Palestinians fight for their lives and their stolen lands

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Tens of thousands join huge
Berlin protest to end Gaza war

Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched through the streets of the German capital on Saturday to demand that Israel halt its military campaign in Gaza

Large crowds waved Palestinian flags and banners reading “Free Palestine” and “Food and water are human rights” as they marched from Berlin’s town hall.

“Today we can send a signal that the majority, who are against Israel’s policies and against this genocide, are visible on the streets and can take action,” Dustin Hirschfeld, who took part in the “Together for Gaza” demonstration, told AFP.

The protesters finished their march at Berlin’s Victory Column monument, the site of a rally and concert by rappers and hip-hop artists.

Police estimated some 60,000 people took part in both the march and the rally, which was organized by Die Linke political party and civil society groups. Organizers put the figure at around 100,000.

About 1,800 police were deployed to monitor the protests.

Die Linke party has accused the German government of staying largely silent as the humanitarian situation worsens in Gaza.

The government “must finally take action and increase pressure on the Israeli government to force it to change course,” the party urged, as it called for people to join the protest.

The huge demonstration highlights growing anger and the shifting public mood in Germany.

Israel has historically enjoyed widespread support in Germany, and Berlin, at pains to atone for the Holocaust, is one of its staunchest allies.

But as the military campaign has ground on, international outrage has grown.

Berlin has stepped up criticism -- Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced in August that his government was going to restrict weapons sales to Israel.

However critics argue Merz has not gone far enough

Germany has so far baulked at sanctioning Israel, and has signaled it is not ready to recognize a Palestinian state, unlike many of its Western allies.

Israel’s offensive has killed more than 65,926 Palestinians, also mostly civilians, according to health ministry figures in the territory that the United Nations considers reliable

Israeli tanks move deeper into Gaza, medics say many injured remain trapped

Over 66,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel-Hamas war

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Israeli tanks move deeper into Gaza
medics say many injured remain trapped

Israeli tanks moved deeper into Gaza City’s residential districts on Sunday, as local health authorities said they have been unable to respond to dozens of desperate calls, expressing concern about the fate of residents in the targeted areas

Witnesses and medics said Israeli tanks had deepened their incursions in the Sabra, Tel Al-Hawa, Sheikh Radwan and Al-Naser neighborhoods, closing in on the heart and the western areas of Gaza City, where hundreds of thousands of people are sheltering.

The Israeli military launched its long-threatened ground offensive on Gaza City on September 16 after weeks of intensifying strikes on the urban center, forcing hundreds of Palestinians to flee although many still remain.

Trump scheduled to meet Netanyahu

Hamas, which Israel has demanded must surrender, said on Sunday it had not received a new proposal from mediators, after US President Donald Trump said Friday that “a deal on Gaza” seemed likely. Trump is scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday.

A spokesperson for the US Embassy in Israel separately said that Ambassador Mike Huckabee would travel to Egypt to meet with Egyptian officials “as part of regular diplomatic consultations conducted between US embassies in the region.”

Egypt is among those mediating between Israel and Hamas

The Civil Emergency Service in Gaza said late on Saturday that Israel had denied 73 requests, sent via international organizations, to rescue injured Palestinians in Gaza City.

Israeli authorities had no immediate comment. The military earlier said forces were expanding operations in the city and that five militants firing an anti-tank missile towards Israeli troops had been killed by the Israeli air force.
At least five killed in air strike

Over the past 24 hours, the air force had struck 140 military targets across Gaza, including militants and what it described as military infrastructure, the military said.

At least five people were killed in an air strike in Gaza’s Al Naser area, local health authorities said. Medics reported 16 more deaths in strikes on houses in central Gaza, bringing Sunday’s death toll to at least 21.

Later on Sunday, the Gaza health ministry said in a statement that at least 77 people have been killed by Israeli fire in the past 24 hours.

Israel’s military siege has caused a humanitarian catastrophe across Gaza. Four health facilities in Gaza City have shut down this month, the World Health Organization has said. Some malnutrition centers have also closed, the UN says.

Thousands remain in Gaza City

The World Food Program estimates that between 350,000 and 400,000 Palestinians have fled Gaza City since last month, although hundreds of thousands remain. The Israeli military estimates that around a million Palestinians were still in Gaza City in August.

Israeli forces have killed more than 66,000 Palestinians in the enclave, according to Gaza’s health authorities, displaced the entire population, and crippled the territory’s health system.

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Over half a million Palestinians trapped in Gaza City

Around 70,000 Palestinians are crammed into each square kilometer

Around 500,000 Palestinians remain trapped in Gaza City, confined to an area of just eight square kilometers, stated the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). The agency described the situation as a severe Gaza City humanitarian crisis, warning of dire consequences if an immediate ceasefire is not implemented.

“In Gaza City, around half a million Palestinians remain trapped in an area of less than eight square kilometers,” said UNRWA spokesman Adnan Abu Hasna, in remarks posted by the agency on X.

“Around 70,000 people will be crammed into each square kilometer. There’s no space for a single tent. Tens of thousands of families are left without shelter on the streets,” he added.

Israel expands occupation strategy amid international alarm

Gaza City, which covers 74.6 square kilometers, has been the focal point of Israel’s latest military campaign. Since August, the Israeli government has been carrying out a declared plan to fully occupy the city. According to recent developments, the occupation forces now control most of the urban area and are gradually expanding their presence.

The UNRWA Gaza update raises alarm over the situation of Palestinians trapped in the north, with nearly no access to safe zones, food, or shelter.

Famine, disease haunt the displaced

Abu Hasna stressed that famine has begun to follow displaced families as they flee from Gaza City toward central and southern areas of the Gaza Strip. He underlined the urgent need for unrestricted humanitarian access to alleviate the worsening situation.

Since March 2, Israel has fully sealed off Gaza’s border crossings, effectively blocking food and aid convoys. This has deepened famine conditions and led to further displacement, exacerbating the spread of disease and malnutrition.

Only sporadic and limited humanitarian supplies are allowed in, with many shipments reportedly looted by armed groups that Gaza authorities accuse Israel of backing or shielding.

UN calls for immediate ceasefire, aid access

The UNRWA spokesman reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire and the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid. He emphasized that without urgent international intervention, the Palestinian displacement crisis would reach catastrophic proportions.

The Gaza famine of 2025 is now a pressing concern, with food insecurity rapidly escalating and medical infrastructure already decimated.

Since October 2023, the Israeli military has killed over 66,000 Palestinians in Gaza, the majority of whom are women and children. The relentless bombardment has rendered the enclave uninhabitable, leading to mass starvation and a breakdown in civil order.

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IOF kill mother and her six children in Gaza
death toll surpasses 66,000

The Israeli occupation continues committing horrific massacres across Gaza, killing dozens and injuring hundreds every day

The Israeli occupation continues its genocidal war and starvation campaign against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, killing dozens and injuring hundreds on a daily basis.

Israeli forces bombed a home west of Deir al-Balah, committing a massacre that left a mother and her six children martyred.

In a separate incident, six other citizens were martyred and several wounded after the Israeli occupation targeted aid distribution centers in the central Gaza Strip once again.

Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza reported on Tuesday that 50 Palestinians, most of them starving civilians in the central Gaza Strip, were martyred since dawn.

Deah toll soars past 66,000

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, 42 martyrs and 190 injuries arrived at hospitals in the past 24 hours. The Ministry’s daily report confirmed that the total number of martyrs since the start of Israel’s war of genocide has reached 66,097, with 168,536 others injured.

Since the collapse of the ceasefire on March 18, Israel has killed 13,229 Palestinians and injured 56,495 others.

The Ministry also reported that Israeli occupation forces killed five Palestinians and injured 56 others while they waited to receive humanitarian aid at allocated sites. This brings the total death toll arsising from aid massacres to 2,576 martyrs and 18,873 injuries.

Meanwhile, 453 Palestinians have been starved to death, including 150 children, as a result of the suffocating and fatal Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip, which has blocked the entry of essentials needed to counter the lethal impact of malnutrition that has infested the Palestinian territory.

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Gaza Women Coerced into Sexual
Exploitation Amid Food Crisis

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Women in Gaza have told The Associated Press that some local men, including individuals associated with aid organizations, have exploited the humanitarian crisis by offering food, money, or jobs in exchange for sexual interactions

The revelations come as Gaza struggles under nearly two years of war, with widespread displacement and mounting humanitarian needs. The AP report detailed accounts from six women, all speaking anonymously for fear of social stigma, retaliation, or exposure, who described being coerced or solicited for sexual favors while trying to access aid.

One 38-year-old mother of six told AP that a man promising her a six-month contract with an aid agency instead drove her to an empty apartment, forced her to remove her headscarf, and pressured her into a sexual encounter.

She said he gave her modest money and food afterward, but the promised employment did not materialize for weeks.

“I had to play along because I was scared, I wanted out of this place,” she told AP.

Other women recounted similar experiences, including men who used culturally coded language such as proposals of marriage or invitations to accompany them somewhere, while some asked explicitly for sexual favors.

Psychologists and human rights workers cited in the AP report said cases of exploitation and sexual abuse have risen sharply as the humanitarian crisis worsens.

“It’s a horrible reality that humanitarian crises make people vulnerable in many ways — increased sexual violence is often a consequence,” said Heather Barr, associate director for the women’s rights division at Human Rights Watch

Aid Organizations Respond

According to the AP report, several aid organizations, including the Women’s Affairs Center and the Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) network, confirmed awareness of such incidents.

UNRWA, the United Nations agency responsible for Palestinian refugees, said it maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward sexual exploitation and takes every report seriously, although it declined to comment on individual cases.

The PSEA network told AP that survivors can report incidents anonymously and are never required to provide proof. Still, limited connectivity, displacement, and fear of social stigma make reporting and documenting exploitation difficult in Gaza.

The exploitation coincides with a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where more than 90% of the population has been displaced and food insecurity has grown dramatically.

Gaza’s Health Ministry, run by Hamas, reported more than 66,000 fatalities since the conflict began, with women and children comprising around half. No neutral professional institution confirmed these data, announced by Hamas.

A Growing and Underreported Problem

Psychologists and women’s groups cited in AP reports said cases of sexual exploitation have increased compared with pre-war years, when such incidents were reported only once or twice a year.

In the current crisis, women are navigating impossible choices while attempting to secure basic necessities.

One 29-year-old mother told AP that a man linked to aid repeatedly called her last fall, insisting she marry him in exchange for food for her children. She blocked his number, but the calls persisted from other phones.

“I felt completely humiliated,” she said. “If I didn’t do it, who would [help my children]?”

According to AP, the accounts represent only a fraction of incidents, with experts warning that sexual exploitation in conflict zones is vastly under-reported.

Aid workers and psychologists said that in Gaza’s conservative society, reporting sexual abuse carries immense social risk.

Despite the trauma, women described striving to maintain dignity amid ongoing violence and displacement. They continue to seek aid for their families while navigating a complex environment in which humanitarian assistance, already scarce, is entangled with exploitation.

As the war in Gaza drags on and humanitarian needs deepen, questions remain about whether international diplomatic efforts can offer real protection for vulnerable women.

Activists wonder if President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, which aims to broker a ceasefire and address the broader conflict, could provide not only a halt to violence but also safeguards against the exploitation and abuse highlighted in these accounts.

For many women in Gaza, dignity and access to aid remain as urgent as the promise of peace itself.

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Israeli occupation regime navy raid
Gaza Flotilla's Alma, Sirius ships

The Gaza solidarity flotilla says Israeli forces boarded ships, seized vessels, and forced aid boats toward Asdod in what it calls an act of piracy

The Global Sumud Flotilla issued a statement on Wednesday accusing Israeli occupation forces of carrying out an “illegal interception and act of piracy” against its aid ships bound for Gaza. The flotilla stressed that its destination was the besieged enclave, not Israeli ports, contrary to claims made by the Israeli navy.

According to the statement, onboard cameras were disabled and Israeli soldiers boarded several ships, ordering the flotilla to divert toward the port of occupied Asdod under the pretext of inspecting humanitarian supplies

The flotilla reported that the Israeli occupation declared a state of emergency on the vessels, jamming communication systems and disabling surveillance cameras. Contact was lost with several ships, while four naval mines were detected nearby, and more than 20 Israeli warships were seen surrounding the flotilla.

Israeli media confirms seizures

Israeli media outlets reported that naval forces boarded multiple boats, seizing the vessels Alma and Sirius and arresting participants on board, citing claims that they were being redirected to occupied Asdod.

Despite this, the captain of the Alma insisted that the flotilla would continue its journey to Gaza. Meanwhile, the International Committee to Break the Siege of Gaza said Israeli boats were encircling the ships and announced the activation of an emergency operations room to monitor developments, alongside a solidarity event in Cairo.

Mohammed Qutaish, coordinator of the Dutch delegation, accused Israeli forces of carrying out “intimidation maneuvers” around the flotilla in an effort to spread fear among participants.

Flotilla prepares for worst-case scenario

Members of the Global Sumud Flotilla told Al Mayadeen on Wednesday that their ships are now about 100 miles from Gaza and are expected to reach the blockaded strip's shores at around 5 am, according to international law expert Lina Tabbal.

Tabbal warned that Israeli forces are likely to pursue the flotilla by nightfall, stressing that “worst-case scenarios” remain possible. She said drones have been circling over the ships continuously, and that Israeli forces may attempt to storm the vessels and use stun grenades against activists. Any such action, she added, would constitute “piracy and a violation of international law.”

Flotilla under surveillance

Youssef Ajissa, deputy head of the International Committee to Break the Siege of Gaza, said the flotilla is now “within a stone’s throw” of waters claimed by the Israeli occupation as a war zone. He described the previous night as “dangerous” for the ships and warned that the coming hours could also bring heightened risks.

The committee’s official account on X confirmed that the flotilla expects to arrive in Gaza within 12 hours, while Al Mayadeen continues to monitor developments closely

Earlier, the flotilla reported what it called a “serious act of aggression” by Israeli naval forces at dawn on Wednesday. According to the statement, the ship Alma was chased and harassed for several minutes by an Israeli warship, which remotely disabled its communication systems, including the internal closed-circuit broadcast.

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40+ Gaza-bound Sumud Flotilla ships
hijacked by Israelis and forced to Isdud

The Israeli Navy seizes over 40 Global Sumud Flotilla boats, blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza amid ongoing siege and famine

The Israeli Navy has seized over 40 boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla, preventing life-saving humanitarian aid from Palestinians in Gaza, as Israel sustains its illegal siege and engineered famine in the Strip.

The International Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza announced that the Omar Al-Mukhtar, a ship from the Global Sumud Flotilla, lost all communication after Israeli naval vessels hijacked it off the coast of the Gaza Strip, with the disruption in contact being caused by signal jamming from Israeli forces.

Meanwhile, navigational data showed that the Mikeno vessel had in fact entered the territorial waters of the Gaza Strip, bringing it to within approximately 9 nautical miles of the coast.

Israel seizes 40 boats, leads them to Isdud Port

The Israeli Navy, including its elite Shayetet 13 unit, had raided more than 40 boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla, Israeli Kan military correspondent Itay Blumenthal reported on Thursday.

He added that the hundreds of participants from the flotilla were transported to the port of Isdud, where they are being given the choice between voluntary deportation or undergoing legal procedures for forced repatriation to their home countries. They are expected to arrive at the port by noon today.

Blumenthal also noted that four boats from the flotilla remain stranded at sea due to technical and engine failures, confirming that if they do not turn back or cease their course, they will be arrested or towed by Israeli forces.

Israeli naval and commando forces are continuing their extensive search operations across the area to ensure that not a single ship manages to reach the Gaza shoreline.

Protests, strikes overtake the world

Israel's action against the flotilla has sparked global popular outrage, with demonstrations, protests, and strikes being announced in numerous countries.

Across Europe, from Greece to Spain, Sweden, Belgium, and Italy, thousands took to the streets, with Italy's largest trade union federation in Rome announcing a nationwide general strike for next Friday to protest the seizure.

In Germany, demonstrators blocked the central train station, while in Geneva, Switzerland, calls were launched for mobilizations condemning the attack on the flotilla.

In London, thousands marched toward the prime minister's residence while chanting slogans against the Israeli occupation. Similar rallies took place in Canada and Argentina, with the latter seeing demonstrators gathering in Buenos Aires to denounce the aggression.

Turkish cities, led by Istanbul, witnessed mass demonstrations condemning the Israeli Navy’s assault on the flotilla, while in Tunis, large crowds rallied in support of Gaza and against normalization with the occupation. In Nouakchott, Mauritania, protesters also gathered, underscoring the widespread rejection of the attack across Arab capitals.

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Israeli roads in West Bank trap
Palestinians as settlements expand

As Trump promotes his Gaza plan, Palestinians in the West Bank endure raids, arrests, killings, and expanding settlements that deepen mistrust of US promises

As US President Donald Trump this week announced what he claimed was a plan to end the war on Gaza and raised the prospect of a future Palestinian state, Palestinians in the occupied West Bank were witnessing a very different reality, Reuters reported.

In Beit Ur al-Fauqa, Palestinians saw Israeli bulldozers escorted by armed guards cutting through the surrounding land to pave new roads for Israeli settlements, routes that locals say will further restrict Palestinian movement and deepen their isolation

“This is to prevent the residents from reaching and using this land,” said Ashraf Samara, a member of the village council. The new roads, he added, would effectively “trap the villages and the residential communities” by fencing Palestinians into their immediate areas.

Each new road makes travel easier for settlers but harder for Palestinians, who are largely barred from using such routes. Villagers face mounting obstacles in reaching workplaces, nearby towns, or even their farmland.

Recognition abroad, expansion on the ground

The construction comes as several major European nations, including Britain and France, recently joined a growing list of states formally recognizing Palestinian statehood. Yet on the ground, settlement expansion in the West Bank has accelerated under Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government while the genocide in Gaza drags on.

Palestinians and most of the international community regard the settlements as illegal under international law.

Hagit Ofran, an activist with the Israeli group Peace Now, said the new network of roads near Beit Ur al-Fauqa was part of a broader strategy. “They are doing it in order to set facts on the ground. As much as they have the power, they will spend the money,” she said, noting that Israel has earmarked seven billion shekels ($2.11 billion) for West Bank roadbuilding since October 2023.

The settlement infrastructure, roads, bypasses, and other links occupied by "Israel" have steadily extended since Palestine was occupied in the June 1967 war. In a 2004 report, Israeli rights group B’Tselem described this system as Israel’s Discriminatory Road Regime, arguing it was designed to restrict Palestinian urban development.

Wider context

Netanyahu himself has openly rejected the idea of Palestinian sovereignty. Just weeks before Trump announced his Gaza plan, the Israeli prime minister said, “There will never be a Palestinian state,” while approving settlement expansion between Maale Adumim and the occupied al-Quds. His finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, was even blunter, declaring that the project would “bury” the prospect of statehood

Trump’s proposal, which Netanyahu endorsed, includes a roadmap toward Palestinian statehood, but analysts note that the conditions attached make such an outcome highly uncertain.

For activists like Ofran, the intent is clear. “What the government is now doing is setting the infrastructure for the million settlers that they want to attract to the West Bank,” she said. “Without roads, they cannot do it. If you have a road, eventually, almost naturally, the settlers will come.”

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Israel abducts and detains
443 Gaza flotilla activists

World leaders rush to condemn Israel's seizure of the Global Sumud Flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza

The Global Sumud Flotilla reported that Israeli occupation forces intercepted the "peaceful convoy's ships" in international waters and subsequently abducted hundreds of volunteers.

According to the flotilla's report, more than 443 participants from 47 countries are now being detained illegally by Israeli authorities, after the fleet was seized. It called for urgent international intervention to ensure the safety of the volunteers detained by Israel and to secure their immediate release.

In contrast, the Israeli occupation's Foreign Ministry stated that "none of the ships in the Gaza aid flotilla succeeded in their attempt to reach the sector," adding that "only one ship remains at a distance, and if it attempts to violate the Gaza blockade, it will be intercepted as well."

The Foreign Ministry claimed that the flotilla participants are in good condition and are being taken to Israeli ports for deportation to Europe.

World leaders condemn Israel's piracy and abductions

The hijacking of the Global Sumud Flotilla ships, which were meant to deliver life-saving aid to Gaza after more than 7 months of a brutal Israeli siege that has led to an engineered famine in the territory, has led to a diplomatic and public outcry.

While Israel's action against the flotilla has sparked global popular outrage, with demonstrations, protests, and strikes being announced in numerous countries, it has instigated condemnations by world leaders and representatives
Flotilla seizure exposes the 'criminal face' of Netanyahu, Israeli government: Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday condemned Israel's "act of piracy" against the global Sumud humanitarian flotilla en route to Gaza to deliver aid to "oppressed Palestinians".

Israel's attack on civilians in international waters proves that "the genocide apparatus is in a state of frenzy to conceal its crimes in Gaza," Erdogan said during his address at the Justice and Development (AK) Party provincial heads meeting.

"The genocidal Netanyahu government cannot tolerate even the slightest chance for peace to take hold," Erdogan further said.

"Global Sumud Flotilla has once again shown the world the brutality in Gaza and Israel’s murderous face," he added.

"We will not abandon our Palestinian brothers and sisters and will work with all our might to secure a ceasefire and restore peace," he vowed.

Turkish authorities are monitoring the developments and taking measures to ensure that citizens aboard the flotilla are not harmed, Erdogan stressed.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it is closely monitoring the situation of its citizens who were aboard the ships that were raided by Israeli forces while en route to the Gaza Strip.

Arab, Asian countries emphasize safety of activists aboard flotilla

Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah al-Yahya also stressed that his country is exerting all possible efforts to ensure the safety and secure release of its citizens who are among the Sumud Flotilla, while confirming that he is closely monitoring developments.

The Grand Mufti of the Sultanate of Oman, Sheikh Ahmad al-Khalili, declared that the Israeli entity's assault on the Sumud Flotilla necessitates a concerted effort from the free world to curb this brutal seizure, noting that the responsibility on the Arab-Islamic world has multiplied.

He described the Israeli raid on the flotilla as a transgression on service for the sake of humanity.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry, on the other hand, published a statement saying that it "emphasizes the importance of the safety of the participants in the flotilla heading toward Gaza and their immediate release from captivity."

Malaysian PM vows to hold Israel accountable

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has aligned himself with the global condemnation, joining protests against Israel seizing the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla, a vessel which included at least eight Malaysian nationals among its participants.

“I condemn in the strongest terms Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla. These vessels carried unarmed civilians and life-saving humanitarian supplies for Gaza, yet they were met with intimidation and coercion,” the Malaysian PM stated on Thursday.

He said his country will use all available means to hold the occupation accountable for its detention of the Malaysian nationals aboard the ships.

"This is very disheartening – that a peaceful humanitarian aid for Gaza was not allowed. What’s even more painful is that the world is just watching. We are allowing Israel to carry out this aggressive action," PM Anwar added.

Europe concerned over Israel's actions

Additionally, the UK Foreign Office expressed deep concern over Israel's seizure of the aid flotilla bound for Gaza, stating it has told Israeli authorities that a safe resolution to the situation is essential.

The Ministry clarified in a statement that it is in contact with the families of several British citizens participating in the flotilla, emphasizing that the humanitarian aid carried by the flotilla must be handed over to international organizations on the ground to ensure its safe delivery to Gaza.

On his part, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced that "Israel" has detained 22 Italians who were part of the Sumud Flotilla, confirming that they will be deported to their country within days.

In a statement published on Thursday, the German Foreign Ministry called on Israel to treat those aboard the boats headed for Gaza well and in a proportionate manner.

Latin America stands against Israel's actions

Mexico’s Foreign Ministry issued a demand for the rights of its citizens aboard the flotilla to be respected, while the Brazilian government implored Israel to immediately and unconditionally lift all restrictions on the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

South Africa describes seizue as a 'crime against international solidarity'

Meanwhile, in the African continent, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stated on Thursday that Israel's interception of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla constitutes a "serious crime" against "global solidarity and the humanitarian sentiments aimed at alleviating the suffering" in the territory.

In his statement, Ramaphosa called on the Israeli authorities to immediately release the South African citizens and all others who were aboard the flotilla, including Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, the grandson of the late leader Nelson Mandela.

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'Never been worse':

UNICEF sounds alarm for Gaza’s mothers, infants

Overcrowded hospitals, vanishing supplies, and newborns sharing oxygen lines reveal a collapsing health system in Gaza, UN agencies warn

Mothers and newborns in Gaza are enduring unprecedented hardships as hospitals buckle under the strain of Israel’s latest aggression and dwindling medical supplies, the UN children’s agency said on Friday.

“The situation for mothers and newborns in Gaza has never been worse. In Nasser hospital, we're seeing hospital corridors lined with women who've just given birth,” UNICEF spokesperson James Elder told reporters in Geneva via video link from Gaza.

The World Health Organization echoed the alarm, warning that the enclave’s health system is on the brink of total collapse. Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative in the occupied Palestinian Territory, described Nasser Hospital as more crowded than he had ever seen, with patients arriving from Gaza City amid Israel’s aggression.

Israel has ordered the roughly one million residents of Gaza City to evacuate south, as it intensifies one of the largest offensives of the war this month. Officials say the operation is aimed at dismantling Hamas' strongholds in the territory’s most populous urban center.

Scenes inside al-Nasser Hospital

Inside al-Nasser, the scale of the crisis is stark. “Every corridor you see mattresses and patients on the floor. There's a huge increase,” Peeperkorn said.

Elder described mothers and newborns lying on the ground, with premature babies forced to share a single oxygen line. “They shared 20 minutes each. The other two children cry while the third child gets that oxygen for 20 minutes,” he said.

Only 14 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are even partially functional, according to the WHO. Supplies are running out fast.

“We see fast declining shortages of essential items such as dressing kits, gauzes... but also everything relates to blood supplies and transfusion kits,” Peeperkorn noted, citing ongoing delays in getting shipments through.

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In two years, Israel dropped
200,000 tons of explosives

As the Israeli genocide in Gaza enters its third year, officials warn of famine, disease, and the destruction of nearly all hospitals, schools, and homes under Israeli bombardment

The Gaza Government Media Office has released a new report marking two years since the start of what it described as an “ongoing Israeli genocide,” citing catastrophic levels of destruction, mass displacement, and tens of thousands of civilian killings across the besieged enclave.

According to the statement issued Sunday, more than 76,600 Palestinians have been killed or remain missing since the war began on October 7, 2023, when "Israel" launched a large-scale aggression on Gaza. Of those, 67,139 killings have been confirmed in hospitals, while nearly 9,500 people remain unaccounted for, many believed to be buried beneath the rubble.

Gaza authorities said that children, women, and the elderly make up more than half of the victims, with over 20,000 children and 12,500 women among the martyrs. The report described entire families wiped from the civil registry, stating that 2,700 families have been completely erased and over 6,000 others left with a single surviving member.

Two years of annihilation

The Media Office said "Israel’s" bombardment and ground offensives have destroyed nearly 90 percent of Gaza’s infrastructure, leaving the territory in “total humanitarian collapse.” It is estimated that over 80 percent of the Strip’s land is now under Israeli occupation, while more than 2 million civilians have been forcibly displaced, many multiple times.

The statement accused "Israel" of waging a campaign of “starvation and ethnic cleansing,” reporting that over 200,000 tons of explosives have been dropped on Gaza in two years. It added that the so-called “safe humanitarian zone” of al-Mawasi has been bombed more than 130 times.

Collapse of basic services

The Office’s figures highlight a humanitarian system on the brink. It reported that 38 hospitals and 96 clinics have been destroyed or rendered inoperable, while 197 ambulances were hit during Israeli strikes. More than 1,600 medical workers have been killed, alongside 254 journalists, 140 civil defense members, and 540 aid workers, according to the report.

With more than 169,000 people injured, officials said Gaza’s overwhelmed hospitals lack the capacity to provide adequate care. The report added that 22,000 patients approved for treatment abroad remain trapped inside Gaza, while 650,000 children face life-threatening hunger amid severe shortages of food, medicine, and infant formula.

International agencies have repeatedly warned of famine in parts of Gaza. The United Nations has said the territory’s 2.4 million residents are enduring “unprecedented levels of deprivation,” with nearly all dependent on humanitarian aid.

Education and culture in ruins

The Media Office said 95 percent of Gaza’s schools have been damaged, and 165 educational institutions completely destroyed. It reported the deaths of 13,500 students, 830 teachers, and nearly 200 academics and researchers.

Places of worship have also been heavily targeted, with the total destruction of 835 mosques and severe damage to several churches. Dozens of cemeteries have been bulldozed or bombed.

Furthermore, the Gaza authorities estimate direct losses across 15 sectors at $70 billion, including $28 billion in housing, $5 billion in health, and $4 billion in education. Nearly all farmland and fisheries have been wiped out, the report added, threatening long-term food security.

International calls for accountability

The report concluded by urging the international community to act “before Gaza disappears completely,” calling on world governments to pressure Israel to lift the blockade and allow unrestricted humanitarian access.

UN officials and human rights organizations have echoed calls for independent investigations into war crimes, though political divisions within the UN Security Council have repeatedly stalled resolutions demanding an end to the genocide.

As the war enters its third year, Gaza remains almost entirely in ruins, its people forcibly displaced, starved, and struggling to survive amid what local authorities describe as “730 days of killing and ethnic cleansing.”

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Two Years On:

The Palestinian Resistance continues to defy Israel’s occupation, reshaping the struggle for freedom in Gaza and reigniting the global decolonial movement

We've officially reached the second anniversary of October 7. Two years since the shock of the early morning videos of Palestinian Resistance fighters flying over the prison walls, which had isolated Gaza for decades.

Two years of war, the likes of which have never been documented for the world to see so clearly before.

Two years of international support and outcry, Western political gymnastics, and the shining light of honorable fighters willing to risk everything they have for freedom.

Two years of real-world results through the arms of the Resistance.

Prior to October 7, the freedom of Palestine was kept to papers being signed in international organizations without reasonable Palestinian involvement and skirmishes between an oppressive regime and those who seek a breath of fresh air.

What October 7 showed is that freedom is brought about through direct action, not by sitting back and waiting for the oppressive hand to stop beating you.

October 7 gave a nostalgic air to the decolonial cause, not seen on a mass scale since the Cuban and Algerian revolutions, which kicked out their oppressor by their own means and succeeded in bringing about sovereign nations capable of making their own decisions.

The sights from the early morning operations, to the continuous battles of liberation throughout these two years, solidified to the world that such movements are alive and well, and not just something to read about in the history books.

October 7 allowed for a shift in the Israel-Palestine narrative, showing that the underdog was still capable of confronting the regime that seeks to remove it from existence.

The Flood

At 6:31 am local time, October 7, 2023, the sound of air raid sirens was reported to be coming from Gaza's surrounding settlements and Tel Aviv (Occupied Jaffa). Palestinian media, 20 minutes later at 6:51 am, reported the launch of dozens of rockets against the occupied territories in succession.

Videos of Palestinian Resistance fighters carrying out operations against Israeli soldiers soon followed the breaking news bulletins, which brought a breath of fresh air to modern anti-imperialist movements.

The now martyred Al-Qassam Brigades Chief of Staff, Mohammad Al-Deif, released a 10-minute statement as the dust was still being kicked up by the rushing current that would be dubbed Al-Aqsa Flood. Al-Qassam Brigades' Spokesperson Abu Obeidah solidified the operation shortly after by stating, "This enemy will follow [the operation] with astonishment when it wakes up from its shock and realizes the extent of its disappointment ... Know that Al-Aqsa Flood will be carried out as planned."

Palestinian Islamic Jihad's (PIJ) now martyred Spokesperson Abu Hamza would also later add, "Today, we at al-Quds Brigades and the Resistance record a new chapter of victory and breaking the prestige of the enemy entity and its defeated army, during which our heroes rendered the enemy submissive and humiliated, feeling death everywhere. What we called for the enemy and its settlers to leave our land peacefully did not happen, so killing became our way."

"Thanks to God and through a series of operations behind enemy lines, as part of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, we and the Resistance caused a historic and resounding shock, proving the truth of our statement that this cowardly enemy is dust and can be defeated and broken," Abu Hamza added.

Crack in the dam of Israeli security

Ultimately, the initial successes of the Palestinians could be written about to no end. But the main thing that is to be focused on, and continued to be talked about, is the successful annihilation of the Israeli security facade, which continues to haunt Israeli society to this day.

Israeli society has so often relied on its technological advances to deter everything it considers a threat. The policy of fear ensured that settlers didn't see a six-meter wall, sprinkled with armed military personnel, heavy vehicles, and aerial surveillance to be enough protection; they had to further add cameras and auto-fire turrets as an added layer.

This falls under the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has, since taking office, relied on and inflated Israeli fears to boost the entity's security capabilities.

Per Israeli media, "The massive attack at dawn Saturday came under cover of a barrage of missiles ... and involved sniper fire, explosives dropped from drones on lookout and communication towers, and bulldozers that ripped through the six-meter (20-foot)-tall double fence barrier at an estimated 30 places along the border."

The Palestinian drones that took out cameras, turrets, and destroyed lookout points at several locations on the border fence were the crack that led to the dam breaking; this essentially broke the situational analysis that the Israeli Air Force relies on, forcing pilots to fly blind.

This allowed the initial moments of the operation to succeed as well as they did because, after surveillance technology, the Israeli Air Force is the most powerful asset the entity has. Pilots, as a result of taking out their eyes on the ground, could not hit what they could not see.

Through its overreliance on technology, "Israel" had effectively shot itself in the foot. It allowed the Palestinians time to carry out their operation in succession, taking Israeli soldiers captive and returning, while Zionist foot soldiers were still dumbfounded and scattering to compile reinforcements.

The War

The Palestinian Resistance gained a major victory in the realm of the media game during the war, whereas the Israelis were focused on seeking what would later be a failed public sympathy attempt, the Palestinians gave us an on-the-ground look at operations against Israeli troops.

This was a tactic that covered two fronts, one as purely militaristic documentation and the other as a form of psychological warfare.

Hamas and PIJ, alongside other factions like the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine's military wing, had their own respective military media channels that would document operations.

The recordings would show supporters of the Palestinian cause the successes of the fighters in their goals, boost morale across fighters and viewers, and put a thorn in the eyes of the Israelis, who have, since their occupation of Palestinian lands, underestimated the Palestinians' capabilities against their more advanced technology.

Palestinian Resistance factions also showed the complexity of their operations through these videos, beyond battles, but on the manufacturing end.

Among the videos released were factory line productions of the Gaza-made al-Yassin 105mm rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), the al-Ghoul sniper, Rajoum MRL, and others.

What these videos showed was that the Palestinian Resistance was a much bigger and more organized group than the Israelis thought, and that they were capable of pulling off such large-scale manufacturing capabilities under the Israeli nose, unnoticed.

The will of the fighter

It would be remiss not to mention the powerful will of Palestinian Resistance fighters when speaking about the victories of Al-Aqsa Flood.

Throughout this war, Palestine's fighters showed that they were willing to risk everything to carry out their operations. Despite the ratio of means being grossly out of their favor, the Palestinian Resistance continued moving forward.

Whereas IOF forces were fighting with millions of dollars worth of gear, countless documented images and videos show Palestine's fighters to be confronting occupation forces while wearing slippers or barefoot, in tracksuits, and on rarer occasions, minimal military gear.

Within the first few months of fighting, we saw Resistance fighters fearlessly planting explosives on the sides of tanks and personnel carriers, unprovoked by the possibility of being spotted and killed.

Throughout the entirety of the Israeli war on Gaza, the Palestinian Resistance was punching up against a stronger foe.

But the war showed that the materially focused Israelis were no match against the spiritual might of the Palestinian Resistance. Crewmen sat helplessly in one of the most advanced tanks on the market as a Palestinian youth ran up in slippers, called to his Lord, and threw a mine on the side of this killing machine, destroying it and those inside who sought to occupy his home.

With every video we saw of lion-hearted Palestinians combating such odds, this not only crushed the fate of the Israelis in their weapons and Western-backed military training, but also increased the drive in other fighters, as these operations gave them a spiritual boost each time.

Violence is a necessity

The big hurdle for the international community was the aspect of violence that the Palestinian Resistance implemented in this effort against the occupiers of their land.

We should seek to make this point clear in that their violence was a necessity of this decolonization effort and a result of the occupation's decades of pressure on the Palestinian people.

Frantz Fanon writes in his famous The Wretched of the Earth, "Decolonization, which sets out to change the order of the world, is clearly an agenda for total disorder."

He adds that this isn't something that can occur by the "wave of a magic wand, a natural cataclysm, or a gentleman’s agreement," but requires a group's self-understanding and coherence about its position and the position of its occupiers, adding that decolonization is a game between two forces, one that seeks its freedom through violent understanding and one that seeks continued control through violent occupation.

The Israeli forces used violence to govern the Palestinians, to continuously kick them while they're down, in attempts to destroy the will of the indigenous population. The most striking example of this comes from the initial settlement project, wherein thousands of Palestinians were forcibly removed from their homes to bring in more "desirable" families.

Palestinians were treated as second-class citizens in their own land; areas across Palestine were carved up via settlements and military checkpoints, further cementing the apartheid system

Palestinian land was - and is - also continuously stolen by the Israeli authorities, or destroyed by extremist settlers, to build Jewish settlements and or military zones in order to destroy their agriculture and sense of belonging.

Authorities give these fertile lands and water rights to the settlements while the Palestinian farmer is denied access. Palestinians who dare speak up or defend their lands are killed or attacked by the IOF or illegal settlers.

Israel also controls access to all resources, including water, and gives only a fraction of what is needed to farmers and civilians. They also maintain control over road systems and have implemented movement restrictions via a network of checkpoints and permit checks, making the everyday commute an oppressive process.

These are just a few basic examples to show the oppression and policies of violence the Palestinians have faced every day for decades. When generations grow up under such conditions, only knowing life through an oppressive regime that sees them as less than human, then here we can say that violence begets violence. The goal of the Palestinian youth is to gain freedom through the very means that the Israelis use to continue oppressing them.

Fanon writes, "To blow the colonial world to smithereens is henceforth a clear image within the grasp and imagination of every colonized subject ... To destroy the colonial world means nothing less than demolishing the colonist’s sector, burying it deep within the earth, or banishing it from the territory."

He further states that the decolonization effort is not a conversation between conflicting ideas carried out over a cup of tea, but the means towards ridding the land of an artificially brought evil.

Though Jewish presence in the region, as seen by the peoples of the region, is considered organic (contrary to the narrative being spun by the West), as they have been around and coexisted with fellow groups of various religions for centuries, the political ideology of Jewish supremacists that was born in Europe is, in its essence, an extremist exclusive ideology that sees an out-group, European Jews, as superior and thus able to steal land at will from those who have lived there since antiquity.

"Challenging the colonial world is not a rational confrontation of viewpoints. It is not a discourse on the universal, but the impassioned claim by the colonized that their world is fundamentally different," Fanon writes. "The colonist is not content with physically limiting the space of the colonized, i.e., with the help of his agents of law and order. As if to illustrate the totalitarian nature of colonial exploitation, the colonist turns the colonized into a kind of quintessence of evil."

Attempted peace processes

The Palestinians, through decades of oppression and pressure by the Israeli forces, who have been treated as less than human, had no choice but to retaliate in such a fashion. This operation on October 7 was the outcome of Israel's policy of stomping on the head of those who don't comply.

Fanon adds that Algeria's resistance made clear in their fight against the French occupation that colonialism only loosens its hold when the knife is at its neck.

Palestine proved victorious in that it didn't only rely on talks while being targeted, it didn't decide to kneel to those killing its children, after years of pressure and countless diplomatic routes, and having exhausted all other routes, a violent revolt was the last chance.

We mustn't forget that Palestinians have tried to take a peaceful approach tens of times since their occupation, beginning in 1949 armistice agreement following the war imposed on them by Zionist militias in British Mandate Palestine, then Geneva 1973, Camp David in 1979, the inital phase of the intifada in 1987, the Palestinian National Council Declaration in 1988, the Oslo Accords in 1993, the Arab Peace Initiative in 2002, the UN Statehood bid in 2011-2012, the Great March of Return in 2018-2019, and as we've seen throughout the war on Gaza, through the many times Netanyahu has torpedoed the talks to prolong the war and continue the genocide

These failed movements by peaceful means show that only one side was determined to facilitate some form of diplomatic understanding. It proves that there is no talking with that which seeks your annihilation. As Palestinian revolutionary Ghassan Kanafani said, this would be akin to a conversation between the sword and the neck.

The people's existence is a victory

The ultimate victory came from the people's continued existence on their lands, standing in the way of the Israeli army's anti-resistance operations.

The main goal of Israel — although blanketed under the guise of fighting Hamas — was to rid Gaza of its population. The more outrageous quotes come from the fringe, yet popular, politicians such as Itamar Ben-Gvir, who stated last year that this war will see the return of old Jewish settlers who left the Gaza Strip in 2005.

“Encouraging the migration of the residents of Gaza will allow us to bring home the residents of the Outaf and the residents of Gush Katif,” the far-right minister said.

Other politicians, like "Israel's" Security Minister Israel Katz, gave a verbal warning akin to the Israeli roof-knocking tactic regarding the forced displacement of Palestinians. Warning Palestinians on October 1, 2025, that Gaza's residents have one last chance to move south from Gaza City, saying, “Those who remain in Gaza will be [considered] terrorists and terror supporters.”

Netanyahu is more precise in his language, attempting to portray the Israeli entity as one that seeks what's best for civilians.

In August 2025, the Israeli prime minister stated that Palestinians should be allowed to leave, citing refugee outflows from Syria, Ukraine, Afghanistan, etc.

"We are not pushing them out, but we are allowing them to leave," Netanyahu said to Israeli media. "Give them the opportunity to leave, first of all, combat zones, and generally to leave the territory, if they want ... We will allow this, first of all within Gaza during the fighting, and we will certainly allow them to leave Gaza as well."

However, in May of this year, Netanyahu's true intentions were reported on in a Maariv article during his closed-door address to the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee. The Israeli head of state stated that the occupation forces are “destroying more and more homes,” and the “only inevitable outcome will be the wish of Gazans to emigrate outside of the Gaza Strip."

But despite this aggressive stance of Israeli politicians, the violent bombing against the Gaza Strip carried out by the IOF, and the egregious propaganda campaigns, the Palestinian people of Gaza remained firm in the face of their oppressors.

The very existence of Palestinians on their ancestral land marks a victory in the face of the colonialist project. In one statement (one of many that echoed this message), Al-Qassam Brigades Spokesperson Abu Obeidah saluted Gaza's population on their steadfastness throughout these two years of Israeli aggressions on their homes, "We kiss the foreheads of all our great steadfast people who remain patient and victorious."

Palestinians didn't kneel, they didn't lower their head and say please stop, no more. They picked up arms and confronted the Golem created by Zionist colonialists, exposed Israel's crimes to the world, and showed that they are a group whose very existence on the land in the face of a genocidal entity is a victory in itself.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... of-victory

[Anthea]

W T F

Two Years After the October 7 Attacks
Rubio Reaffirms U.S. Support for Israel

On the two-year anniversary of the October 7 attacks, Secretary Rubio reaffirmed US support for Israel as Gaza ceasefire talks resumed in Egypt. Hamas and Israeli delegations, led by Khalil al-Hayya and Ron Dermer, began negotiations amid cautious optimism.

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The United States on Monday marked the two-year anniversary of the October 7, 2023 attacks, which claimed the lives of more than 1,200 people, including 46 Americans, in what Secretary of State Marco Rubio described as “the most brutal terrorist assault in Israel’s history.” The commemoration comes as Israeli and Hamas delegations begin a new round of negotiations in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, seeking a breakthrough in ceasefire and hostage-exchange talks.

In an official statement issued by the U.S. Department of State, Secretary Rubio paid tribute to the victims of the attacks and reaffirmed Washington’s “unwavering support for Israel’s right to exist, defend itself, and ensure the safety of its people.”

“Today marks two years since the attacks of October 7, when Hamas murdered more than 1,200 innocent men, women, and children — including 46 Americans — and took 254 hostages, among them 12 Americans,” Rubio said. “To this day, 48 hostages remain in Hamas captivity, including the remains of American citizens Itay Chen and Omer Neutra.”

Rubio underscored that under President Donald Trump’s leadership, the United States is leading efforts to “secure the release of all hostages, end Hamas’s rule in Gaza, and advance a durable peace that ensures not only Israel’s security but generational peace and prosperity for the region.”

The Secretary emphasized that the administration’s 20-Point Plan forms the core of this vision for regional stability. He also warned against the “troubling surge in antisemitism threatening Jewish communities worldwide,” asserting that “there can be no compromise with antisemitism.”

Against this solemn backdrop, the first round of Gaza ceasefire talks concluded late Monday in Sharm El-Sheikh, described by Egyptian state-linked media as taking place “amid a positive atmosphere.”

Negotiators representing Hamas and international mediators are holding indirect discussions centered on President Trump’s long-term ceasefire proposal, which includes a large-scale hostage–prisoner exchange and a roadmap for Gaza’s postwar reconstruction and governance.

The talks, described as the most consequential diplomatic engagement since the Gaza war began, also saw the arrival of the Israeli delegation, led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, on Monday afternoon.

President Trump told reporters from the Oval Office that he was “confident a deal is within reach.” He said, “They’re in negotiations right now as we speak… I think we’re going to have a Gaza deal, I’m pretty sure.”

He dismissed speculation of friction with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying the Israeli leader had been “very positive about the deal.”

Heading the Hamas delegation is Khalil al-Hayya, a 65-year-old veteran figure from Gaza’s Shujaiya neighborhood, widely known among Palestinians as “Abu Ossama.” Having survived three assassination attempts and the loss of several family members—including his eldest son—in Israeli strikes, Hayya has become both a hardened strategist and a symbol of endurance.

Appearing in public for the first time since surviving an airstrike in Doha last month that killed several aides, Hayya expressed sorrow for the “thousands of martyrs” lost during the conflict, while praising the resilience of the Palestinian people.

Regarded as one of Hamas’s more pragmatic leaders, Hayya was educated in Gaza, Jordan, and Sudan, and rose to prominence after the death of Yahya Sinwar in 2024. He maintains strong ties with regional actors, including Hezbollah, Iran, Qatar, and Egypt.

“Hayya is a careful and calculated negotiator,” said Gaza-based political analyst Yasser Abu Hein, adding that his personal loss “has earned him empathy among Palestinians and credibility within Hamas.”

On the opposite side of the table stands Ron Dermer, Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister and one of Netanyahu’s closest confidants. The 54-year-old Miami-born politician, who previously served as Israel’s ambassador to Washington, is often referred to as Netanyahu’s “de facto foreign minister.”

Dermer’s deep connections to the Trump administration and his role in shaping the 2020 Abraham Accords underscore his diplomatic importance. However, his appointment to lead the Gaza negotiations has sparked criticism from families of hostages still held by Hamas, who accuse him of failing to secure earlier agreements.

Despite public discontent, Dermer remains central to Netanyahu’s strategy of establishing what he calls a “new security order in Gaza,” one that would prevent Hamas from regaining control while enabling international reconstruction under close supervision.

President Trump’s 20-Point Plan for Gaza envisions a comprehensive framework to end the conflict, combining ceasefire enforcement with reconstruction, regional cooperation, and mechanisms to prevent a resurgence of militant control.

Speaking to reporters, Trump reaffirmed that Hamas must agree to disarmament and renunciation of violence as a precondition for any long-term arrangement. “We’re moving toward a peace that will last generations,” he said. “This is about security for Israel and prosperity for all people in the region.”

As the diplomatic process unfolds, Israel observed a day of mourning. At dawn on Tuesday, families of victims gathered at the Nova music festival site, where hundreds were massacred, standing in silence at 6:29 a.m. — the exact time the attacks began two years ago.

Ceremonies across the country honored the memory of the victims and underscored the emotional weight of the anniversary, coinciding with the fragile hope emanating from Sharm El-Sheikh.

For many Israelis and Palestinians alike, the juxtaposition of grief and diplomacy captures the paradox of this moment — a reflection on loss, endurance, and the distant yet vital prospect of peace.

With Khalil al-Hayya and Ron Dermer leading the opposing delegations, the coming days will test whether both sides can bridge the immense divide forged by war — and whether President Trump’s U.S.-backed peace vision can finally end one of the Middle East’s most painful chapters.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/86 ... for-israel

Anyone who follows the TRUTH will be aware that for almost 100 years Israelis have been attacking Palestinians, killing them and stealing their land. I would describe the Palestinian way of life is akin to being forced to live in cattle pens.

Israel destroys Palestinian land, homes and way of life. Pushes Palestinians off off their land, then installs illegal settlements on stolen Palestinian land.

Please watch Jon Snow's Video and the Girl With Panda Eyes. The details were publicized worldwide but still the GENOCIDE continues

https://youtu.be/mSiwsk1pVBI?si=mRnRc7DuQ-rkaL9Q

[Anthea]

Israel raids, hijacks new
Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla

Israeli forces raid multiple humanitarian flotillas on October 8, including nine vessels carrying aid and international activists

Israeli occupation forces raided multiple humanitarian flotillas on October 8, 2025, attempting to reach the besieged Gaza Strip, as part of the ongoing Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) campaign organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) and Thousand Madleens to Gaza (TMTG).

The latest raid took place approximately 120 nautical miles (220 km) from Gaza, with civilian vessels carrying doctors, journalists, elected officials, and vital aid, including medicines, respiratory equipment, and nutritional supplies.

The flotilla activists reported that nine boats were hijacked within an hour: Abd Elkarim Eid, Alaa Al-Najar, Anas Al-Sharif, Conscience, Gaza Sunbird, Leila Khaled, Milad, Soul of My Soul, and Um Saad.

The vessel Conscience was the last vessel to be raided by Israeli occupation forces after diverting from the rest of the convoy toward Egyptian shores.

It is worth noting that all vessels were illegally raided in international waters

Israeli response

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said that the journey of the aid flotilla was “another futile attempt to breach the legal naval blockade and enter a combat zone,” asserting on social media that “the vessels and the passengers are transferred to an Israeli port.”

The Ministry claimed that all passengers were in good health and were expected to be “deported promptly".

The statement followed last week’s hijacking of over 40 vessels forming the GSF, the largest flotilla to challenge the Israeli blockade of Gaza, which included 479 activists from around the world.

Flotilla organizers condemn Israel

The FFC and TMTG condemned the raids as a violation of international law. “Israel has no legal authority to detain international volunteers aboard these ships,” said David Heap, of the Canadian Boat to Gaza and the FFC Steering Committee.

“This seizure blatantly violates international law and defies the ICJ’s binding orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza. Their detention is arbitrary, unlawful, and must end immediately,” he added.

The coalition highlighted that the attacks follow the illegal seizure and detention of the GSF, Handala, and Madleen, as well as a prior Israeli drone strike on the vessel Conscience in European waters, which damaged it.

“These repeated attacks on unarmed civilians demonstrate Israel’s deliberate escalation and the total failure of governments to enforce international law,” the statement said.

The Global Sumud Flotilla campaign

The latest flotilla is part of a broader international effort to deliver aid to Gaza and challenge the illegal Israeli siege imposed on the Strip. Previous missions, including the 2010 Mavi Marmara, the Global Sumud Flotilla earlier in October 2025, and other coordinated campaigns, have consistently faced complete and aggressive Israeli military obstruction. Activists continue to organize maritime convoys despite repeated raids, asserting the right to deliver aid independently of Israeli diktats.

These missions coincide with a dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where restrictions on food, medicine, and essential supplies have created widespread hunger and malnutrition. Humanitarian agencies warn that hundreds of thousands of residents are facing acute food insecurity, with famine declared in some regions, exacerbated by "Israel’s" blockade.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... m-flotilla

[Anthea]

Israel leaves Gaza in ruins
67,194 Palestinians killed
169,980 injuries

Gaza’s infrastructure is being systematically dismantled, with Israeli attacks destroying homes, mosques, and water networks, as essential services vanish

Since the beginning of the recent Israeli genocide in Gaza (which started many YEARS ago), the Gaza Government Media Office has reported relentless and devastating impacts on civilians and infrastructure across the besieged Strip.

According to official figures the office published on October 9, 2025, the recent Israeli genocide has claimed the lives of 18 students and one teacher every single day.

The human toll is compounded by the systematic destruction of Gaza’s already fragile infrastructure:

More than one mosque is destroyed daily;
367 residential units are demolished each day, forcibly displacing an average of 394 families;
One shelter or displacement center is targeted every three days;
One central water well is destroyed daily, along with 959 meters of water and sewage networks;
Seven kilometers of electricity networks and four kilometers of roads are obliterated each day.

The scale and pace of destruction have left vast communities without homes, power, clean water, or access to education, intensifying the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis across Gaza.

UN official: $52 billion needed to rebuild Gaza

Amid the devastation in Gaza, the Director of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Jorge Moreira da Silva, said on Wednesday that an estimated $52 billion will be required to begin rebuilding the Strip once a ceasefire takes hold.

In a press statement, Moreira da Silva explained that around 80% of Gaza’s infrastructure has been completely destroyed, stressing that clearing the massive volume of debris will be the first and most critical step in the reconstruction process.

In this context, the Gaza Government Media Office stressed that the toll on civilians and infrastructure continues unabated as of Thursday, 9 October 2025, warning that essential services and civilian life are being systematically dismantled.

Israeli bombs still kill Palestinians

On its part, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Thursday that hospitals received the bodies of 10 martyrs, including one retrieved from under the rubble, and 49 injuries over 24 hours.

Many victims remain trapped beneath debris and along roads, unreachable due to continued bombardment.

Since October 7, 2023, as of October 8, 2025, the death toll of the Israeli genocide in Gaza has surged to 67,194 Palestinians, in addition to 169,980 injuries.

Since March 18, 2025, the toll has risen to 13,598 Palestinians killed and 57,849 wounded. Moreover, as the Israeli-made famine looms over Gaza, 2 starved Palestinians were martyred and 13 were injured while trying to receive aid at designated "aid distribution sites" and were later transported to hospitals, as per the Ministry's report.

The death toll among Palestinians killed while seeking food aid in designated distribution zones has now climbed to 2,615, with more than 19,177 others wounded, according to the report.
Hamas announces reaching an agreement for ceasefire in Gaza

During the early hours of October 9, the Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas announced that an agreement had been reached that would lead to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

According to details declared by the group, its non-negotiables, which include the complete end of the war, the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces, the entry of humanitarian aid, and a prisoner exchange, have been realized.

Hamas expressed its appreciation to the mediators, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, for their efforts and contributions to achieving a ceasefire deal, and urged the United States to compel Israel to uphold its obligations as per the truce.

Hamas' statement also issued a heart-warming salute to the Palestinian people, from Gaza to al-Quds and the West Bank, and those outside the homeland, expressing immense gratitude to their unparalleled pride, heroism, and honor.

"We salute our people who confronted the fascist occupation projects that targeted them and their national rights. The great sacrifices and steadfastness of our people have thwarted the Israeli occupation’s plans of subjugation and displacement," the statement read

Hamas lastly renewed its pledge to continue confronting the Israeli occupation, vowing "not to abandon our people's national rights until freedom, independence, and self-determination are achieved."

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... ans-killed