of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza, including tens of thousands of children.
A simple fact was raised: innocent, vulnerable children were killed. They were not "saboteurs," not "human shields," not "involved," but children. Little human beings, made of flesh and blood. 18,000 children, according to UN data, were buried to death, burned alive, and many more are being bombed, starved, sickened, and continue to be buried under the rubble, day after day, night after night.
As I finished, MK Michal Waldger, from the heart of the coalition, stood up and said, "What's happening in Gaza, it's unfortunate that it wasn't worse. There are no innocent people. Yes, children must be killed. Because they are being used as human shields."
The second scene occurred last week, when my colleague, MK Ayman Odeh, was forcibly removed from the podium simply because he said: “There are limits to lies. Denying the Nakba will not undo it. You don’t realize how weak you appear. A year and a half of war, 19,000 children killed, 53,000 civilians killed — and you don’t have a single political achievement. Just killing, just bombing, just war against civilians.”
Chaos erupted in the hall, and Knesset guards were called to take him down, a rare sight even in my many years in the Knesset.
The sad truth is that the only Jewish MK to condemn the killing of children prior to Yair Golan's statement was Ofer Cassif. And even this week, after the horrific tragedy that befell the Najjar family—the deaths of nine children and the severe wounding of the father and 11-year-old Adam—not a single voice of condemnation was heard.
No call has been heard to stop these atrocities.
Yahya (12 years old), Rakan (10), Eve (9), Jubran (8), Najjar (7), Rawan (5), Sadeen (3), Luqman (2 years old) and Cedar (7 months old) — the children of the Najjar family were killed/exterminated by an Israeli airstrike, and the world, as usual, moves on.
In Israel 2025, this is the "abnormal normal": open and proud support for the killing of children. Not a slip of the tongue—but clear statements of support for war crimes, said publicly and proudly. Instead of public opinion rising or demanding a ceasefire, it is met with laughter, or deafening silence.
Ironically, it was Yair Golan's "simple" statement that "a sane state does not kill children as a hobby" that sparked the storm.
Can anyone claim that killing children is a rational act?
In November 2023, Benjamin Netanyahu wrote: “We have always fought enemies who sought to annihilate us… The current battle against Hamas is another chapter in the epic of resilience.”
He then declared: "Our forces are controlling more territory in Gaza, and at the end of the operation, all of the territory in the Strip will be under Israeli security control."
A statement that completely contradicts international law, which prohibits the occupation of territory by force.
Calls for genocide, expulsion, and war crimes in Gaza are not a hobby—they are official policy, even supported by the opposition.
In recent weeks, many ministers and MPs have made public statements supporting war crimes.
Deputy Knesset Speaker Nissim Vaturi (Likud): "Who is innocent in Gaza?... Women and children must be separated, and the adults must be killed. We are being too lenient." He added: "We will turn Jenin into Gaza."
MK Moshe Saada (Likud): "Yes, I will starve the people of Gaza... This is our duty."
Bezalel Smotrich, the finance minister, called for the transfer of residents and said: "We will destroy what is left of Gaza."
Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Minister of National Security, repeatedly declares that "there are no innocent people in Gaza" and justifies attacks on civilians.
Even the opposition isn't innocent. Benny Gantz recently said at a conference in New York: "We have a unique opportunity in Gaza to promote Trump's plan for voluntary migration."
Imagine if a member of parliament in a Western democracy had declared his support for killing children, a huge scandal would have erupted.
But here? Almost nothing. No headlines, no investigations, no public outcry.
On the contrary, the media publishes "polls" about support for starving civilians and normalizes this.
Do you already see where we're going?
We are on the brink of genocide — starvation, displacement, extermination.
This is not just online rhetoric, nor electoral slogans, but official policy, linguistically laundered and presented as a security issue, but in essence, it represents a complete trampling of every moral boundary.
And what's worse? Anyone who denounces these crimes is accused of incitement. We are attacked, defamed, arrested, silenced, and prosecuted by ethics committees.
The same committee that ruled this week that MK Faturi's statement that "Gaza must be burned" was merely a "political expression reflecting his ideology" — a decision that shows that morality has nothing to do with this Knesset.
When the justification for the killing of children, starvation, and expulsion is allowed, especially on Victory Day, it means that the lesson has not been learned. This is an abuse of history, a trauma, and a moral and human distortion.
How can we forget the big lie: “The most moral army in the world”?
What kind of morals? What kind of army kills thousands of children and starves millions?
This is empty propaganda aimed at numbing the public conscience and silencing anyone who dares to criticize.
I learned from Primo Levi, a Holocaust survivor: “Only one thing remains for us to do, and we must try to do it with all our might, because it is the last thing left to us: we can reject their actions.”
Personally, I refuse to get used to it. We refuse to be silent. We refuse to submit to this political madness. We refuse to normalize violence. Each one of you is a partner. Each one of you has the power to refuse.

Dr. Ahmed Rafiq Awad: Comparing the child Ward to the image of the "Napalm Girl" is neither possible nor fair due to the different political, societal, and historical circumstances.

Daoud Kuttab: The situation in Palestine is more complicated due to Israel's control over the media narrative, which has reduced the ability to see the full truth.

Nabhan Khreisha: Despite their temporal and geographical differences, the two images reveal the ugliness of wars and their devastating impact on innocent people, with a sharp contrast in international reactions.

Dr. Irene Said: The only possible solution is not Witkoff's proposal, but rather holding an Arab summit to formulate a unified vision for addressing what is happening in Gaza.

Muhannad Abdul Hamid: Despite the difference in time, the two crimes are similar in that they target the innocence of children, and the killers belong to forces that ignore human values.

The human tragedy is renewed in the image of the Palestinian child Ward Sheikh Khalil, known as the "Child of Fire," who survived an Israeli airstrike on the Fahmi al-Jirjawi School in the al-Daraj neighborhood of Gaza City, after her entire family was killed and injured. This image brings to mind the image of the Vietnamese child Phan Thi Phuc, the "Napalm Girl," whose photograph was taken in 1972 as she fled naked from her village after a napalm bombing, and which was instrumental in bringing the war to a halt.

In separate interviews with Al-Quds, writers and political analysts say that despite the time difference between the two images, they embody the horrific nature of war and the targeting of innocent children. However, they reveal a stark contrast in international reactions. Phuc's image helped mobilize global public opinion against the Vietnam War, while Ward's image has passed without mobilizing sufficient political will to halt the Holocaust and the war of extermination against Gaza.

They explain that, in the context of the Vietnam War, the image of the "Napalm Girl" came at a time when American public opinion was immersed in resentment over a costly war in human and economic terms, supported by global liberation movements and socialist forces. That image, along with courageous journalistic investigations such as the My Lai massacre report, ignited popular and political pressure that forced the United States to gradually withdraw its forces.

In Gaza, according to writers and analysts, horrific images of dead and wounded children, including a widely circulated image of Lorde caught in the crossfire, are instantly circulating across media outlets and social media platforms. However, they face a wall of international silence, as Israel enjoys strong Western support, particularly from the United States, which is content with timid condemnations without applying real pressure to halt the genocide.

They say the absence of global leaders supporting the Palestinians, coupled with Israel's control of the media narrative by barring foreign journalists from entering Gaza and killing dozens of them, limits the impact of the horrific images.

Although they assert that the global conscience has been awakened in part by popular movements and global solidarity, writers and analysts believe that the absence of effective international pressure, coupled with continued support for Israel, is prolonging the suffering in Gaza, leaving children like Ward as victims of a merciless war.

Unfair comparison between Ward and "Napalm Girl"

Writer and political analyst Dr. Ahmed Rafiq Awad asserts that comparing the famous Vietnamese "Napalm Girl" photo, which contributed to ending the Vietnam War, with the photo of the Palestinian survivor Ward from Gaza, is neither possible nor fair due to the differences in political, societal, and historical circumstances between the two cases.

Awad explains that the "Napalm Girl" photo, taken during the Vietnam War, came at a time when American public opinion had reached its peak of anger over the ongoing war, which lasted for an entire decade and cost the United States thousands of lives and enormous economic burdens, amidst the Cold War and the indirect confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union and China.

Awad believes that "this image was not the primary reason for stopping the war, but rather the result of a general state of American popular discontent with the futility of the war and its failure to achieve its goals. Furthermore, the Vietnamese rebels were receiving military and logistical support from superpowers like the Soviet Union and China, which made continuing the war an impractical option."

The Vietnam War was halted by major strategic factors.

Awad points out that the ceasefire in Vietnam took place a year after the girl's photo was taken, explaining that "that photo was just one of the pressure factors, but the decision to stop the war was based on strategic considerations far greater than just being affected by the photo."

Comparing the situation in Gaza and the image of the surviving Palestinian girl, Ward, Awad asserts that "the reality is completely different," saying, "Israeli society is increasingly moving toward extremism, dominated by rabbinic Torah ideas that consider the war eternal and existential, between two faiths and two peoples."

Awad continues: "The war on the Palestinians is not as costly to Israel as the Vietnam War was to the Americans. The Israeli public is convinced that this land is the 'Promised Land,' and therefore, for them, stopping the war would mean making substantial concessions, which is not what they want."

Awad points out that Israel is not under any real international pressure to end the war, and that no global coalition has emerged to effectively support the Palestinians. He asserts that "the images of massacres and violations, despite their brutality and shock, have not led to a halt to the aggression. Rather, Israel has received greater support from certain quarters."

Awad points out that the issue is not related to "global conscience," as is often promoted. Rather, the motivation behind the recent European movement is not purely humanitarian, but rather related to security and political interests, such as maintaining social peace and some countries' fears of waves of illegal immigration and potential violence should instability in the Middle East continue.

Witkoff's proposal is vague and full of details.

Awad explains that "the presence of large Muslim communities in a number of European countries has created popular pressure on governments, pushing them to adopt somewhat progressive positions, but these are still insufficient to have a real impact." He emphasizes the importance of "transforming this movement into organized lobbies and effective parties capable of pressuring European and American decision-makers."

Regarding the latest US proposal put forward by envoy Steve Witkoff, Awad describes it as "vague and full of ambiguous details that could derail any agreement." He points out that Israel claims to have agreed to a proposal different from the one Hamas agreed to, reflecting a fundamental disagreement over the interpretation of the proposal's provisions.

Awad asserts that there is still no clarity on the proposal's key provisions, such as: Will there be a permanent ceasefire? Will there be Israeli withdrawals? Will Israeli prisoners be released all at once or in stages? He comments, "The devil is in the details, and the intensity of the ambiguity casts doubt on the seriousness of the initiative."

Awad asserts that "what Gaza is experiencing today is not just a war, but a true genocide and systematic ethnic cleansing," expressing his hope that the parties will reach a comprehensive agreement that stops the Palestinian bloodshed and protects what remains of Palestinian dignity and existence in the Gaza Strip.

Painful similarity between "The Fire Child" and "The Napalm Child"

For his part, writer and political analyst Daoud Kuttab says there is a painful similarity between the suffering of the Palestinian child Ward Sheikh Khalil, known as the "Child of Fire," and the Vietnamese child Phan Thi Kim, who became famous in the photograph of the "Napalm Child" during the Vietnam War.

The writers explain that the ugliness of the two wars shares a devastating impact, emphasizing the crucial role the media plays in exposing these atrocities and stirring the global conscience.

Writers point out that the 1972 photo of the napalm-struck girl in Vietnam contributed significantly to public pressure within the United States, forcing the US government to end the war after years of fighting.

In contrast, some writers argue that the situation in Palestine is more complex due to Israel's control over the media narrative. Israel has barred foreign journalists from entering Gaza and killed more than 200 journalists, according to human rights statistics, reducing the world's ability to see the full truth about events.

Witkov is just a "postman."

Writers assert that the media has recently begun to intensify its coverage of the situation in Gaza, with an increase in the length and quality of reports, which has contributed to exposing the Israeli narrative that has long justified the massacres.

However, some writers argue that the internal Israeli movement to stop the war does not stem from genuine solidarity with the Palestinians, but rather from Israeli society's conviction that the release of prisoners is contingent on ending the war.

Writers have strongly criticized the position of US envoy Steve Witkoff, describing him as a "postman" who delivers messages without exerting real pressure on Israel to stop the war, despite the fact that the United States has the power to change the course of the war.

The writer expressed hope that the global media and political awakening, which has begun to expose "the depth of Israeli lies," would continue. He emphasized that the continuation of this momentum could lead to a radical change in the way the Palestinian issue is addressed.

A picture of a rose that did not translate into actual action from the international community.

Journalist Nabhan Khreisha, for his part, draws a tragic comparison between the Palestinian child Ward Sheikh Khalil, who was dubbed the "Child of Fire" after surviving an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip that left her feet completely burned, and the Vietnamese child Pha Thi Kim Phuc, who became famous in the 1972 "Napalm Girl" photograph, when photographer Nick Ut captured a photograph of her fleeing naked from her village after a US napalm bombing.

Khreisha believes that these two images, despite their temporal and geographical differences, reveal the ugliness of war and its devastating impact on innocent people. However, he points to a sharp contrast in international reactions to them.

Khreisha explains that the image of the little girl, Ward, who was walking on her burned limbs, searching for safety amidst the rubble, sparked widespread interaction on social media platforms, but did not translate into actual action from the international community. In contrast, the image of Pha Thi Kim Phuc was a historic turning point, igniting a wave of global outrage, particularly in the United States, which led to mounting political pressure that forced the US administration to begin gradually withdrawing its forces, bringing the Vietnam War to an end after years of fighting.

Khreisha raises a pressing question: Why did Ward's image fail to achieve a similar impact? Has the nature of the media changed, or is the balance of global political power determining the reactions?

Complex geopolitical contexts in Palestine

Khreisha points out that the difference between the two cases lies not only in the human tragedy, but also in how the world reacts to the victims. In the Vietnam War, the image of the napalm-struck child became a global symbol of brutality, helping to shift public opinion and push governments to make crucial decisions. In Gaza, however, the horrific images of injured and dead children, including Ward, document Israeli violations, but they do not lead to a fundamental change in the course of the war or a halt to the bombing.

Khreisha attributes this difference to complex geopolitical contexts, where Israel enjoys strong Western support, particularly from the United States, which is content with timid condemnation or overt bias rather than exerting real pressure to end the aggression.

In a related context, Khreisha called for more serious action from Arab states, emphasizing that statements of condemnation alone are insufficient. He called for the activation of economic and diplomatic tools in international forums, such as the Security Council and the International Criminal Court, to pressure Israel to halt the "holocaust" engulfing Gaza.

An unprecedented humanitarian disaster in Gaza

Khreisha points out that the images coming out of the Gaza Strip reveal an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, as Israeli aggression destroys people and property, threatening the very foundations of life in the stricken Strip.

Khreisha addresses the "Witkoff Paper," the US initiative aimed at a temporary ceasefire, prisoner exchange, and reconstruction of Gaza. He explains that Hamas has expressed openness to the proposal, but demands a comprehensive cessation of hostilities as a prerequisite, given the ongoing Israeli aggression that does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.

Khreisha points out that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is evading and obstructing the ceasefire to appease extremist factions within his government and maintain the stability of his wobbly ruling coalition.

Khreisha believes that the continuation of the war in Gaza depends on the will of the international community, which must exert real pressure on Israel to end the aggression.

"When will the lives of Palestinian children become as valuable as those that stopped a war more than fifty years ago?" Khreisha asks sadly, warning that international silence could lead to the obliteration of what remains of Gaza if the global conscience does not awaken soon.

There is a striking similarity between Gaza and Vietnam, especially the genocide.

For her part, Egyptian academic and political analyst Dr. Irene Said believes that the war on Gaza bears striking similarities to the Vietnam War, particularly in its genocidal policies targeting civilians before combatants, with the goal of eliminating resistance.

Saeed explains that the Vietnam War erupted against the backdrop of a Western ideology aimed at confronting communism and repelling Soviet influence after World War II. This ideology finds a similar echo in Zionist thought, which pushes Israel toward establishing its settlement project by obliterating Palestinian identity.

Saeed points out that Israel seeks to erase Arab identity not only in Gaza, but also in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, by imposing a Jewish character on Islamic and Christian holy sites.

Saeed asserts that the far-right's incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque represent a deliberate provocation of Muslim and Arab sentiments, fueling an escalation of the war, which was one of the triggers for the outbreak of Operation "Noah's Flood" in October 2023.

Saeed explains that these policies reflect an Israeli vision aimed at eliminating everything Palestinian.

Saeed points out that wars, whether in Gaza or Vietnam, are similar in that there is a lack of parity between the warring parties, whether in terms of military and logistical capabilities or the ability to mobilize political and diplomatic support.

The scale of the genocide in Gaza has become unbearable.

Saeed points out that the scale of the material and human destruction in Gaza, particularly affecting children and women, is causing immense psychological and physical devastation and continues unabated. This is similar to many wars, but in Gaza, the scale of the genocide has become unbearably large.

Saeed asserts that the complexities of the political landscape make it difficult to achieve any progress toward restoring the situation to what it was before October 2023.

Saeed emphasizes that the only possible solution is not the proposal of US envoy Steve Witkoff, but rather the holding of an ongoing Arab summit, based on Egyptian efforts and the support of Arab brethren, to formulate a unified vision that includes diplomatic efforts to address the situation in the Gaza Strip, deliver humanitarian aid, and pressure the West to push for political solutions. She commends Egypt's efforts in leading Arab efforts that have contributed to the internationalization of the Palestinian cause, creating a relative balance in the face of Western support for Israel.

Saeed asserts that the absence of this collective action will prolong the suffering in Gaza, calling for intensified Arab efforts to confront Israeli policies and halt the genocide.

The era of the rise of anti-colonial liberation movements

Journalist Muhannad Abdel Hamid offers a moving comparison between the Palestinian child Ward Sheikh Khalil, known as the "Child of Fire," and the Vietnamese child Phan Thi Phuc, the "Child of Napalm," emphasizing that both were victims of horrific war crimes that reveal the cruelty of a power that disregards children's lives, the laws of war, and the most basic human rights.

Abdul Hamid believes that the two crimes, despite their time difference, are similar in that they targeted the innocence of children and in the nature of the killers, who belong to forces that disregard human values.

Abdul Hamid explains that the Phan Thi Phuc massacre, documented in 1972 during the Vietnam War, occurred at a time of rising anti-colonial liberation movements, supported by the presence of democratic and progressive forces within the colonized countries and the support of the socialist system. At that time, uncovering crimes such as the My Lai massacre, which claimed the lives of 504 Vietnamese civilians, took a long time due to limited media coverage.

The role of American journalist Seymour Hersh

Abdul Hamid points out that American journalist Seymour Hersh's investigation into the massacre, published in Life magazine, required courageous efforts from journalists within the colonial powers, but it played a crucial role in mobilizing American public opinion against the war, contributing to its end.

In contrast, Abdel Hamid asserts that the war of extermination in Gaza and the ethnic cleansing in the West Bank are being broadcast live around the clock via the media and social media platforms, with the world watching moment by moment the crimes of murder, destruction, and displacement, and the images of starving children crowded around pots of food, clutching their utensils in the hope of a single scoop, only for many to return empty-handed, with the signs of misery and oppression in their eyes.

Abdul Hamid cites horrific scenes such as the tragedy of Dr. Alaa Al-Najjar, who lost her nine children in an Israeli airstrike, and hundreds of mothers bidding farewell to their children, victims of war, as well as the two girls, Hind Rajab and Ward Sheikh Khalil, who have become symbols of the suffering of Palestinian children.

Abdul Hamid asserts that the United Nations and human rights organizations are not lacking in knowledge of the details of the war of extermination, Israeli displacement plans, or the consequences of starvation.

The two savage and helpless halves of the world

Abdul Hamid describes the world today as divided into two worlds: the first is the international system dominated by administrations like the Trump administration, which supports projects to displace Gaza and transform it into a "tourist riviera." This is a world where half is brutal, supplying Israel with bombs and money, and the other half is incapable of taking any initiative.

The second world, according to Abdul Hamid, is the world of peoples, solidarity movements, and people of conscience who defend human rights and freedom. These people have expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people and exerted pressure and sanctions on Israel and its supporting governments, but they have begun to face punishment for their positions.

Abdul Hamid asserts that the international system has failed to halt the war on the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that ending the war depends on the initiatives of anti-war states, popular movements, and forces supporting the Palestinian people's right to life.

Abdul Hamid points to the importance of Palestinian initiatives supported by Arab and international organizations to achieve tangible progress.

Abdul Hamid asserts that continued international silence and the absence of real pressure will prolong the suffering in Gaza, calling for urgent action to halt the war of extermination and protect innocents from its ravages.

Israeli occupation forces arrested three citizens from the villages of Al-Jadidah and Siris, south of Jenin, at dawn on Thursday.

Local sources said that special forces surrounded a house in the town of Siris and asked those inside to surrender themselves. Meanwhile, the occupation army sent military reinforcements to the town, where they arrested the two brothers, Qassam and Ahmed Mamoun Najm, from inside the besieged house.

The occupation forces also stormed the village of Al-Jadidah, south of Jenin, raided and searched a house, and arrested Ahmed Faleh Abu Samra.

The occupation has recently intensified its raids on towns and villages in Jenin Governorate, launching widespread raids and arrests.

The UN and international humanitarian team in the occupied Palestinian territory warned on Thursday that the new military distribution system in Gaza does not meet the needs of the population, does not protect their dignity, and rather puts them at risk and contradicts humanitarian principles.

In a press release, the team called on Israel to treat civilians humanely and respect their inherent dignity, facilitate the delivery of aid, and refrain from forced transfers.

"We need a regular, large-scale flow of aid, through multiple crossings, to communities, as we have done before, and we need unhindered access," he said.

The team added: "We need to enable all humanitarian partners, including UNRWA, to provide supplies and, more importantly, services. Supplies alone do not constitute an effective humanitarian response. It is essential to ensure the continuity of service delivery throughout Gaza without interruption."

US mediator Brett Witkoff presented a new proposal to both Israel and Hamas, including a mechanism for a prisoner exchange and a temporary ceasefire, in a fresh attempt to break the deadlock in the truce negotiations, Israel's Channel 12 reported Thursday.

According to informed sources, the proposal calls for the release of nine living hostages held by Hamas and the release of 18 bodies of hostages who died during their captivity, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. The deal will be implemented in two phases over the course of a week.

The plan proposes a 60-day ceasefire, during which intensive negotiations will be held to reach a permanent agreement to end the fighting.

If the parties fail to reach a final agreement within this period, Israel has the right to resume military operations or continue negotiations in exchange for the release of additional hostages.

This proposal represents a new attempt to break the deadlock in the ceasefire process, amid the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and continued international pressure to end the fighting.

The proposal also includes the resumption of humanitarian aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip, but under UN supervision, rather than through private companies, as was the practice in the past.

It also stipulates the withdrawal of the Israeli army from areas it seized during Operation "Power and Sword," referring to specific areas within the Gaza Strip that the forces have occupied since the beginning of the ground operations.

This proposal comes at a time when Gaza is experiencing a worsening humanitarian catastrophe, amid growing international calls for a ceasefire and a humanitarian prisoner exchange, and amidst a climate of anticipation regarding the course of negotiations in the coming days.

This morning, Thursday, Israeli occupation forces raided two homes and bulldozed a garden in Nablus and Ramallah.

In Nablus, large forces of the occupation army stormed the city at midnight, besieging a residential building in the Salam neighborhood in the west of the city, forcing its residents out into the open, in preparation for the demolition of the apartment of the martyr Jaafar Mona.

Later, the occupation forces forced a large number of residents of apartments and houses in the nearby area to evacuate, planted explosives in Mona's house, and blew it up.

In Ramallah, occupation bulldozers demolished the home of Anwar Samih al-Na'san and forced his family to evacuate it in the village of al-Mughayyir.

Meanwhile, the occupation bulldozers destroyed the garden belonging to the village council.

The Israeli occupation committed a horrific massacre this Thursday morning, bombing a residential area in the Al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

In a non-final statistic, 23 citizens were killed and others injured, while a number of people remain missing under the rubble.

Local sources reported that 10 citizens were killed in Jabalia al-Balad, north of the Gaza Strip, including seven children and women, when the occupation bombed a home belonging to the Azzam family and a kindergarten.

She added that a man and his pregnant wife were killed and others were injured when an Israeli drone bombed a group of citizens south of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip. The body of a citizen was also recovered as a result of a previous Israeli bombing of the town of Abasan al-Jadida, east of Khan Yunis.

The child, Ahmed Awad Sarsour (13 years old), was also killed and others were injured when the occupation bombed a tent sheltering displaced people in the Al-Baraka area in the city of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.

Local sources reported that a number of citizens were wounded by Israeli gunfire near an aid distribution center in the so-called "Morag Axis" southwest of Khan Yunis.

Medical sources reported that nine citizens were killed and 60 others were injured within 48 hours by Israeli occupation forces' fire near an aid center in Rafah. Ambulance crews recovered the bodies of three martyrs, one of them in the town of Abasan al-Jadida, east of Khan Yunis, the other was found after being injured the day before yesterday by Israeli occupation forces' fire while trying to reach an aid center west of Rafah, and the third martyr was found near al-Alam Square, west of Rafah.

Since the start of the occupation's aggression on October 7, 2023, the death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 54,084, the majority of whom are children and women. The number of injured has reached 123,308, while thousands of victims remain under the rubble.

Informed sources, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Al-Quds that a number of Arab foreign ministers will make an important visit to Ramallah next Sunday, during which they will meet with President Mahmoud Abbas.

These sources added that the visit comes within the context of ongoing preparations for holding a two-state solution conference in New York under the auspices of the United Nations and co-chaired by France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to advance the implementation of the two-state solution.

According to these sources, the Arab delegation, headed by Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, includes the foreign ministers of Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman, while the presence of the foreign ministers of the UAE and Kuwait has not been confirmed.

The Spanish capital, Madrid, hosted an expanded meeting last Sunday that included members of the ministerial committee assigned by the Arab-Islamic Summit and a number of European countries. The meeting discussed ongoing preparations for the two-state solution conference in New York, scheduled for June 17-20.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) revealed details of the Israeli occupation's killing of one of its employees, describing it as a "field execution" and stating that its staff "are not a target."

UNRWA said that its employee, Kamal, who had served the agency for more than 20 years, left his home in Rafah on March 23, wearing a UN vest and driving a vehicle clearly marked with UN markings. However, the agency quickly lost contact with him.

The agency added that Kamal's whereabouts remained unknown for days, until his body was found in a mass grave, "alongside the remains of Palestinian Red Crescent paramedics killed by Israeli forces."

She explained that "based on information recently made available to UNRWA, the murdered father and husband was killed by one or more blows to the back of his skull, and was then buried next to members of the Palestinian Red Crescent team."

UNRWA confirmed that it had not received any direct response regarding Kamal's death, despite numerous requests submitted to the Israeli occupation government.

"Kamal worked with UNRWA for more than 20 years, leaving his wife and children behind," said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. "This is one of many intolerable cases. Impunity opens the door to further atrocities."

Lazzarini called for independent investigations into the death of Kamal and all other UNRWA employees killed in Gaza, more than 310 of whom have been killed so far. The United Nations confirmed that it "suffered a higher number of casualties among its ranks during the Gaza war than in any other conflict since the organization's founding."

For its part, the UN Human Rights Office in the occupied Palestinian territory expressed its shock at the "apparent extrajudicial execution of a UNRWA staff member" and called for an urgent investigation and for those responsible to be brought to justice.

In this context, the office stated that "Israeli forces opened fire on clearly marked ambulances and rescue vehicles belonging to the Palestinian Red Crescent and Civil Defense, killing 15 relief workers."

The Office affirmed that these crimes reflect a "horrific and systematic" pattern of violations of the principles of international humanitarian law.

He pointed to reports of "the deaths of Palestinians in Israeli custody," raising serious concerns that they may have been subjected to torture and murder, including prominent orthopedic surgeon Adnan al-Barsh, whose body has been withheld by Israeli authorities for more than a year.

The Human Rights Office stressed that "the intentional killing of civilians in the context of an armed conflict, if proven, constitutes a war crime," expressing its grave concern about "the widespread and recurring nature of unlawful killings, including extrajudicial executions, and the apparent lack of effective action by Israeli forces to curb or hold accountable those responsible in most of these cases, indicating that these crimes are not isolated incidents, but rather enjoy the tacit approval of the military and civilian leadership."

The official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported on Wednesday that Israeli officials involved in indirect negotiations with Hamas are speaking of a "positive development" regarding the possibility of reaching a ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner exchange.

This comes after an unidentified Israeli official rushed earlier Wednesday to deny Hamas' announcement that it had reached a preliminary agreement with US Presidential Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff on a prisoner exchange deal. The source claimed that the proposal was "unacceptable" to Tel Aviv and Washington, according to statements made to Hebrew media.

Earlier on Wednesday, Hamas announced an agreement with Witkov on a general framework for a ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner exchange, pending a final response from the mediators.

The movement said in a statement that the framework agreed upon with Witkoff "achieves a permanent ceasefire, a complete withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, the flow of aid, a professional committee taking over the administration of the Strip's affairs, and the release of ten (living) Israeli prisoners and a number of bodies, in exchange for the release of an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners."

Tel Aviv estimates that there are 58 Israeli prisoners in Gaza, 20 of whom are still alive. Meanwhile, more than 10,100 Palestinians are languishing in its prisons, suffering torture, starvation, and medical neglect, many of whom have died, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported "an optimistic tone expressed by Israeli officials on the negotiating team, unheard of since the signing of the last deal, but it has not yet reached the level of a major breakthrough."

She added, "In recent days, intensive meetings have been held between mediators and representatives of Israel and Hamas with the aim of reaching a deal."

The agency quoted unnamed Israeli officials who it said were involved in the negotiations as saying, "The coming days are very crucial."

"There is a positive development regarding the possibility of reaching a deal," the officials added.

Meanwhile, the agency quoted unnamed foreign sources as saying, "If Israel shows flexibility regarding ending the war, the agreement will be signed tomorrow."

Hamas has repeatedly declared its willingness to release Israeli prisoners "in one batch" in exchange for an end to the war of extermination, the withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, is evading the situation by proposing new conditions, including the disarmament of Palestinian factions, and is currently insisting on reoccupying Gaza.

The Israeli opposition and prisoners' families accuse Netanyahu of continuing the war in deference to the more extreme right-wing faction within his government, to further his personal political interests, particularly his continued rule.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with full American support, has been committing genocide in Gaza, leaving more than 177,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, more than 11,000 missing, and hundreds of thousands displaced.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, listed a number of what he described as his government's major achievements since October 7 during a tumultuous parliamentary session, during which he faced accusations and disapproval from opposition lawmakers.

Netanyahu said that Israel has changed the face of the Middle East and achieved accomplishments on several fronts unattainable since Israel's founding, whether in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, or elsewhere.

He asserted that the Israeli army assassinated what he described as the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Mohammed Sinwar, the younger brother of the movement's late leader, Yahya Sinwar. These allegations have not been confirmed by Hamas. Haaretz also quoted an Israeli security source as saying that, contrary to Netanyahu's statements, Israeli security services have not confirmed the assassination of Mohammed Sinwar.

Netanyahu revealed that he had confirmed information indicating that 20 Israeli prisoners were still alive and 28 were dead. He pledged to continue the war until Hamas was defeated and all prisoners, both living and dead, were returned.

He emphasized that Israel operates on the principle of responding forcefully to any aggression against it. Netanyahu accused Iran of being behind the attacks launched from Yemen, noting that the Houthis are merely a proxy for the main power, Iran.

Netanyahu also said that he and his wife are being subjected to a smear campaign by the prisoners' families because the opposition in parliament is spreading lies about the matter.

During his speech at the Knesset session, Netanyahu was booed by relatives of Israeli prisoners in Gaza, who held up signs demanding that the government conclude a prisoner exchange deal and release them.

The hostages' relatives accuse Netanyahu of manipulating them when he promised an important announcement regarding the captives soon, then retracted his statement.

Failure to manage the war

In contrast, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing to manage the war.

Lapid described Israel's situation two and a half years ago as a safe country with calm and secure borders.

During the tumultuous Knesset session, he said that every Israeli citizen should ask himself what his situation was before the Netanyahu government, and what his situation is now.

For his part, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told NPR Radio that Israel is committing war crimes in the Gaza Strip.

Olmert added that the ministers' call to starve and exterminate the people of Gaza is a call for a war crime, to which the Prime Minister did not comment.

Olmert explained in an interview with NPR Radio that expanding the war has no military purpose or goal that can be achieved, and that everyone is absolutely certain that there is no achievable goal that justifies continuing or expanding this operation.

Olmert told NPR that these operations will not rescue the hostages and will not serve any national interest for Israel.

Hundreds of Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv, central Israel, on Wednesday evening, demanding the return of prisoners held in Gaza, coinciding with the 600th day of their captivity.

Israeli media reported that hundreds of people, including mothers and families of the kidnapped, demonstrated in Bialik Square in Tel Aviv in the silent protest "101st Stand," demanding the return of the kidnapped soldiers, who have been held by Hamas for 600 days in the Gaza Strip.

Dozens of Israeli demonstrators stormed the headquarters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, protesting the failure to reach a deal to release prisoners held by Palestinian factions.

The Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that demonstrators demanding a prisoner release deal stormed the Ze'ev Fortress building in Tel Aviv and chained themselves up in front of the Prime Minister's Office, marking 600 days since the outbreak of the war on Gaza.

Videos broadcast by activists on the X platform showed Israeli police forcibly dispersing the protesters, some of whom were handcuffed to the stairs.

The headquarters of the ruling Likud party is located on the eleventh floor of the Ze'ev Fortress building.

Outside, hundreds of protesters staged a sit-in and blocked streets near the building, some wearing masks depicting Netanyahu and several of his ministers and orange jumpsuits (worn to death).

According to the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz, "Dozens of demonstrators blocked King George Street in Tel Aviv during a march toward the Abductees' Square."

The private newspaper added: "The police forcibly removed the protesters and confiscated their horns and drums."

She continued: "At the same time, hundreds of demonstrators blocked Begin Street near the Ministry of Defense building, and a group of them entered the Ze'ev Fortress building."

Tel Aviv estimates that there are 58 Israeli prisoners in Gaza, 20 of whom are still alive. Meanwhile, more than 10,100 Palestinians are languishing in its prisons, suffering torture, starvation, and medical neglect, many of whom have died, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.

The Israeli opposition and prisoners' families accuse Netanyahu of continuing the war in deference to the more extreme right-wing faction within his government, to further his personal political interests, particularly his continued rule.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with full American support, has been committing genocide in Gaza, leaving more than 177,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, more than 11,000 missing, and hundreds of thousands displaced.

Settlers set fire to Palestinian lands in the village of Al-Mughayyir, east of Ramallah, on Wednesday evening.

Local sources said that a group of settlers renewed the fire in wheat-planted lands in the "Al-Rafid Plain" in the village of Al-Mughayyir, after citizens had previously managed to extinguish the fire.

According to the same sources, the settlers continue their policy of burning agricultural crops in the village, setting them ablaze every morning and evening, in addition to attacking farmers and harvesters while they work on the land.

US President Donald Trump said he warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against launching a military strike against Iran, as it could derail efforts to reach an agreement on Tehran's nuclear program.

"I want to be honest, yes I did," Trump told reporters when asked if he had asked Netanyahu during last week's call to refrain from military action.

"I told him that doing so at this time would be inappropriate because we are very close to a solution," Trump told reporters on Wednesday.

"This could change at any moment — it could change with a phone call — but right now, I think they want to reach an agreement," he continued.

The Israeli military revealed that it is reorganizing its forces on the Lebanese border, six months after a ceasefire ended the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, according to The Times of Israel.

The 146th Reserve Division, which had been responsible for the western part of the border with Lebanon since the beginning of the war, withdrew, and in its place, the 91st Galilee Territorial Division assumed responsibility for the entire border, from Ras al-Naqoura to Mount Dov, but not including it.

The actual number of troops on the Lebanese border, which is three times the pre-war number, will remain roughly the same even after the demobilization of the 146th Division, which will be placed under the command of the 91st Division.

The 91st Division also forms a third territorial brigade tasked with the central border area, in addition to the 300 Baram Brigade in the west and the 769 Hiram Brigade in the east.

The unnamed Central Regional Brigade currently operates under the command of the division's 8th Reserve Armored Brigade.

During the ongoing ceasefire in Lebanon, the Israeli military continued to bomb Hezbollah elements and sites.

Since the ceasefire began, the Israeli military has announced that it has killed more than 180 Hezbollah members, including 38 senior commanders and 28 lower-ranking officers.

The Israeli occupation army remains deployed in five strategic locations hundreds of meters inside southern Lebanon.

Students from Cheikh Anta Diop University in the capital, Dakar, expelled Israeli Ambassador to Senegal, Yuval Wax, on Tuesday, as he was participating in an academic symposium on international relations.

Students staged a protest as soon as the Israeli ambassador entered the conference hall, chanting slogans denouncing his presence and raising the Palestinian flag in front of him. The protest forced him to leave the university under pressure.

Videos circulating on social media show the ambassador leaving the university under heavy security escort after protesters chased him through the university halls, forcing him to leave without delivering his speech or participating in the event.

This incident comes amid a wave of widespread anger across several countries around the world, denouncing the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, which has resulted in the deaths and injuries of tens of thousands of civilians, most of them women and children.

It is worth noting that Yuval Wax was appointed resident ambassador to Senegal earlier this year, and he also serves as non-resident ambassador to Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, and Chad.

Cheikh Anta Diop University has not commented on the incident, nor has the Israeli embassy in Dakar.

This incident comes a week before pro-Palestine demonstrations scheduled to be held in Freedom Square in the capital, Dakar, on June 3. Political groups are scheduled to demand the departure of the Israeli ambassador from Dakar.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) described the Gaza Strip as "the hungriest place on earth," stating that the United Nations is prepared to deliver aid to the Strip "immediately and on a large scale."

This came in an interview with UN News on Wednesday by OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke, who said that the United Nations has approximately 180,000 mobile pallets of food and other life-saving aid ready to enter Gaza.

"Donors around the world have already paid for the supplies, they have been cleared and approved, and they are ready to go, and we can bring aid (into Gaza) immediately on a large scale," he added.

Larke described the Gaza Strip as "the hungriest place on earth," noting that "time is running out very quickly, and lives are being lost every hour" in the Strip.

He explained that "the United Nations has a successful plan, as was evident during the ceasefire when tens of thousands of trucks entered the Strip and delivered aid to every person."

By deliberately starving the population, paving the way for forced displacement, according to the United Nations, Israel has pushed 2.4 million Palestinians to the brink of famine by closing the Gaza Strip's crossings to humanitarian aid, particularly food, since March 2.

Tel Aviv has excluded the United Nations and international relief organizations, and has tasked the Israeli-American Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which is rejected by the UN, with distributing extremely scarce aid in the southern Gaza Strip, in order to force Palestinians to evacuate the north and empty it.

But the Israeli plan failed under the weight of famine, after desperate Palestinian crowds stormed an aid distribution center on Tuesday. The Israeli army opened fire on them, wounding several, according to the Gaza media office, which attributed the chaos to "the company's own mismanagement."

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

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaya Kallas called on Israel on Wednesday to stop targeting civilians in Gaza and preventing the entry of humanitarian aid.

This came in a statement issued by the organization, which stated that the Israeli military operation in Gaza, its disproportionate use of force, and the killing of civilians are intolerable, and the continued targeting of civilian infrastructure is unacceptable.

She stressed that the European Union demands the release of all prisoners and a return to the ceasefire.

In this regard, she said, "The European Union reiterates the need not to politicize or militarize humanitarian aid, recalls the role of the United Nations in distributing humanitarian aid, and reiterates its call for the immediate, unhindered, and sustainable resumption of aid delivery to meet the needs of the civilian population in Gaza."

In her statement, she also addressed the situation in the Palestinian territories in the West Bank and Jerusalem, saying, "The European Union strongly condemns the ongoing settler violence in the occupied West Bank."

"The campaigns of intimidation, physical and verbal assaults, and the destruction and burning of property and homes are leading to the displacement of entire Palestinian communities. Israel must take immediate, decisive action to address this issue and ensure that the perpetrators of these crimes are held accountable," she added.

It also condemned "the events that took place in the Old City on Jerusalem Day, including incitement to violence and intimidation of residents and journalists. The provocative actions taken by Israeli political leaders in this context undermine the special status and character of Jerusalem and the Old City."

On Tuesday, settlers attacked several Palestinian towns, including Qaryut, Al-Mughayyir, and Abu Falah in the Nablus and Ramallah governorates. They burned seven vehicles and crops, and assaulted Anadolu Agency photographer Issam Rimawi.

During April, settlers carried out 231 acts of vandalism and theft of citizens' property, targeting vast areas of land, according to the Palestine Liberation Organization's Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission.

In parallel with the war of extermination in Gaza, the Israeli military and settlers' escalation of attacks in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, has resulted in the deaths of at least 972 Palestinians, the injury of nearly 7,000, and the arrest of more than 17,000, according to Palestinian data.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with full American support, has been waging a genocidal war in Gaza, leaving approximately 177,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, more than 11,000 missing, and hundreds of thousands displaced.

Six citizens were killed and 15 others injured by Israeli occupation forces' fire as they attempted to reach an aid distribution center north of Rafah.

According to local sources, the occupation army opened fire with machine guns and shells at citizens who were trying to reach one of the aid distribution centers, which led to the martyrdom of six of them: Kifah Awda Al-Sawarka, Muhammad Imad Abdul Hadi, Khalil Ashraf Musa, Ashraf Anwar Khalil Musa, Khalil Anwar Khalil Abu Musa, and Zuhair Zuwaid Muhammad Al-Shaer.