Gaza residents said the Israeli military launched one of the largest airstrikes on the territory in weeks on Tuesday, while health officials issued a new warning that the system is facing total collapse due to the Israeli blockade on all supplies.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced the suspension of the UN-supported polio vaccination campaign, putting the Strip at risk of a resurgence of the disease, which had been nearly eradicated. The campaign targeted more than 600,000 children, according to Reuters.

As part of diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, a Hamas delegation is scheduled to arrive in Cairo for talks.

Two sources said the delegation will discuss a new offer that includes a truce of between five and seven years after the release of all hostages and a cessation of fighting.

The two sources added that Israel, which recently rejected a Hamas offer to release all hostages in exchange for ending the war, has yet to respond to the long-term truce proposal. Israel is demanding that Hamas disarm, a demand the movement rejects.

Residents said Israeli forces bombed several areas across the Gaza Strip with tanks, aircraft, and naval vessels, adding that the attacks hit homes, camps, and roads.

Officials and residents said the airstrikes destroyed bulldozers and vehicles used to clear rubble and help recover bodies trapped under the debris.

Israel has been preventing any supplies from reaching Gaza since the beginning of March, and resumed military operations on the 18th of last month after the ceasefire collapsed.

Since then, Gaza health authorities say, Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 1,600 Palestinians and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes as Israel controls what it calls a buffer zone in Gaza.

Nearly all buildings in Gaza have become uninhabitable following Israel's 18-month bombing campaign. Most of the Strip's 2.3 million residents now live in the open, sheltered in makeshift tents.

Since the comprehensive blockade was imposed last month, all 25 bakeries that operated with UN support have closed. Israel says that enough supplies to sustain Gaza's population for months have entered the territory during a six-week truce. Aid agencies fear that the population is on the brink of famine and that disease is spreading widely.

Khalil Al-Daqran, a spokesman for the Ministry of Health in Gaza, said that preventing the arrival of supplies puts the lives of hundreds of thousands of patients in Gaza Strip hospitals at risk.

He added, "If vaccinations are not available, we are facing a real catastrophe. Children and the sick must not be used as political blackmail pawns." He noted that 60,000 children are now showing signs of malnutrition.

Israel: "The blockade does not violate international law"

Israel says its blockade aims to pressure Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, to release the remaining 59 Israeli hostages, while Hamas has expressed its willingness to release them as part of a deal to end the war. The hostages were taken to Gaza during the October 7, 2023, attack that sparked the war in the Strip.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote on Twitter, "Israel is acting in full accordance with international law," in response to US Senator Bernie Sanders, who described Israel's comprehensive blockade of Gaza since March as a war crime.

Katz said, "The humanitarian situation in Gaza is under constant monitoring, and large quantities of aid have arrived. Whenever additional aid needs to be allowed in, it must be ensured that it does not pass through Hamas, which exploits humanitarian aid to maintain its control over the population and profit at their expense."

The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, described the blockade as collective punishment of the people of Gaza.

"Humanitarian aid is being used as a bargaining chip and a weapon of war. The blockade must be lifted, supplies must flow, hostages must be released, and the ceasefire must be resumed," Lazzarini said in a post on the X platform on Tuesday.

Israel confirms that it is still pursuing Hamas.

"We will pursue Hamas wherever it operates, whether in the north or south of the Gaza Strip or even outside it, anywhere," said Israeli army spokesman Avi Deveren.

The war broke out after a Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which, according to Israeli statistics, resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the capture of 251 hostages in Gaza.

Gaza health authorities said that more than 51,000 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the Israeli offensive.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty stressed on Tuesday the necessity of a complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from southern Lebanon.

This came during a joint press conference with his Lebanese counterpart, Youssef Raji, in Cairo.

Abdel-Ati said that Egypt fully supports the efforts of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to restore security and stability in Lebanon, in a way that fulfills the aspirations of the Lebanese people.

Abdel-Ati expressed Egypt's full condemnation of the Israeli attacks on Lebanon, stressing Egypt's rejection of any infringement on Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Abdel Ati stressed the importance of adhering to the cessation of hostilities agreement, the immediate and undiminished withdrawal of Israeli forces from the positions they occupy in southern Lebanon, and the implementation of Resolution 1701 "without selectivity" in a way that preserves Lebanon's sovereignty, unity, security, and stability.

Abdel-Ati pointed to the continuation of Egyptian efforts, "in cooperation with Qatar and coordination with the United States," to return to the January 19 ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

Today, Tuesday, settlers assaulted a citizen while he was driving his vehicle near the Al-Auja Waterfall area, north of Jericho.

According to local sources, settlers intercepted Suleiman Malihat, a resident of the Arab Malihat community, and assaulted him before spraying him with pepper spray. The attack was carried out under the protection of Israeli occupation soldiers who were present at the scene but did not intervene to stop the assault.

It is noteworthy that the Al-Auja Spring area is witnessing continuous attacks by settlers against Palestinian citizens.

The Cabinet renewed its call on various international bodies to pressure Israel to open the crossings with the Gaza Strip and allow the entry of food and medicine shipments, especially in light of the severe shortage of citizens' needs, the depletion of the remaining stocks of relief organizations, and the spread of hunger. Meanwhile, daily bombing and killing operations continue, most recently targeting vehicles and equipment used to remove and destroy rubble, open roads, and collect waste, which will exacerbate the suffering of our people in the Strip.

At the opening of the weekly cabinet session on Tuesday, Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa stressed the need to accelerate work on the government's decision to provide temporary and dignified shelter for the more than 6,000 displaced families in the northern West Bank. This will be done through various means, including shelter centers, the maintenance of partially damaged homes, and the provision of rental subsidies to families in humanitarian cases, in coordination with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). He also emphasized the need to intensify efforts to secure additional funding sources.

The Cabinet also directed various relevant authorities to raise their readiness to deal with various scenarios in the coming period, especially in light of the ongoing aggression carried out by the Israeli occupation forces on the city of Jenin and its camp for the 92nd consecutive day, and on the city of Tulkarm and its two camps for the 86th day. These attacks included the forced displacement of residents, widespread destruction of infrastructure, and the seizure of homes, as part of a recurring pattern of systematic targeting of Palestinian cities and camps.

He called on international bodies, particularly the United Nations, to take urgent action to ensure the protection of civilians and halt ongoing violations that constitute a clear breach of international humanitarian law.

As part of efforts to address the temporary shelter issue and improve the conditions of displaced families, the Ministry of Public Works has issued a tender for the construction of two shelter centers in the Iktaba area in Tulkarm and Wadi Burqin in Jenin. These centers will provide decent temporary housing for displaced families who currently lack temporary shelter. Work continues to prepare new land to expand the temporary shelter area and to raise the necessary funds to implement reconstruction plans.

In line with directives to respond quickly to field interventions, the Nablus-Tulkarm road was leveled to facilitate the movement of citizens and vehicles. Approximately 30 vehicles from the Ministry of Public Works, the Tulkarm Municipality, and contractors were deployed to level the road, emphasizing government directives to quickly work in any location where work is possible, including repairing homes damaged by the effects of the Israeli aggression, just as has been done previously.

In addition, the Council discussed several proposals related to developing the legal system for accreditation certificates for Palestinian products, as this is an international requirement and an important measure to enhance the infrastructure for quality of Palestinian products. This will contribute to increasing the percentage of Palestinian exports by accrediting our national products internationally through Palestinian laboratories, without the need to resort to external laboratories for accreditation.

The Council also discussed the establishment of an electronic government wallet, as a step towards keeping pace with global developments in the digital economy and as part of the government's initiative to enhance the electronic payments system and achieve financial inclusion, led by the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy. The Council also discussed the urgent need to develop this wallet, especially in light of the exceptional circumstances facing our people and our national economy.

The Cabinet mourned Pope Francis, noting that with his passing, Palestine has lost one of its most loyal friends, who steadfastly defended the rights of the Palestinian people, consistently called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, and an end to the war of extermination in the Gaza Strip.

The Council of Ministers took a number of decisions, as follows:

• Ratify the draft competition law and refer it to the President, which aims to enhance and protect competition in the Palestinian market, encourage competition and investment in the Palestinian market, and prevent monopoly.

• Ratifying two memoranda of understanding between the Palestinian Ministry of Labor and its counterparts in Qatar and Kuwait, regarding opening the labor market to our people and providing more job opportunities, improving their living conditions, housing, and health services, in addition to exchanging expertise, technical cooperation, and developing human resources.

• Ratification of the cooperation agreements between Palestine and Chile in the sectors of agriculture and customs affairs, as well as ratification of the protocol of political consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine and the Ministry of Foreign Relations of the Federative Republic of Brazil.

• Referring the draft law amending the law regulating cities, villages and buildings to government departments for study and comment.

• Adding the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation to the technical committee studying the organizational structures of government institutions. The committee is working to review and streamline the structure of these institutions, and to increase their effectiveness and productivity, which will be reflected in the quality of services provided to citizens.

The Vatican announced on Tuesday that Pope Francis' funeral will be held next Saturday at 10:00 a.m. Rome time.

Pope Francis died yesterday, Monday, at the age of 88, after suffering a stroke that caused him to fall into a coma and suffer from heart failure, according to the death certificate issued by the Vatican today.

The Vatican released the first photos of Pope Francis's body, which he found in the Casa Santa Marta church in the Vatican, where he prayed daily.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, head of the Vatican's household, also closed and sealed Pope Francis's residence, according to protocol.

The head of the court, or "camerlengo," is the Vatican official charged with overseeing the daily running of normal business during a vacancy in the Holy See. This cardinal's duties include officially verifying and announcing the death of the pope, ensuring that the deceased pope's ring (called the "Fisherman's Ring") and its lead seal are broken so that no one else can use it.

Cardinals from around the world are expected to flock to Rome to attend Pope Francis' funeral and then begin formal meetings to elect his successor.

Cardinals aged 80 or older may attend general assemblies but are not permitted to participate in the conclave during which the new pope is elected. Only cardinals under 80 can participate in this conclave.

Traditionally, a 15-day mourning period is observed before the conclave begins. Before his resignation in 2013, Pope Benedict XVI amended the constitution to allow the conclave to begin after a shorter period if the cardinals so choose, or at most 20 days after the pope's death if some cardinals are unable to reach Rome.

During the conclave, participants are prohibited from any contact with the outside world, and no telephones, internet access, or newspapers are permitted. The cardinals hold two votes per day during the conclave, except for the first day, when only one vote is held.

For any candidate to succeed, the papacy requires a two-thirds plus one majority of cardinal electors. If no candidate is elected after 13 days, a second round is held between the top two candidates, but the choice remains subject to a two-thirds plus one majority, in order to promote unity and discourage the search for consensus candidates.

When the conclave elects a new pope, he is asked whether he accepts the papacy and what name he wishes to take. If he refuses to accept the task, the election procedure is repeated.

The world knows that a pope has been elected when an official burns ballot papers with special chemicals, causing white smoke to rise from the church chimney. Black smoke symbolizes an inconclusive vote.

The chief cardinal elector, currently French Cardinal Dominique Mamberty, ascends to the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to announce the news to the crowds in the square, saying, "Habemus Papam," meaning "We have a pope." The new pope then appears and gives the crowds his first blessing.

The Israeli occupation continues its aggression on the city of Jenin and its camp for the 92nd consecutive day, amidst bulldozing and burning homes, and converting others into military barracks.

This morning, Tuesday, the occupation forces arrested seven citizens from the town of Jaba' and the eastern neighborhood of Jenin. The occupation forces stormed the town of Jaba' in the south and launched a large-scale raid and arrest campaign that included six citizens. The occupation forces also stormed the eastern neighborhood of Jenin and arrested a young man.

In the village of Al-Jalameh, the occupation forces demolished 10 greenhouses belonging to citizen Wassef Abu Farha and his son, built on an area of 10 dunams.

Yesterday, Monday, occupation forces raided the homes of citizens in Khallet al-Sawha, near Jenin camp. They also stormed the town of Burqin and raided the homes of detainees Hilal Khalouf, Abdul Karim Hamdan, and Ali Khalouf.

This morning, the occupation army deployed infantry units around the Al-Zahraa neighborhood, near Jenin camp.

The occupation forces continued to send military reinforcements, accompanied by fuel and water tankers, from the Jalameh checkpoint to the vicinity of Jenin camp.

Israeli bulldozers placed earthen berms around the Tawalbeh Mosque at the northern entrance to Jenin camp, while drones continued to fly over the city and camp.

According to Jenin Mayor Muhammad Jarrar, occupation forces are continuing their demolition operations inside Jenin camp, amid a complete blackout, as the occupation forces prevent any party or individual from entering the camp.

He pointed out that statistics indicate that 600 housing units were completely destroyed in the camp, in addition to the fact that entire houses in the camp were partially destroyed, making them uninhabitable.

According to the Jenin Governorate, work is underway to secure temporary mobile homes for the displaced, and those most in need will be accommodated during the initial phase of the government's mobile home provision plan.

He pointed out that the number of displaced persons has reached 21,000, distributed throughout the governorate. There are 6,000 displaced persons in the city, 3,200 in the Arab American University dormitories, and 4,181 in the town of Burqin.

The number of martyrs in Jenin Governorate since the start of the aggression on the city of Jenin and its camp has reached 39, in addition to dozens of injuries and arrests.

The death toll from the Israeli occupation's aggression on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, has risen to 51,266 dead and 116,991 wounded.

Medical sources reported that the death toll includes 1,890 martyrs and 4,950 wounded since March 18.

She said that 26 dead and 60 wounded arrived at hospitals in the Gaza Strip during the past 24 hours.

She explained that a number of dead are still under the rubble of destroyed homes and facilities, and on the roads, and that ambulance crews and specialized crews are unable to reach them, due to the lack of resources.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) accused Israel of using humanitarian aid as a "bargaining chip" and a "weapon of war" against the Gaza Strip, subjecting two million Palestinians, most of them women and children, to collective punishment. The agency called for the lifting of the 50-day-old blockade.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini denounced the hollow words of condemnation in a post on the X platform on Tuesday: "How long will it take for empty words of condemnation to be translated into action to lift the siege, resume the ceasefire, and save what remains of humanity?"

He added, "It has been 50 days since the Israeli authorities imposed a blockade on Gaza. Hunger is spreading and worsening, and it is deliberate and man-made. Gaza has become a land of despair."

"Two million people - the majority of whom are women and children - are being subjected to collective punishment, and the wounded, sick, and elderly are being deprived of medicine and healthcare," Lazzarini continued.

He pointed out that "at the same time, humanitarian organizations have aid ready to enter Gaza, including nearly 3,000 trucks of life-saving aid from UNRWA."

The UN official warned that "essential supplies for people in need are nearing their expiration date," and explained that "humanitarian aid is being used as a bargaining chip and a weapon in this war."

He stressed that "the siege must be lifted, supplies must be allowed in immediately, the hostages (Israeli prisoners) must be released, and the ceasefire must be resumed."

On April 9, UNRWA warned that the Gaza Strip was approaching "extreme hunger" due to the ongoing Israeli blockade and the near depletion of remaining essential supplies.

UNRWA Director of Media and Communications Juliette Touma said that infants and children in the Gaza Strip are "going to bed hungry," as essential supplies in the Strip are running out.

This new phase of famine comes at a time when the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have yet to recover from a previous wave. During the past year and a half of genocide, Israel has deliberately restricted the flow of aid into the Gaza Strip, depriving hundreds of thousands of poor families of their free food rations.

According to World Bank data, the genocide perpetrated by Israel has rendered all Palestinians in Gaza impoverished, meaning they are unable to provide their families with even the most basic necessities of life, such as food and water.

Israel has closed the Gaza Strip's crossings to the entry of food, relief, medical aid, and goods since March 2, causing a significant deterioration in the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, according to government, human rights, and international reports.

Since October 7, 2023, the occupying forces have been committing genocide in Gaza, leaving more than 168,000 dead and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 11,000 missing.

Mike Huckabee, the new US ambassador to Israel, responded to the World Health Organization's request to pressure Israel to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. He rejected the request and blamed Hamas, thereby supporting the "collective punishment" practiced by the Israeli occupation authorities against civilians in Gaza.

"What I would suggest is that we work together to apply pressure where it's appropriate — on Hamas," Huckabee said in a video statement posted to his Twitter account.

Huckabee called on Hamas to "sign an agreement" that would allow humanitarian aid to reach the people of Gaza. He said that when that happens, and the Israeli hostages are released, "we hope that this humanitarian aid will flow freely, knowing that it will be done without Hamas."

Hamas had offered to release all Israeli hostages in exchange for a permanent ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, but Israel refused. Israel also refused to fully implement the ceasefire agreement signed last January, which stipulated the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. On March 2, Israel imposed a comprehensive blockade on all goods entering the Strip.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated last week that no humanitarian aid would be allowed into Gaza, describing the aid blockade as one of Israel's "central pressure tools" against Hamas. Katz also pledged an indefinite Israeli occupation of the territories seized by the Israeli military in Gaza.

Huckabee was expected to strongly support Israel's crimes against the Palestinians as U.S. ambassador, given his history of pushing for Israel's annexation of the West Bank, which he calls Judea and Samaria. He is a Christian Zionist who believes that the occupied Palestinian territory was given by God to the modern state of Israel.

It's worth noting that during a visit to an Israeli settlement in the West Bank in 2017, Huckabee claimed that the area was not under Israeli occupation. "I believe Israel has title to Judea and Samaria," Huckabee told CNN. "There are words I refuse to use. There's no such thing as the West Bank; there's Judea and Samaria. There are no settlements; they're communities, neighborhoods, cities; there's no occupation."

In 2008, Huckabee said that "there are no Palestinians" and called for the expulsion of Palestinians to other Arab countries.

The United Nations said that Israel has been preventing all types of aid from entering the Gaza Strip for 50 days, and that the impact on the Strip's citizens is "very serious."

This was stated by UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric during a press conference held last night at UN headquarters in New York.

Dujarric explained that the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed that for 50 days, no food, fuel, medicine, or other essential supplies have entered Gaza.

He added that food stocks have decreased "dangerously" during this period, and that medicines, medical supplies, and vaccines are running out. He noted that children and adults are suffering from hunger, and that the health system in the Strip is on the verge of collapse.

He added, "Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced, and Israeli attacks on humanitarian and health workers have increased once again."

Israeli occupation forces stormed the village of Aqaba, east of Tubas, this Tuesday morning.

Azmi Balawneh, the Director of Education in Tubas, reported that the occupation forces raided the Aqaba village school and removed the Palestinian flag from its building.

He explained that the Education Directorate decided to switch to online classes today in Tayasir and Aqaba schools due to the current circumstances.

It is noteworthy that the occupation forces have continued to storm the village of Tayasir since midnight last night.

Dozens of civilians were killed and injured early Tuesday morning when the Israeli occupation forces bombed several areas in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli warplanes launched violent raids on several areas in the Gaza Strip, in addition to bombing homes in the city of Rafah. The occupation also targeted several heavy equipment garages belonging to municipalities and companies.

Medical sources reported that 14 citizens were killed as a result of the ongoing Israeli bombing of Gaza City and Khan Yunis since dawn today.

Our correspondent said that nine citizens, including two children, were killed and 13 others were injured when the occupation forces bombed a residential building belonging to the Shabir family near the Al-Sikka area in the center of Khan Yunis. A number of citizens were injured when the occupation forces bombed a tent housing displaced persons in the Al-Katiba neighborhood in Khan Yunis.

Several civilians were also killed and injured when Israeli warplanes bombed a home belonging to the Bakr family west of Gaza City. Dr. Majed Nasr Ismail was also killed in an Israeli bombardment of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.

Israeli artillery shelled the southern areas of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip. Israeli aircraft also targeted four bulldozers on land near the Al-Mukhtar Chalet, northwest of Al-Qarara town, north of Khan Yunis. Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation forces blew up residential buildings north of Rafah.

The occupation forces also penetrated from the north of Rafah towards the Qizan Abu Rashwan area, south of Khan Yunis, under the cover of fire and artillery shelling.

The death toll from the occupation's aggression on Gaza since October 7, 2023, has risen to 51,240 martyrs and 116,931 wounded.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has released new reports documenting the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip as a result of the complete blockade imposed since March 2, 2025. This has led to severe shortages of food and medical supplies, with a disastrous impact on children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers. More than one million children in Gaza have been deprived of life-saving assistance for more than a month and a half due to the ongoing blockade, which prevents the entry of food, clean water, and medical supplies. The blockade has completely halted the food supply chain, with bakeries closing due to flour and fuel shortages, threatening widespread famine. Furthermore, more than 60% of essential medicines are out of stock, and only 15 of 36 hospitals are partially functioning, leaving patients without adequate medical care.

Previous reports from international organizations such as the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme, and UNICEF indicate that the famine and humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip are having a devastating impact on the health and lives of infants, children, and pregnant women, as well as the overall health of the population. These reports confirm that 90% of children under five suffer from acute malnutrition, and that one in three children suffer from malnutrition. In northern Gaza, one in six children under two suffers from acute malnutrition, an unprecedented increase compared to 0.8% before the war. Most families barely receive one meal a day, and it is often nutritionally insufficient. Mothers also suffer from severe malnutrition, seriously affecting their breastfeeding. Infant mortality rates are also increasing due to lack of medical care, not just malnutrition, not to mention the risks of premature births and neonatal deaths. More than 557,000 women in the Gaza Strip suffer from severe food insecurity, with many mothers skipping meals to feed their children, leading to weight loss and dizziness. Seventy-six percent of pregnant women reported suffering from anemia, and 99% of them lack access to necessary nutritional supplements, putting their health and that of their children at risk. Pregnant women also struggle to access hospitals and medical centers, most of which have been destroyed, exacerbating pregnancy and childbirth complications.

The lack of clean water, and sometimes the absence of it, and severe overcrowding in displacement centers have led to the spread of serious diseases such as acute diarrhea, especially among children, respiratory infections, skin diseases, and the spread of hepatitis A caused by water pollution. All this is happening against a backdrop of a collapsing health system.

More than 80% of Gaza's population relies on charity kitchens that provide simple meals lacking essential nutrients. Some of these kitchens have been closed due to the complete closure of crossings amid the renewed brutal aggression on the Strip. This is in light of a declared and officially adopted policy that uses starvation as a criminal weapon in the ongoing war of extermination, and amid rising voices in the occupation government calling for a complete severance of all sources of livelihood for the Strip's residents.

These facts, documented by international organizations, have not yet prompted relevant Arab and international parties to take practical steps to halt pre-planned plans aimed at genocide. The International Criminal Court's ruling on the possibility of deliberate genocide has become a confirmed reality due to the official and declared policy of using starvation as a weapon, coupled with the total destruction of the basic service infrastructure and the unprecedented persistence of the continued closure of crossings.

But what's even more surprising is that at this very moment, when international institutions still operating in the Gaza Strip are warning of the possibility of widespread mass deaths due to the starvation war, the Palestine Liberation Organization's Central Council is convening for the first time since the outbreak of genocide a year and a half ago. Sadly, the main topic on its agenda is the last item, the creation of a vice-president of the Executive Committee. This is not due to a national or constitutional necessity in the event that the presidency becomes vacant. After the death of President Abu Ammar, the Fatah movement and subsequently the Executive Committee agreed to elect a new president in a single meeting, even before the arrival of the body of the martyr Arafat from Paris for temporary burial in Ramallah. Meanwhile, the recently issued "Constitutional Declaration," which assigns the President of the National Council to assume the position of President of the Authority for a period of ninety days, renewable once, during which presidential elections will be held, resolved the issue of the vacancy in the presidency of the Authority. This "declaration" was a step that brought everyone back to the fact that the indispensable option is the ballot box—respecting the will of the people and their constitutional right.

The imminent danger to the entire Palestinian cause, not just its political system, is represented, in addition to the destructive state of division, by Israeli plans to dismantle the political system, and at best, engineer it to serve its future plans. Even if there is some Arab concern for our people's cause and to prevent Israel from dismantling the political system, the only response that guarantees this is to encourage it to begin unifying the institutions of the comprehensive national entity capable of continuing the national struggle to end the occupation, achieve independence, and embody the State of Palestine as an unavoidable condition for regional stability. The unification of these institutions can begin immediately by agreeing to form a non-factional national unity government that will handle the Gaza Strip file in all its dimensions, starting with efforts to stop the war of extermination as a top priority agreed upon by our people, followed by relief, shelter, and reconstruction, and strengthening and unifying the institutions of the Palestinian people as an essential component of establishing a fully sovereign, independent Palestinian state, including its security establishment and the doctrine that governs its work.

We must realize that the Palestinian Authority is in an unprecedented existential dilemma. As its popularity is dwindling for deep and multiple reasons, not least of which is its re-tailoring to fit a completely failed option, destroyed by Israel more than once, the Authority has also become a target for dismantling and engineering the canton and protectorate system. Furthermore, Israel's continued, regrettably, monopolization of the Gaza Strip, its people, and its resistance has placed Hamas and the resistance in a dangerous predicament, not so much for the resistance as for our people and their cause. The question is: Doesn't this existential dilemma push everyone toward a phase of reconciliation that breaks with the past and establishes a new phase of action based solely on the will of our people? Isn't adopting the option of national reconciliation, which the powers agreed upon in Beijing and which is supported by the popular will, the only way to safeguard the institutions of the national entity? Why all this stubbornness, and in whose interest? Does this offer a lifeline to our people in the Gaza Strip, or does it lift the knife of annexation from the necks of our people, their land, and their holy sites in Jerusalem, the Jordan Valley, and the rest of the West Bank? The answer is certain to be found on the lips of the victims fighting for their lives in Gaza, and on the tongues of those struggling for survival across the West Bank. Are you able to hear them and prepared to comply with their will?

Despite the conflicting Israeli statements about the Palestinian resistance's treatment of Israeli prisoners, in the tunnels and homes of Gaza, and the diversity of their content according to their sources, some of them indicated rude, humiliating, and abusive Palestinian treatment, while the opposite indicated respectful, humane treatment that reflects the high standard of treatment accorded to prisoners, despite their being in the camp of the merciless enemy.

A close examination of the statements of the majority of the Israeli prisoners confirmed the good treatment of them by Hamas and its fighters. They were not obligated to praise the behavior of the Palestinians and their high standard of treatment of them. There is no more vivid, clear, or courageous evidence of this than the scene of the Israeli prisoner “kissing” the head of his Palestinian guard. It was a scene and a shot that carried a lot of credibility and spontaneity in a prisoner’s farewell to his accompanying guard. The incident was a shock to the Israelis and to all observers in the world, and dealt a political blow to the components of the Israeli colony.

But even if we accept, for the sake of argument, the accusations made by the colony's leaders regarding Hamas's humiliating behavior toward Israeli prisoners - accusations that Washington has supported without reservation - do the colony's security forces and apparatuses treat Palestinian prisoners with a minimum of respect for human dignity and humanity? Or is it that hatred, racism, extremism, shameful behavior, and moral and legal decline are taking place, without any scruples of conscience or even the minimum level of treatment of prisoners as human beings, or even as criminals who deserve all kinds of beatings, humiliation, and killing?

How many Palestinian prisoners have been killed, lost their memory and health, and left disabled, lacking the ability to lead a normal life, and treated as criminals, not prisoners of war with convictions, a will, and aspirations for dignity and freedom in a homeland that yearns for independence and stability, like all human beings and all peoples. This is what the Palestinian people lack and yearn for, and make sacrifices to obtain. What Palestinian prisoners are subjected to is part of these sacrifices.

His Holiness Pope Francis, who passed away yesterday with Easter, expressed his sympathy and solidarity with the Palestinian people and their right to freedom and an independent state. Just hours before his passing, he affirmed his awareness of the extent of the Palestinians’ suffering and pain, saying:

"I am close to the Christian people of the Holy Land, and I am close to both peoples. My thoughts turn to the people of Gaza, especially to the Christian community there, where the terrible conflict continues to generate death and destruction, and to create a horrific and shameful humanitarian situation."

Palestinians in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, in the heart of the Italian capital, Rome, expressed their appreciation for His Holiness the Pope by raising Palestinian flags. They expressed their appreciation for his positions, which express the understanding of the Catholic Church, the heir to Jesus Christ, the first Palestinian martyr, and the bearer of his message, which was born in Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Jerusalem, was baptized in the Jordan River, and spread eastward to the world. With his passing, the Palestinian people lost a friend who believed in the justice of the Palestinians' right to dignity, freedom, and independence.

Dozens of residents were killed and injured in Israeli shelling targeting several areas in the Gaza Strip on Monday evening. Meanwhile, the Israeli army carried out bombing operations using shelling and explosives in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army continues to escalate its aggression against the Gaza Strip, intensifying its demolition of homes and targeting the tents of displaced people. This is part of the ongoing war, which has been ongoing since its resumption 35 days ago and which human rights groups have described as "genocide" with political and military support from the United States.

Thirty-nine Palestinians were killed and 62 others injured in Israeli shelling of Gaza over the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll from the war since October 7, 2023, to 51,240 martyrs and 116,931 injuries, according to the latest figures announced by the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip on Monday.

On the 35th day of the resumption of hostilities, Israeli warplanes launched a series of violent raids on the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, and also targeted residential areas in Abu al-Ajeen, east of Deir al-Balah.

Meanwhile, the town of Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip, and the city of Beit Lahia came under intense artillery shelling, resulting in further civilian casualties.

The Israeli occupation artillery targeted the Qizan Abu Rashwan area, south of Khan Yunis, resulting in civilian casualties.

The departed depart, but their words and actions remain as a witness to their continued life after their death, with the knowledge they left behind that is beneficial and the memory that is uplifting.

With the passing of Pope Francis, humanity loses a towering figure of humanity, faith, and values. He was unafraid, in word and deed, to face the censure of the critics, harshly criticizing the criminals for the crimes they committed in Gaza and the raging war of extermination, most of whose victims were children.

In 2014, the Holy Father visited the City of Peace, and said and did things that upset the occupation, which tried in vain to change the Via Dolorosa that His Holiness walked next to the wall.

In remembrance, respect, and appreciation of the noble stances of the great departed, I republish what I wrote at the time about that visit, which was a battle fought by His Holiness, with a level of patience, certainty, and faith that few leaders in the Arab and Islamic worlds have ever matched.

The Pope leads a demonstration against the wall with solemn silence!

He stood and made others stop, he cried and made others cry in a moment of resounding silence, recorded by the lenses of photographers who came from four corners of the earth to cover one of the most important visits made by His Holiness the Supreme Pontiff to the cradle of messages, the land of prophecies, and the crossroads of civilizations. He led a demonstration in solemn silence, leading the faithful - Christians and Muslims - at the wall on whose walls were written suffering, at whose thresholds blood bled, and on whose stones and cement, reinforced with the arrogance of blind force, emergency borders were drawn, and on whose sides false truths were imposed, and under whose foundations the values of truth and freedom were buried, and on whose ruins concrete pillars of hatred and racism were erected.

His Holiness' sudden, off-the-cuff disembarkation from his car and toward the wall was a demonstration led by the Supreme Pontiff, in the name of all believers and free people in the world, against everything the wall represents in terms of an assault on freedoms, the denial of rights, the seizure of land, the uprooting of trees, and the loss of lives. This was a message that reached all concerned. Although His Holiness expressed it in words that touched the concerns and suffering of the Palestinians and inspired hope for the achievement of their goals and objectives, his demonstration against the wall was a practical expression of his solidarity with the Palestinian people in their struggle to achieve their freedom and establish their state.

His silence almost became a language, his kind and gentle hand almost became a pickaxe shaking the pillars of the wall, and his prayers, praises and good supplications ascending to the heavens almost became a balm healing the wounds of those walking the path of suffering, those guarding Jerusalem and the environs of Jerusalem; Christians and Muslims alike, unharmed by the hardships that befell them.

Anyone who followed the Israeli media, which was broadcasting the Pope's visit live, may have noticed that they turned away from the moment the Pope deviated from the script and walked toward the wall, and instead re-broadcast recorded footage of the visit for the five minutes during which His Holiness demonstrated at the wall.

A few minutes before the Pope's motorcade arrived, the children of Aida refugee camp were enough for them, moments after the soldiers had finished whitewashing the wall of slogans, to rewrite it with slogans of freedom, until the Pope arrived before the ink had even dried!

It remains to be said that the Pope's silence and his prayer at the wall were surprising, shocking, and resounding. It was a land battle, a demonstration of live ammunition of faith, an action on the ground, not just words uttered in the open air. It was an action that no leader or world leader had ever performed before him. Yes, his voice, his silence, and his prayer at the wall were the pinnacle of faith.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said on Monday that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached its worst level since October 2023, 50 days after Israel prevented any supplies from entering the Strip.

UNRWA added in a post on the X platform: "It has been 50 days since the Israeli authorities prevented any supplies from entering the Strip. Food, water, medical care, and shelter are increasingly scarce, while aid is piling up at the crossings."

UNRWA confirmed that 500,000 Palestinians were displaced again last month, following the resumption of Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.

UNRWA announced on Friday that it currently operates 115 shelters across Gaza, housing more than 90,000 displaced people.

The United Nations said that Israel has been preventing all types of aid from entering the Gaza Strip for 50 days, and that the impact on the Strip's residents is "very serious."

This was stated by UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric during a press conference held on Monday at UN headquarters in New York.

Dujarric explained that the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed that for 50 days, no food, fuel, medicine, or other essential supplies have entered Gaza.

He added that food stocks have decreased "dangerously" during this period, and that medicines, medical supplies, and vaccines are running out.

Dujarric noted that children and adults are suffering from hunger, and that the health system in the Strip is on the verge of collapse.

He added, "Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced, and Israeli attacks on humanitarian and health workers have increased once again."

Israel has closed the Gaza Strip's crossings to the entry of food, relief, medical aid, and goods since March 2, causing a significant deterioration in the humanitarian situation for Palestinians, according to government, human rights, and international reports.

Israeli occupation forces stormed the city of Tulkarm on Monday evening, as the ongoing aggression against the city and its camp continues for the 85th consecutive day.

According to local sources, two Israeli "Eitan" armored vehicles stormed the city from its southern entrance, patrolling its main streets towards the eastern neighborhood, the Shahid intersection, and Al-Muqata'a Street, reaching the vicinity of Tulkarm camp.

She added that Tulkarm city witnessed today the movement of occupation vehicles and infantry units through various neighborhoods, amidst the heavy firing of sound bombs, which hindered the movement of citizens and vehicles.

Occupation soldiers also forced shop owners in the western neighborhood, the old Nablus Garage Street, and Al-Haddadeen Street to close their shops after raiding a number of them and interrogating those inside at gunpoint.

In the same context, occupation forces continued today to force residents to evacuate their homes around Jabal al-Nasr and the western area of Nour Shams camp, amid the ongoing aggression on the camp for the 72nd consecutive day.

A child was shot with live ammunition and several other citizens suffered suffocation on Monday evening during an Israeli occupation forces raid on the town of Idhna, west of Hebron.

According to local sources, the occupation forces stormed the town of Idhna, firing live bullets, sound bombs and toxic gas at citizens, which led to a 16-year-old child being injured by live bullets in the stomach, after which he was transferred to the hospital. In addition, a number of citizens suffered from suffocation and were treated in the field, while the occupation soldiers detained a young man after his injury, the nature of which was unknown.

The occupation soldiers, who were stationed in the center of the town, also forced shop owners to close their shops.

Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee confirmed in a statement from the Morag axis that the current objective of the ongoing military operation in the Gaza Strip is to increase pressure on Hamas and work to bring down its military and governmental regime in the Gaza Strip. He emphasized that the "ultimate goal" for his army is to return the detainees from Gaza.

Adraee explained that the occupation army is operating simultaneously in the north and south of the Gaza Strip and continues to target Hamas's infrastructure, noting multiple achievements above and below ground, along with ongoing targeting of the movement's leaders.

He claimed that the occupation forces had killed the fifth commander of the Shujaiya Battalion in recent days, stressing that there was currently no replacement for him within the battalion. He pledged to continue eliminating every Hamas commander as part of ongoing military operations.

He added that the Israeli occupation army has relied on the element of ambiguity since the beginning of the operation, describing it as not just a slogan but an operational concept aimed at preventing Hamas from knowing the army's movements and plans.

He pointed out that the occupation forces will continue to surprise the movement in other areas within the Gaza Strip and will keep it under constant pressure. He emphasized that the army will pursue Hamas members wherever they are, even outside the Gaza Strip, vowing not to stop "until all detainees are returned, alive or dead."

A citizen was killed and five others were injured this Monday evening, as a result of an Israeli airstrike targeting the Al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

Medical sources at Al-Awda Hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp reported the arrival of one martyr and five wounded as a result of Israeli occupation aircraft bombing a group of citizens in the Block 4 area, near the Grand Mosque in the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

Earlier today, nine civilians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the cities of Khan Yunis and Gaza.

In another context, our correspondents reported the arrival of ten Palestinian prisoners to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, via the Red Cross, after their release from Israeli occupation prisons (Sadeh Teiman) through the Kosefim Gate east of Deir al-Balah.

The death toll from the Israeli occupation's aggression on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, has risen to 51,240 dead and 116,931 wounded.

Axios reported, citing two sources, that US President Donald Trump intends to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to discuss the Gaza ceasefire, the hostage deal, and the nuclear talks with Iran.

This call comes three days after Hamas rejected an Israeli proposal for a temporary ceasefire, and two days after Iran and the United States began a new round of nuclear talks in Rome.

It is noteworthy that Trump and Netanyahu met at the White House two weeks ago.

A child from the town of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, was injured on Monday by live bullets during clashes with the occupation forces in the town.

According to local sources, the occupation forces, which were in the town during the demolition of a six-story residential building, fired live bullets at citizens, including school students. A 16-year-old student was injured by a live bullet in his foot and was transferred to the Hebron Governmental Hospital for treatment.

The Israeli army announced on Sunday that it had taken significantly less punitive measures against the soldiers who perpetrated the massacre in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood west of Rafah on March 23, which resulted in the deaths of 15 relief workers, including eight Palestinian Red Crescent paramedics, six Civil Defense rescue personnel, and a United Nations employee. These measures include recording a note in the file of the commander of the 14th Brigade and removing the deputy commander of the Golani Company from his position due to his responsibility as the force's field commander and his submission of a false report to the investigation team.

The investigation concluded that the decision to evacuate the bodies was reasonable given the circumstances, while the decision to crush the vehicles was wrong. Ironically, the Israeli army decided to keep the vehicles and crush them, while the bodies of the martyrs were hidden and buried while they were bound.

The IDF investigation revealed that the shooting in the first two incidents was carried out due to a mistaken operational perception on the part of the Israeli force, after they assessed that there was a real threat from an enemy force.

Despite this, the army, which is investigating itself, has decided not to put the soldiers on trial or hold them accountable. It has merely decided to dismiss one officer from military service. The army is unwilling to open a criminal investigation into the massacre perpetrated by the soldiers, who lied and distorted the facts.

Although eyewitness accounts after the massacre revealed that the Israeli army executed the Palestinian rescue crews by shooting them in the chest and head before burying them in a mass grave, autopsies clearly revealed that they had been shot in the upper body and then buried.

In an article published in Haaretz earlier this month, which exposed the Israeli narrative as false, the army's account was refuted, stating, "Here lies the lie." This came after an Israeli army spokesperson announced that the Chief of Staff had completed an initial investigation into the shooting of Palestinian medical workers in Rafah. The initial investigation revealed that the force had opened fire in response to a perceived threat based on a previous confrontation in the area.

After the New York Times published a video clip from a cell phone found on the body of one of the martyrs, which completely contradicted the army's initial account and exposed its falsity, the claims made in the Israeli army's response were revealed to be false. They were that the vehicles in the convoy that the soldiers fired on were not marking themselves with flashing lights, as is required for rescue vehicles. The video clearly showed that the lights were indeed working.

This lie is part of a series of propaganda policies and lies practiced by the Israeli government and army throughout the war of annihilation, ignoring the crimes committed in the Gaza Strip. The article quotes a senior Israeli army officer as saying that the narrative coming from the field has brought us all down. Now, the video reveals that the chain of command simply lied.

Since the beginning of the war of extermination, Israel has committed war crimes and continues to do so, despite the International Criminal Court's prosecutor issuing arrest warrants for both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes in the Gaza Strip. This has not deterred Israel from halting the war, which continues with the support of the United States and some European countries, which granted Netanyahu immunity during his trip to Hungary earlier this month.

What Israel is doing, according to the Military Advocate General, is that if action is necessary, disciplinary measures must be taken against soldiers. These measures are administrative, and they are the common punishment in the Israeli army after an investigation.

This is what happened in all the crimes committed, an example of which is the flour massacre at the Nabulsi Junction west of Gaza City, which occurred in February 2024, in which the Israeli army committed a massacre, during which approximately 104 civilians were killed and 760 others were injured.

At the time, Israel claimed that dozens of Palestinians were killed in a stampede when large crowds tried to seize food supplies from a convoy of 30 trucks carrying flour toward northern Gaza.

The Israeli military later retracted its initial investigation, claiming that the stampede caused significant harm to civilians, that soldiers had indeed opened fire on some who approached and posed a threat, and that a tank had also fired warning shots to disperse suspects. This was also the case in the attack on the World Central Kitchen charity convoy, which resulted in the deaths of five foreign aid workers.

Israel's history is replete with violations of international law and international humanitarian law. During previous cycles of Israeli aggression, no Israeli officials were held accountable. The international community failed to hold Israel accountable, and it failed to implement the recommendations of the commissions of inquiry formed by the UN Human Rights Council. These commissions deemed the Israeli military's investigations into suspected war crimes void.

Israel has a different understanding of the interpretation of international law, and the Israeli military's establishment of committees to investigate itself is an attempt to circumvent the possible outcome of international investigation committees formed by the United Nations to investigate the Israeli military's commission of war crimes.

Israel is proceeding with its own military investigation to avoid having Israeli officials summoned to the International Criminal Court, according to recommendations from a number of Israeli international law professors. This is in accordance with the "principle of complementarity" in international law, which stipulates that international or foreign judicial bodies shall not interfere in the investigation of suspected war crimes if the state directly involved in the events demonstrates the ability and willingness to conduct a serious investigation into the suspicions. In other words, an international judicial body replaces a domestic judicial body only as a last resort, and only if the state is unable or unwilling to carry out its duty to investigate and ensure that the perpetrators of crimes are brought to justice.

The Ministry of Health announced, Monday evening, the death of a citizen in the town of Sinjil, north of Ramallah.

The ministry said that citizen Wael Basem Muhammad Ghafri (48 years old) died as a result of suffocation from the toxic gas fired by the Israeli occupation forces while providing protection to dozens of settlers who stormed the town of Sinjil, north of Ramallah.

Today, Monday, settlers attacked the town of Sinjil, north of Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate, burning homes and property of citizens.

Eyewitnesses said that a group of settlers attacked a hill separating the villages of Sinjil and the neighboring eastern farm, and burned down a farmhouse under the protection of the Israeli occupation army.

They added that clashes erupted in the town with the occupation army, which provided protection to the settlers and fired live ammunition at civilians with the help of armed settlers. No injuries were reported, but dozens of residents suffered from suffocation from tear gas fired at them.

Later, the Ministry of Health announced the death of citizen Wael Basem Muhammad Ghafri (48 years old) as a result of suffocation from toxic gas fired by the occupation forces in the town of Sinjil.

Eyewitnesses said that about 20 settlers stormed the town in the Khirbet al-Tall area late last night. In the morning, when the townspeople headed to the site of the khirbet, the settlers attacked them, bringing in more settlers, numbering about 200. They burned a farm owned by Mohammed Ghafri, a workshop under construction, and three barns. They also stole 45 heads of sheep and killed a number of them.

He added that one of the owners of the burned farms suffered a heart attack after he was assaulted, beaten in the face and sprayed with toxic gas.

It's worth noting that settlers have established 60 settlement outposts in the West Bank since the start of the war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, including 51 outposts in 2024, according to data from the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission.

Israeli settlement violations in the West Bank have led to the displacement of 29 Palestinian communities, comprising 311 families with a population of approximately 2,000, between October 7, 2023, and the end of 2024, according to the Commission.

Nine civilians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the cities of Khan Yunis and Gaza in the Gaza Strip.

According to local sources, Israeli aircraft bombed the home of the Baraka family in the Al-Zana area of Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, killing four civilians and wounding others.

Four citizens were also killed when the occupation forces bombed a number of tents near Al-Jazeera Club in central Gaza City.

A citizen was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Salah al-Din Street, opposite al-Awda Mosque, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip.

China on Monday denounced countries that are practicing "appeasement" with the United States in trade negotiations over US tariffs, stressing that it "firmly opposes" any agreement that harms its interests.

Washington imposed tariffs of 145% on most Chinese goods, and even 245% on some products, such as electric cars.

In response, China imposed 125% tariffs on US products and said it would continue the trade war "until the end."

However, other US trading partners affected by the 10% additional tariffs benefited from a 90-day suspension of much higher tariffs. Several countries are currently negotiating with the United States to reduce these tariffs.

Beijing responded on Monday by warning these countries against any agreement with the United States that would harm their interests.

"De-escalation will not bring peace, and concessions will not be respected," a Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesman was responding to a question about the possibility of Washington asking some countries to limit their trade with China in exchange for exemption from US tariffs, according to the statement.

He added that his country "strongly opposes any party reaching an agreement at the expense of China's interests."

He stressed that "if a similar situation occurs, China will never accept it and will take firm countermeasures in response."

China's Ministry of Commerce warned in its statement that "pursuing temporary selfish interests at the expense of others' interests... will ultimately fail and harm others."

These statements come on the heels of several indications of significant progress in negotiations between Washington and its trading partners in the region.

South Korea announced that its finance and trade ministers will travel to Washington this week for high-level trade talks.

The country is particularly concerned that Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Auto would suffer a severe blow if the White House carries out its threats.

Last week, Japan's tariff envoy, Ryusei Akazawa, traveled to Washington, where he held talks with US President Donald Trump.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba asserted on Saturday that the talks between Japan and the United States could serve as a "model for the world."

"The fact that President Trump personally intervened to negotiate with the Japanese envoy shows that he places importance on dialogue with Japan," he told Parliament on Monday.

He pointed out that "Japan is an ally of the United States and the largest investor and job creator in the country."

Japanese media reported that Tokyo may offer concessions by increasing its imports of American soybeans and rice, or even relaxing auto safety standards.

But the Japanese Prime Minister stressed on Monday that he refuses to accept anything that would harm "safety."

US Vice President J.D. Vance arrived in India on Monday for a four-day visit focused on trade, as New Delhi attempts to negotiate US tariffs on its products.

These talks contrast with the test of strength between China and the United States, which has roiled financial markets and raised fears of a global recession.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday reiterated his condemnation of "unilateralism and trade protectionism," calling for "openness" and "mutual benefit," in a statement made in the presence of his Indonesian counterpart, who is visiting Beijing.

He added, "The misuse of customs duties causes tremendous harm to normal economic and trade exchanges between countries."

The US President announced on Thursday that his country is holding talks with China regarding tariffs.

"Yes, we are talking to China," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, noting that Beijing had contacted Washington "many times."

"I think we will make a very good deal with China," he added.

The Chinese government did not immediately confirm the talks, but has repeatedly called for "dialogue" based on "equality."

A child was injured on Monday by Israeli occupation forces' bullets in the town of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron.

According to the Red Crescent, their crews dealt with a live bullet injury to the thigh of a 16-year-old child who was injured in Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, and he is being transferred to the hospital.

The Commission of Prisoners' Affairs and Ex-Prisoners said in a statement on Monday that female prisoners at Damon Prison are suffering from inhumane and extremely difficult detention conditions. The food is poor in both quantity and quality, causing digestive system problems for the prisoners, and all of them have lost significant weight.

The Commission's lawyer, citing the female prisoners who were visited, said that prisoner Karam Muhammad Musa, 53 years old, from the town of Sarra/Nablus, was arrested on 2/25/2025. She suffered from difficult detention conditions, as she was detained in a blood-stained, extremely dirty cell, unfit for human habitation, with no place to pray, without food, and with a small mattress that she and another female prisoner took turns on.

Prisoner Karam indicated that the food provided to her after her interrogation later caused her constipation and was insufficient for the number of prisoners in the room. The prison administration provides one plate of legumes for eight prisoners, and the duration of the break is limited to one hour, which the prisoners use to shower.

In the same context, prisoner Hanin Muhammad Jaber (44 years old) from Nour Shams camp lost eight kilograms of her weight during five months of detention due to malnutrition. She was arrested on 12/3/2024 while she was on an outing with her children in the park, on charges of sheltering and feeding her son, as the occupation authorities claim that he is “wanted” by them.

As for the prisoner Fidaa Suhail Asaf (49) years old from the town of Kafr Laqif/Qalqilya, she has been suffering from blood cancer for a year - that is, before her arrest, and the occupation forces raided her home on 02/24/2025 and arrested her on the pretext of incitement via social media sites - Facebook - after which she was investigated and transferred to Al-Damon prison, and she has a court session on 05/21/2025.

Note that her health condition is stable and she has been taking the required medications regularly for two weeks.

The Commission’s lawyer also visited prisoner Shahd Majed Hassan (23 years old) from Ramallah, who has been detained since 03/05/2025 and was sentenced to 4 months of administrative detention.

In this context, the prisoner says: “I was arrested from my home, then transferred to Ofer Prison, then to Beit El, then to Sharon for one night, and then to Damon Prison. It was a journey of torture, as the treatment was very bad. I remained handcuffed the entire time, and was subjected to insults and humiliations along the way.”