LUISTER NAAR DE JOODSE STEMMEN OVER

DE ISRAELISCHE MEGA-MISDRIJVEN TEGEN

HET INTERNATIONAAL HUMANITAIR RECHT

JEGENS DE PALESTIJNEN !

THE JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE - JVP

  LEES "THE WIRE" !

BERICHTEN NA 31-08-2025 STAAN HIER

30 september 2025

Today's headlines

Trump says Israel can ‘finish the job’ in Gaza if Hamas rejects latest ceasefire plan

Michael Arria

Donald Trump says Benjamin Netanyahu accepted the latest U.S.-backed "peace plan" in Gaza and threatened Hamas that if it rejects the proposal, Israel would have his "full backing to finish the job" of destroying the group.

The role of national liberation politics and the centrality of Palestine to a new global alternative

Declan Kearney

The future of Palestine is about much more than the human and national rights of its own people — it has become the defining question about the future of humanity.

1814.

29 september 2025

Trump Prioritizes a Corrupt Foreign Regime Over the American Public

At today’s joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump spoke as though the United States were beholden to Israel rather than the other way around. He seemed to forget that he is the President of the United States, entrusted with safeguarding American interests. His remarks reflected not “America First,” as he claims, but “Israel First.”  

Once again, Netanyahu outmaneuvered Trump, manipulating the optics and narrative to his advantage. If Trump genuinely seeks “eternal peace” in the Middle East, he must begin by curbing Israel’s recklessness and holding it accountable for its crimes. That includes ending U.S. complicity in Israel’s violations of international law, its destabilizing actions across the region, and the administration’s financial and political support for Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

Peace cannot be a reward for criminality. It cannot be built atop Israel’s occupation of Palestine, its repeated assaults on Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, and beyond. True peace demands justice, an end to occupation, aggression, and impunity. 

While Israeli prisoners receive global attention, thousands of Palestinian detainees—many held for decades, including women and children—remain invisible. To humanize one side while erasing and enabling the suffering of the other only deepens the imbalance and perpetuates instability.  

History did not begin on October 7, nor will it end there. The issue is not about security arrangements in Gaza that serve Israel’s interests, but about the root causes: occupation, apartheid, and aggression.  

It is the Palestinian people who need protection from Israeli apartheid, occupation, and ethnic cleansing, backed by American power. They do not need international guardianship. They need, want, and deserve nothing less than the right to self-determination, exercised freely and without coercion. 

The United States, Israel, and all governments complicit in the war on Gaza bear moral and legal responsibility to fund its reconstruction—without strings, without interference, and without using aid as leverage against the Palestinian people.  

How can Palestinians trust Trump’s promises of peace when he speaks of Gaza’s “real estate value” as a strip of land on the sea? Talk of reforming the Palestinian Authority rings hollow when Israel—a state that flouts human values and international law—is governed by extremists and shielded from accountability.  

Netanyahu is right about one thing: this is a war between civilization and barbarism. But it is Israel that embodies the latter, as the world has been witnessing in Gaza for two years now. Trump, and the U.S. government as a whole, continues to face a choice: continue enabling this brutality, or finally hold Israel accountable and redirect the administration’s resources toward serving the American people.  

In solidarity,

Dr. Osama Abu Irshaid

Executive Director, AJP Action

P.S. Don't forget to join AJP Action's 11th Annual Palestine Advocacy Days from October 19–21 in Washington, D.C. to meet with lawmakers, demand an end to U.S. military aid to Israel, and push for accountability and a foreign policy rooted in justice, human rights, and international law.

1813.

29 september 2025

Today's headlines

Will Australian courts outlaw anti-Zionism?

Nick Riemer

In Australia, the pro-Israel lobby is suing two University of Sydney scholars under racial discrimination laws. If they succeed, anti-Zionism will be legally classified as hate speech and essentially banned.

1812.

BDS MOVEMENT

29 september 2025

People power is pushing even corrupt UEFA, Europe’s governing body of football, to consider suspending Israel.

That’s what multiple media reports are saying. Pressure is bubbling up from below and within to kick genocidal Israel out of world football. A UEFA Executive Committee Meeting could happen very soon.

Let’s make sure the vote happens soon and that UEFA listens!

We only need 5 members of the UEFA Executive Committee to call for a meeting. But we need a majority to vote to suspend apartheid Israel.

Take action now to urge football federations on UEFA’s Executive Committee to push for a meeting and to support the call from Palestinians and sports fans around the world: Ban Israel.

1. Sign the petition and send an email to UEFA members.
    
2. Send an email to the English, Wales and Scottish football associations.
    
3. Comment on UEFA Executive Committee member social media accounts.
    
4. Share this action alert!

The Italian Football Coaches Association, eight UN experts, the Turkish Football Federation, Eric Cantona, forty-four members of the Italian and European parliaments and 475,000 people have all called for Israel to be suspended from UEFA.

Stadiums have been filled with Red Card Israel banners. In Italy and Norway, mobilizations are planned at World Cup Qualifiers with Israel.

The Israel Football Association (IFA) includes teams in illegal Israeli settlements on stolen Palestinian land. Israel’s national team, the face of the IFA, has dedicated matches, and IFA clubs have sent care packages, to Israeli soldiers committing genocide in Gaza.

We have no doubt that UEFA, along with FIFA, are irredeemably corrupt. They’ve exhibited a criminal level of colonial racism and hypocrisy, sanctioning Russia over its illegal invasion of Ukraine while shielding Israel from accountability over its decades-old atrocity crimes against Palestinians.

But we have people power on our side. And we won’t stop until apartheid Israel is banned from world football and all international sports just as apartheid South Africa once was.

Take action now.

1811.

28 september 2025

Netanyahu is confronted with Israel’s global isolation at the U.N.

Israel’s Prime Minister used the U.N. stage this week to taunt a world that is finally starting to hold him—and Israel—to account. Benjamin Netanyahu derided the recent wave of recognition for a Palestinian state and vowed to “finish the job” in Gaza. It was a defiant performance to a thinning audience, aimed mainly at Israelis and detached from reality. In Gaza City, al-Shifa Hospital is down to a handful of operating rooms and ICU beds as the ground invasion advances. In the Mediterranean, civilians—including U.S. veterans—are risking their lives to break the siege. In the West Bank, Israel is fast-tracking annexation to erase Palestinian self-determination. A project built on occupation, apartheid, and genocide is isolating Israel on the global stage.

If you read one piece this week, make it Hamza Hamouchene’s “Ecocide, Imperialism and Palestine Liberation.” Settler colonialism destroys people and land together; Israel’s “green” PR cannot mask a campaign that poisons water and air while leveling neighborhoods. Climate justice has a stake in Palestinian liberation—not as charity, but as survival politics.

Our Palestine team shows how Israel is trying to collapse the Palestinian Authority by choking off revenue and threatening the banking system—financial warfare meant to make any future state ungovernable, even as Western capitals offer symbolic recognitions. At the same time, planners push projects to split the West Bank and clear communities for settlement growth. Recognition without sanctions won’t stop this machinery; only material pressure will.

In U.S. politics, Phil Weiss tracks fractures on the right over Israel and the lobby after the killing of MAGA figure Charlie Kirk, while Mitchell Plitnick lays out Netanyahu’s next test: winning a White House green light for continued war and annexation under the banner of a “21-point plan.” When the policy is mass displacement and permanent rule without rights, fewer people will call it peace.

So much is moving at once. Please share our reporting to help your networks cut through the noise with a clear, anti-Zionist, movement-centered perspective.

This month’s Frontline Briefing for donors will unpack where global politics around Palestine may be headed—and what shifting dynamics could mean in the months ahead. Editor-in-Chief Yumna Patel and Palestine News Director Faris Giacaman will lead the conversation. If you’re a donor, reply to this email and I’ll send your registration link. If you aren’t yet, become a donor today and join us for the Briefing—we’d love to see you there.

– Dave Reed, Publisher

David Reed, Publisher

Must read: Ecocide, Imperialism and Palestine Liberation

Hamza Hamouchene: The devastation in Gaza is not just genocide but also ecocide – the intentional destruction of the ecology. Israel’s assault shows how settler-colonial violence is tied to environmental harm, and why climate justice depends on Palestinian liberation.

Illustration by Fourate Chahal El Rekaby

Genocide in Gaza

 Tareq Hajjaj: As the Israeli invasion of Gaza City advances, al-Shifa Hospital is facing severe shortages of essential medical supplies, leaving patients untreated and vulnerable. Staff and patients fear an imminent Israeli attack.

 Michael Arria: Veterans for Peace member Phillip Tottenham speaks to Mondoweiss about why he joined the Global Sumud Flotilla that is sailing to Gaza in protest of the genocide and in an attempt to break the Israeli siege.

Catch-up

 Qassam Muaddi and Mondoweiss Palestine Bureau: As countries around the world recognize a Palestinian state, Israel is doing everything it can to prevent the possibility of any future state. One way it plans on doing that is through financial strangulation.

 Phil Weiss: An unexpected consequence of the killing of MAGA activist Charlie Kirk is the fierce debate among the right about negative attitudes toward Israel and the influence of the Israel lobby in American politics.

 Majed Abusalama: Recent recognitions of a Palestinian state by several European countries are not acts of solidarity but a profound betrayal that undermines our struggle for liberation by legitimizing Zionism.

 Mitchell Plitnick: As Donald Trump touts his “21-Point Plan” to end the war in Gaza, Benjamin Netanyahu aims to convince the White House to support the ongoing genocide and possible Israeli annexation of the West Bank. Can he persuade Trump?

 Qassam Muaddi: The recognition of Palestine as a state is more of a symbolic gesture than a meaningful act, like imposing sanctions on Israel would be. Still, it shows that even Israel’s allies have been forced to take action as Israel’s genocide in Gaza deepens.

 Zena Al-Tahhan: As several Western nations announce their recognition of a Palestinian state ahead of an upcoming UN General Assembly vote, Israel is accelerating its illegal annexation measures of the occupied West Bank to render a Palestinian state impossible.

 Jamila Levasseur: I couldn’t join my family in honoring our ancestors murdered in the Nazi genocide while Israel uses our history to justify its oppression of the Palestinians. Instead, I honor my family’s lives by doing all I can to stop the Gaza genocide today.

1810.

28 september 2025

Today's headlines

European recognition of a Palestinian state is not an act of solidarity but a betrayal of Palestinian liberation

Majed Abusalama

Recent recognitions of a Palestinian state by several European countries are not acts of solidarity but a profound betrayal that undermines our struggle for liberation by legitimizing Zionism.

Netanyahu faces his biggest challenge yet in Washington as pressure builds to end the Gaza genocide

Mitchell Plitnick

As Donald Trump touts his “21-Point Plan” to end the war in Gaza, Benjamin Netanyahu aims to convince the White House to support the ongoing genocide and possible Israeli annexation of the West Bank. Can he persuade Trump?

1809.

28 september 2025

Support Gaza War Refusers

This week I spoke with our partner Max Kresch from Soldiers for Hostages, an organization we finance, support, and help grow in order to end this war. Over the last two weeks, they have run a bold campaign across the country. Billboards featuring Max and other refusers in uniform went up with a single word: “Stop!” The backlash was immediate. The Shadow, a far-right influencer, posted their photos online, calling them “traitors.” Soon enough, the hate and harassment poured in.

And yet, something else happened too. Amid the threats came a wave of support. People saw the absurdity of being branded a “traitor” for wanting to save lives. Messages began arriving from those ready to sign, to refuse, to join. Soldiers for Hostages is growing, even as fear tries to silence them. They now number over 350. Over the past year, we have normalized refusal as a legitimate act of resistance, from just a handful in the beginning to hundreds now. Nico, resist with us. Support refusers.

Support Gaza War Refusers

Together with movement partners, Soldiers for Hostages has also launched a new hotline and resource basket for potential refusers. Many still do not know refusal is even possible within such a militarized society. But now, every day, messages arrive from soldiers and reservists who feel trapped, desperate for another path. Through this hotline, we are showing them they are not alone, that refusal is possible, and that when done together it can be powerful.

The government wants to make refusal unthinkable. We are making it mainstream. Every act of refusal chips away at the system that makes bombings like those in Gaza City, and the draft orders that sustain them, possible. And we will keep building until the cracks become irreversible.

All this is possible because of you, Nico, and our 21,000 supporters. Your support has created the most powerful resistance to genocide. With your continued commitment, we can bring it closer to an end.

In solidarity,

Mattan Helman
Refuser Solidarity Network

1808.

27 september 2025

Today's headlines

Why Israel is threatened by the Palestinian Authority

Mondoweiss Palestine Bureau

The Palestinian Authority is criticized for aiding the Israeli occupation, and yet Israeli leaders are threatening to shut it down. This is because even its basic efforts to be recognized as a state challenge Israel's colonial project.

Ecocide, Imperialism and Palestine Liberation

Hamza Hamouchene

The devastation in Gaza is not just genocide but also ecocide - the intentional destruction of the ecology. Israel’s assault shows how settler-colonial violence is tied to environmental harm, and why climate justice depends on Palestinian liberation.

1807.

26 september 2025

‘We verklaren dat alles wat op zand is gebouwd in Den Haag zal instorten tijdens het schudden van de Heer.’

Het is zomer 2024 wanneer deze woorden klinken, tijdens The Trial, een belangrijke conferentie van christelijk-zionistische groepen in Den Haag.

Wie zien we daar op de eerste rij? Het is Don Ceder, Kamerlid van de ChristenUnie.

Don Ceder op de eerste rij bij de christen-zionistische conferentie The Trial (foto: thetrial.org)

Terwijl Ceder in de zaal zit horen we dat het Vredespaleis, waar het Internationaal Gerechtshof huist, op spreekwoordelijk zand is gebouwd en dus vernietigd zal worden.

De toespraken staan bol van Bijbelse teksten en verwijzingen naar de eindtijd. Het is Gods wet die bepaalt welke gebieden bij Israël horen, daar gaat het Gerechtshof helemaal niet over.

‘Rechters, wees gewaarschuwd. Als je tegen God in gaat, zul je een hoge prijs betalen’, aldus de Amerikaanse predikant Jim Garlow.

Sprekers op de conferentie, met achter op het scherm de 'plegde' die belooft dat het Internationaal Gerechtshof zal instorten. (foto: thetrial.org)

‘Ik denk dat wat we vandaag aan het doen zijn onderdeel is van het bouwen van de galgen voor de vijanden van Israël', zegt Jack van der Tang, een Nederlands sleutelfiguur in de christelijk-zionistische beweging.

‘We staan achter de Bijbelse grenzen, en geen andere. Halleluja!’.

Die Bijbelse grenzen houden volgens christelijke zionisten zelfs niet op bij de Middellandse Zee en de Jordaanrivier. Een Amerikaanse predikant spreekt over een gebied dat zich uitstrekt van de Nijl in Egypte tot de Eufraat in Irak.

‘Van de rivier tot de rivier, het wordt allemaal onderdeel van Israël.’

Bezoekers knielen neer in gebed voor Israël tijdens de conferentie, die plaatsvond toen de genocide in Gaza al in volle gang was. (foto: thetrial.org)

Deze strijd tegen het internationaal recht, tegen de VN en voor een groot Israël is voor christelijke zionisten een heilige strijd.

Wij deden onderzoek en publiceren vandaag een documentaire.

EEN STAP DICHTER BIJ HET EINDE

Wat zijn de ideologische motieven achter de anti-Palestijnse houding van SGP en ChristenUnie?

Wij legden een netwerk bloot van christelijke extremisten voor wie de verdrijving van Palestijnen en het steunen van Israël een religieuze plicht is en het internationaal recht wordt gezien als een vijand van het geloof.

Israël gebruikt christelijke overtuigingen over het einde der tijden om de steun te werven van protestants-christelijke politici overal ter wereld, en hiermee parlementen naar hun hand te zetten.

Bekijk de documentaire hieronder.

Leo van Doesburg, voorzitter Israel Allies Foundation Europe, Kamerlid Don Ceder, Knessetlid Sharren Haskel, en Josh Reinstein, voorzitter van de Israel Allies Foundation (vlnr) tijdens het bezoek van Haskel aan de Tweede Kamer in maart 2024. Foto: Israel Allies Foundation
ISRAEL ALLIES FOUNDATION

De organisatie die Israël heeft opgetuigd om christelijke groepen in parlementen wereldwijd te mobiliseren heet de Israel Allies Foundation (IAF). De IAF organiseert bijvoorbeeld reizen naar Israël, waar politici zoals Kees van der Staaij (SGP), Bert-Jan Ruissen (SGP), Don Ceder en Joël Voordewind (CU) aan hebben deelgenomen.

‘Wanneer mensen hun Bijbelse steun omzetten in daadwerkelijke politieke actie – dat is het belangrijkste wapen dat we hebben in het diplomatieke arsenaal’, aldus Josh Reinstein, het hoofd van de IAF.

Er zit alleen iets in de weg: het internationaal recht, en in het verlengde daarvan de Verenigde Naties.

Christelijke zionisten hebben dan ook een afkeer van het internationaal recht: het staat hun eind-der-tijden-geloof in de weg. Op de conferentie The Trial kwam dit tot uiting in ronduit hatelijke speeches tegen de rechters van het Internationaal Gerechtshof.

Op een conferentie van de Israel Allies Foundation in Israël in 2024 kreeg Don Ceder de ‘Friends of Zion’-prijs uitgereikt. Deze prijs is een ‘blijk van waardering voor zijn sterke steun voor Israël’, aldus de organisatie. De conferentie deed een oproep tot het opheffen van UNRWA.

Henri Veldhuis Symposium 2025

Op zaterdag 11 oktober organiseert The Rights Forum het jaarlijkse Henri Veldhuis Symposium over christelijke Palestina-politiek in Nederland.

Tijdens het symposium vertonen we onze documentaire ‘Een stap dichter bij het einde’. Sprekers zijn onder andere:

Janneke Stegeman (bijbelwetenschapper en publiek theoloog)
David Wertheim (directeur van het Menasseh ben Israel Instituut voor Joodse Studies)
Meta Floor (Vrienden van de Tent of Nations)
Rasha Hilwi (schrijfster, journaliste, en verhalenvertelster)

Moderatie: Naeeda Aurangzeb (presentatrice en auteur).

 Datum: zaterdag 11 oktober
 Tijd: 12.30 – 17.00
 Locatie: Leeuwenbergh, Utrecht

DOE MEE: WAKE VOOR GAZA

Sinds 24 juli wordt doorlopend gewaakt bij het ministerie in Den Haag. Negen weken lang dag en nacht. Vanaf 29 september is de wake twee dagen per week: elke dinsdag en donderdag.

We lezen de namen van vermoorde Palestijnen hardop voor, in stilte en volharding. Zo roepen we de regering op tot sancties en een wapenembargo tegen Israël.

 Elke dinsdag en donderdag, 11:00-18:30
 Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken in Den Haag, Rijnstraat 8

STEUN GAZA TRAVEL AGENCY OP DUTCH DESIGN WEEK

Van 18 tot 26 oktober is in Eindhoven tijdens Dutch Design Week de Gaza Travel Agency te zien. Dit denkbeeldige reisbureau laat bezoekers de terugkeer van Palestijnse vluchtelingen naar hun oorspronkelijke dorpen verbeelden – per bus, boot, te voet of per vliegtuig.

Voor de realisatie in MU Hybrid Art House is steun hard nodig. Met jullie bijdrage worden drukwerk, materialen, transport en opbouw van de installatie mogelijk gemaakt.

Doneer en help mee dit unieke project te realiseren >Uit onze agenda
zaterdag 27 september t/m zaterdag 4 oktober
DEMONSTRATIES EN WAKES

 DEN HAAG MA & DO 11:30-18:30 | Wake bij het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, Rijnstraat 8
 UTRECHT MA-VR 08:30 | Stilteprotest voor Palestina (Neude, langs het fietspad)

 GRONINGEN ZA 27 SEPT 13:00 | Wake Vrouwen in het Zwart (Waagplein)
 NIJMEGEN ZA 27 SEPT 14:00 | Wake van mensen in het Zwart (Koningsplein-Mariënburg).
 LEIDEN ZA 27 SEPT 13:00 | Mars voor Palestina (Lammermarkt)
 HAARLEM ZO 28 SEPT 14:00 | Wake Vrouwen in het Zwart (Grote Markt)
 AMSTERDAM ZO 28 SEPT 17:00 | Stiltewake, elke zondag op het Spuiplein
 UTRECHT ZO 28 SEPT 16:30 | Fietsen voor Palestina, protestbijeenkomst bij aankomst (Domplein)
 ZEIST MA 29 SEPT 08:00-09:00 | Stil protest tijdens ochtendspits, Zeist (Jordanlaan-Utrechtseweg)
 UTRECHT DI 30 SEPT 12:30 | Demonstratie en mars (Domplein)
 TILBURG DI 30 SEPT 12:35 | Wekelijkse stille sit-in (Universiteit Tilburg)
 LEIDEN WO 1 OKT 16:30 | Finale aankomst Fietsen voor Palestina, toespraak Berber van der Woude (Stadhuisplein)
 DEN HAAG DO 2 OKT 12:00 | Sit-in van Rijksambtenaren bij het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, Rijnstraat 8
 TREINSTATIONS IN HET HELE LAND DO 2 OKT 18:00 | Wekelijks lawaaiprotest
 DOETINCHEM VR 3 OKT 10:00 | Wekelijks protest (voor het Gemeentehuis)
 EINDHOVEN VR 3 OKT 15:00-17:30 | Stilteprotest (Centraal station)
 AMERSFOORT VR 3 OKT 09:30 | Wekelijks stilteprotest, Verzamelen op de Varkensmarkt voor een wandeling naar de Hof
 MAASTRICHT ZA 4 OKT 16:00 | Wake Vrouwen in het Zwart (standbeeld van J.P. Minckelers)


GETUIGEN VAN GAZA

 UTRECHT ELKE MA EN DO 16:00-20:00 | Getuigen van Gaza. Burgers lezen in september en oktober de namen voor van hen die in Gaza zijn omgekomen. Maandag 29 september op het Moskeeplein (Lombok, achter CS). Donderdag 2 oktober op de Stadhuisbrug (Centrum).

 ARNHEM ZA 27 SEPT | Getuigen van Gaza. Burgers non-stop de namen voor van slachtoffers van het geweld in Gaza en Israël. Simultaan op drie locaties rond de Eusebiuskerk.

 DOETINCHEM ZO 28 SEPT 09:30-17:30 | Getuigen van Gaza. Burgers lezen non-stop de namen voor van slachtoffers van het geweld in Gaza en Israël (Simonsplein bij de Catharinakerk).

 HENGELO WO 1 OKT 19:00-22:30 | Herdenkingsbijeenkomst voor omgekomen kinderen. Burgers lezen namen voor van omgekomen kinderen in Gaza. Er worden kaarsjes aangestoken en er is muziek. (bij stadhuis)

 GRONINGEN 1-5 OKT | Getuigen van Gaza. Burgers lezen vijf dagen non-stop de namen voor van slachtoffers van het geweld in Gaza en Israël (Grote Markt).


CULTURELE EN ANDERE EVENEMENTEN

 UTRECHT ZA 27 SEPT 13:00-18:00 TIVOLIVREDENBURG | International Literature Festival Utrecht over het thema ‘Never Again Is Now’. Met onder meer Maurits de Bruijn, Sinan Çankaya en Isabella Hammad.

 AMSTERDAM ZO 28 SEPT 13:00 CINETOL | Palestina Cafe, met Taghreed El-Khodary - journaliste uit Gaza, Yolande Jansen - politiek filosoof en onderzoeker en Evalien van het ELSC.

 AMSTERDAM ZO 28 SEPT - 2 OKT | Over de rivier en de zee, Palestijnse verhalen over water en veerkracht.

 UTRECHT MA 29 SEPT 19:30 BOEKWINKEL SAVANNAH BAY | Palestine Book Club, bespreking van het boek 'The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine.

 Palestijns-Nederlandse theatervoorstelling DEADLIFT. Geïnspireerd door een schilderij van de Palestijnse kunstenaar Suleiman Mansour, Jamal Al Mahamel, waarop een man een hele stad (Jeruzalem) op zijn rug draagt. In DEADLIFT onderzoekt Murkus hoeveel een mens kan dragen. Waar ligt het breekpunt?
DEN HAAG ZA 27 SEPT 20:00 Het Nationale Theater
NIJMEGEN ZO 28 SEPT 16:00 LUX


Onze agenda wordt doorlopend aangevuld. Bekijk de hele agenda

1805.

26 september 2025

The “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation,” exposed

Tell Delaware AG: Investigate GHF now!

Introducing JVP Radio.

Israel's $45 million campaign to spread lies about the famine it manufactured.

While the Israeli government imposes a policy of genocide by starvation, it's also spending millions on online advertising propaganda attempting to discredit starving Palestinians.

Drop Site takes an inside look at the $45 million PR campaign the Israeli government has launched across Google, YouTube, X, and Meta to spread lies about the famine it created...

1804.

26 september 2025

Today's headlines

No medicine, no beds, no food or water: inside Gaza City’s main hospital

Tareq S. Hajjaj

As the Israeli invasion of Gaza City advances, al-Shifa Hospital is facing severe shortages of essential medical supplies, leaving patients untreated and vulnerable. Staff and patients fear an imminent Israeli attack.

California educators urge Gavin Newsom to veto ‘Antisemitism Coordinator’ bill, fearing it will suppress criticism of Israel

Michael Arria

A controversial bill that would appoint an “Antisemitism Coordinator” to review school curriculum is heading to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk. Teachers’ unions and civil rights groups warn the legislation could suppress criticism of Israel.

1803.

25 september 2025

AJP Action Urges Trump Administration to Pressure Israel not to Interfere with the Gaza Flotilla

Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action) applauds the governments of Spain and Italy for deploying naval vessels to protect the Global Sumud Flotilla, which has been repeatedly attacked while carrying humanitarian supplies to the besieged Gaza Strip. This principled action underscores a basic truth: unarmed civilians bringing food and medicine to a people facing genocide must be protected, and freedom of navigation must be upheld.

We call on other countries, including the United States, to follow the examples of Italy and Spain and provide naval escorts. Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, reported that Israel has attacked the flotilla 14 times between Tunis and Crete, damaging vessels and leaving an unexploded device onboard. These assaults are flagrant violations of international law, and states with nationals aboard the flotilla have the responsibility to intervene.

The flotilla must be supported as Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza continues unabated. Although the official death toll now exceeds at least 65,000, the unofficial figures are much higher. Meanwhile, the UN has confirmed that Israel is committing genocide and that Gaza is facing a famine, as Israel has blocked aid from entering the strip, while confirming that estimated daily caloric intake has fallen far below survival levels, reflecting a deliberate Israeli policy of weaponizing hunger against civilians.

We call on the United States and all governments that claim to support human rights to end complicity in Israel’s war crimes. The U.S. must press Israel to lift the blockade, open land and sea crossings for UN agencies and impartial NGOs, and, at the very minimum, cancel its $6.5 billion weapons transfer to Israel.

AJP Action urges allies, elected officials, unions, faith communities, and civil society to publicly support the flotilla, demand safe passage of humanitarian aid, and insist that Israel’s blockade end immediately.

In solidarity,
Americans for Justice in Palestine Action

P.S. Don't forget to join AJP Action's 11th Annual Palestine Advocacy Days from October 19–21 in Washington, D.C. to meet with lawmakers, demand an end to U.S. military aid to Israel, and push for accountability and a foreign policy rooted in justice, human rights, and international law.

1802.

25 september 2025

A serious and active security threat targets Hind Rajab Foundation Chairman Dyab Abou Jahjah and his family, linked to Israeli security networks in Antwerp. 

Authorities have tightened protection measures. We will not be intimidated in our pursuit of justice.

Read the full press release below.

Brussels- Septyember 25, 2025-

The Hind Rajab Foundation is gravely concerned about a serious and imminent security threat against our Chairman, Mr. Dyab Abou Jahjah, and his family.

Credible information indicates that individuals linked to Israeli security networks active in Antwerp, and with possible connections to extremist organizations such as the Jewish Defense League, are involved in this threat. There are also concerns that such structures may be connected to official Israeli state bodies.

While this is first and foremost a direct threat to the personal safety of Mr. Abou Jahjah and his family, it also constitutes a threat to the Hind Rajab Foundation and its work in seeking justice and accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Palestine.

In light of these developments, the Belgian police and other security services have initiated measures, and the protective arrangements already in place for Mr. Abou Jahjah have been significantly tightened. The Hind Rajab Foundation and Mr. Abou Jahjah are fully collaborating with the relevant authorities to ensure that all necessary steps are taken.

The Hind Rajab Foundation and its Chairman will not be intimidated.

​We will continue our work undeterred, but we expect all levels of security and state protection to treat this situation with the urgency and seriousness it deserves.

1802.

25 september 2025

Today's headlines

A group of U.S. veterans has joined the global flotilla sailing to Gaza

Michael Arria

Veterans for Peace member Phillip Tottenham speaks to Mondoweiss about why he joined the Global Sumud Flotilla that is sailing to Gaza in protest of the genocide and in an attempt to break the Israeli siege.

Charlie Kirk’s death has revealed Israel is as polarizing on the right as it is on the left

Philip Weiss

An unexpected consequence of the killing of MAGA activist Charlie Kirk is the fierce debate among the right about negative attitudes toward Israel and the influence of the Israel lobby in American politics.

1801.

25 september 2025

Humanitarian Situation Update #326
Gaza Strip

25 September 2025

A Palestinian family being displaced amid intensified strikes on Gaza city. Photo by OCHA/Olga Cherevko

Key Highlights

• Intensified strikes on Gaza city, including on tents, residential buildings, infrastructure continue to inflict heavy casualties.
• Several health facilities have been shut down in Gaza city, in the north, in September, leaving hundreds of thousands of people with limited access to lifesaving medical services.
• In southern Gaza, conditions are alarming, the Shelter Cluster reports, with families squeezed into makeshift tents along the beach, packed into overcrowded schools, or sleeping in the open and amid rubble, and services are stretched beyond capacity.
• A two-kilogramme bread bundle remains unaffordable to most, sold at more than 30 NIS (US$9), compared with two NIS ($0.3) at UN-supported bakeries in early 2025, reports the Food Security Sector.

Humanitarian Developments

• Over the past week, Israeli forces have continued to carry out heavy bombardment from the air, land and sea across the Gaza Strip, particularly in Gaza governorate. Israeli strikes on residential buildings and tents sheltering internally displaced people (IDPs) and people seeking aid have continued to be reported, alongside reports of controlled detonations. Fighting between Palestinian armed groups and Israeli forces was also reported and so was rocket fire by Palestinian armed groups into Israel on 21 September. Combined with displacement orders, Israeli military ground operations and bombardment have continued to drive additional waves of displacement, particularly from Gaza city (see more information below). Protection partners report significant disruption to communication channels across North Gaza governorate, hindering efforts to verify information and assess the gravity of the situation for civilians who remain in the area.
• In a speech at a UN General Assembly High-Level event on 24 September, Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, highlighted the catastrophic situation of children in Gaza: “They’ve been bombed, maimed, starved, burned alive, buried in the rubble of their homes, separated from their parents. Denied every ounce of humanity that the rules of war were designed to preserve. Killed while sleeping, playing, queuing for food and water, seeking medical care.” He called for the immediate implementation of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) provisional measures requiring Israel to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance. He spoke about children in Israel who were killed or taken hostage on 7 October 2023 and called for the release of those still in captivity.
• In a statement issued on 23 September, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), decried the escalating attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza city, which have contributed to increasing numbers of people being displaced, and warned of the risk that this displacement will become permanent. In a 48-hour period between 19 and 20 September, the Office recorded 18 incidents involving attacks on residential buildings that killed at least 51 Palestinians, with reports indicating that almost all of those killed were civilians. The statement called on Israel’s military to “immediately end the killing of Palestinian civilians and the wanton destruction of Gaza city, which appears to be focused on causing a permanent demographic shift, which is tantamount to ethnic cleansing.”
• In a statement on 23 September, humanitarian leaders and famine experts stated that “Israel has spent the month since the famine declaration denying existence of famine, impeding humanitarian action, and widening its military offensive in the famine zone.” Declaring that the famine can still be stopped, they urged global leaders meeting in New York this week to “utilize all diplomatic, political, and economic tools to ensure that Israel halts its assault on Gaza city and allows the UN-led humanitarian partners to mount a full and robust famine response operation.”
• According to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, between 17 and 24 September, 357 Palestinians were killed, and 1,463 were injured. This brings the casualty toll among Palestinians since 7 October 2023, as reported by MoH, to 65,419 fatalities and 167,160 injuries. MoH further noted that the number of casualties among people trying to access aid supplies has increased to 2,531 fatalities and more than 18,531 injuries since 27 May 2025. Moreover, according to MoH in Gaza, as of 19 September, 440 malnutrition-related deaths, including 147 children, were documented since October 2023.
• According to the Israeli military, between 17 and 24 September, as of noon, five Israeli soldiers were killed in Gaza. This brings the casualty toll among Israeli soldiers since the beginning of the Israeli ground operation in October 2023 to 465 fatalities and 2,918 injuries, according to the Israeli military. According to Israeli forces and official Israeli sources cited in the media, more than 1,665 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed, the majority on 7 October 2023 and its immediate aftermath. As of 24 September, it is estimated that 48 Israelis and foreign nationals remain captive in Gaza, including hostages who have been declared dead and whose bodies are being withheld.
• Over the past week, strikes in Gaza city have been especially intensive, including on IDP tents, residential buildings and public infrastructure, with many resulting in high numbers of casualties. The following are key incidents resulting in casualties across the Gaza Strip:
  • On 19 September, at about 3:45, a four-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl were killed and others injured when an IDP tent was hit in Al Mawasi area, in Khan Younis.
  • On 19 September, at about 10:22, four Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured when An Nuseirat Camp was hit, in Deir al Balah.
  • On 19 September, at about 18:20, eight Palestinians were reportedly killed when a residential building was hit in Tal al Hawa, in southwestern Gaza city.
  • On 20 September, at about 2:30, two Palestinian children were reportedly killed when Al-Mu'tasim School, where IDPs sheltered, was hit, near Al Yarmouk Stadium in central Gaza city.
  • On 20 September, at about 6:00, at least nine Palestinians were reportedly killed, including seven children, one woman and one man, when a residential building was hit in At Tuffah, in northeastern Gaza city.
  • On 20 September, at about 9:30, Al Awda Hospital in An Nuseirat reportedly announced receiving six Palestinians killed and 23 injured when people collecting firewood were hit, near Al Mughraqa area north of An Nuseirat Camp, in Deir al Balah. September has seen an increase in reports of the Israeli military using live fire on people collecting firewood in this area. In addition to this incident, OHCHR recorded incidents on 17, 18, 19, 21 and 22 September, with a total of at least 19 Palestinians reportedly killed, including at least one child (a 13-year-old boy), and more than 44 injured.
  • On 20 September, at about 15:35, four Palestinians were reportedly killed when an IDP tent was hit near Al Yarmouk Stadium, in Gaza city.
  • On 20 September in the evening, at least 20 Palestinians of the same family were reportedly killed, including four women and 12 children, and others remained trapped under the rubble when three inhabited residential buildings were hit in As Sabra, in southern Gaza city.
  • On 20 September, at about 22:40, four Palestinians, including a nurse, his wife and two children, were reportedly killed in a strike on a residential building in As Sabra, in southern Gaza city.
  • On 21 September, at about midday, four Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured in a strike in Ad Daraj, in central Gaza city.
  • On 21 September, at about 14:45, nine Palestinians were reportedly killed, including at least four children and two women, and others injured when a location near a clinic run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) was hit in Al Bureij Camp, in Deir al Balah.
  • On 23 September, at about 9:00, two Palestinian fishers were reportedly killed off the coast of western Khan Younis.
• According to records of OHCHR, since the establishment of militarized supply sites in the Gaza Strip on 27 May, and as of 22 September, at least 2,340 people, mostly young men and boys, seeking assistance have been reportedly killed, including 1,218 near militarized supply sites and 1,122 along convoy supply routes. Over the past week, between 17 and 22 September, 21 fatalities were reported within this context, including near three militarized supply sites in Rafah, Khan Younis and Wadi Gaza and among groups of people seeking aid along the Morag route south of Khan Younis. There were no reported casualty incidents near Zikim crossing, which has remained closed since 12 September (see more information below).
• On 17 September, 77 patients, along with 107 companions, were medically evacuated abroad. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 15,600 patients who are severely ill or injured and need lifesaving, specialized care unavailable in Gaza are currently awaiting evacuation. Between 7 October 2023 and 17 September 2025, only 7,802 patients, including 5,369 children, were evacuated abroad. On 23 September, 25 Foreign Ministers from Europe and Canada issued a joint statement calling for the restoration of the medical corridor enabling medical evacuations from Gaza to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

Access and Humanitarian Space

• Delays and impediments to humanitarian movements continue, including for missions from southern to northern Gaza. Missions that are approved by Israeli authorities still take hours to complete and teams have been compelled to wait on roads that are often dangerous or congested. Between 17 and 23 September, out of 94 attempts to coordinate planned movements with Israeli authorities across the Gaza Strip, 35 were facilitated (37 per cent), 13 were impeded (14 per cent), 30 were denied (32 per cent) and 16 had to be withdrawn by the organizers for logistical, operational, or security reasons (17 per cent). Since the closure of Zikim crossing on 12 September and until 22 September, the denial rate of movements to northern Gaza has increased to 40 per cent, up from 18 per cent in the preceding 11 days, between 1 and 11 September.
• According to the World Food Programme (WFP), no cargo has been collected in northern Gaza since the Zikim crossing (Erez West/As Siafa) was closed on 12 September. Located in North Gaza, Zikim was used to channel aid into the area. To sustain cooked meal provision in the north, Food Security Sector (FSS) partners are relying on supplies from the south, which is challenging due to road congestion on Al Rashid Road and unstable security conditions. As of 22 September, 532,000 meals were prepared and delivered by 20 FSS partners through 138 kitchens – 59,000 meals by 13 kitchens in the north and 473,000 meals by 125 kitchens in central and southern Gaza. In northern Gaza, there has been a reduction of about 50,000 daily meals compared with 109,000 meals on 21 September following the closure of some community kitchens as the military offensive continues to escalate in Gaza city. Without cooking gas and considering the high price of firewood, families across the Gaza Strip are increasingly relying on paying to use communal ovens to make their own bread, in addition to purchasing flour and other ingredients. Bread bundles remain unaffordable on the market, sold at more than 30 NIS (US $9) per two kilogrammes, compared with 2 NIS ($0.6) for two kilogrammes at UN-supported bakeries in early 2025. Partners are working on measures to ensure supplies can safely arrive at bakeries and warehouses from the crossings to support bakeries to resume operations at scale.
• With the continued closure of Zikim crossing since 12 September, the suspension of cargo movement from Jordan following a security incident at the Allenby Bridge on 18 September, and the closure of all Gaza crossings on 23 and 24 September due to Israeli-announced Jewish holidays, supply lines to the Gaza Strip, particularly to the famine-struck Gaza city, have been unpredictable. Between 12 and 22 September 2025, 436 truckloads were collected through the UN 2720 mechanism from Gaza’s crossings, compared with about 1,040 truckloads collected in the previous 11-day period between 1 and 11 September, marking a 58 per cent decrease.
• Moreover, according to data from the UN 2720 mechanism, between 1 and 22 September, a total of 1,075 aid trucks were intercepted during transit in Gaza – either peacefully by desperate civilians or forcefully by armed criminals. These incidents accounted for 73 per cent of all collected supplies so far in September, significantly undermining the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Notably, on 18 September, armed individuals in Gaza city took over four UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) trucks carrying ready-to-use therapeutic food for malnourished children, taking the supplies at gunpoint. According to UNICEF, the loss of these supplies deprived at least 2,700 severely malnourished children of life-saving nutrition.
• Cargo movements at Al Karama/Allenby Bridge border crossing have been suspended since 18 September, when a Jordanian truck driver transporting cargo for the Gaza Strip shot and killed two Israeli soldiers. On 23 September, Israeli authorities announced the closure of Al Karama/Allenby Bridge crossing for passenger access in both directions. The crossing is critical for commercial imports and exports, and the entry of humanitarian supplies from Jordan. In August, about one quarter of humanitarian relief items entering Gaza through the UN 2720 mechanism came via Jordan, including food, tents, and other urgently needed supplies. The closure has also disrupted the rotation of international humanitarian staff to and from the Gaza Strip. The UN is engaging with relevant stakeholders to urgently address these concerns, warning that the continued closure of this border crossing without viable alternatives would severely undermine the humanitarian response in Gaza and seriously impact the movement of Palestinians.

Shrinking Space for Lifesaving Services in Gaza City

• Constant bombardment, displacement orders and the limited availability of basic supplies are threatening the continued operation of lifesaving services in Gaza city, including ambulances, health facilities, nutrition services, and community kitchens. Fuel supplies also remain limited, with the last reported successful delivery on 20 September, when the UN Office for Projects Services (UNOPS) delivered 92,000 litres of fuel to Gaza city to support health facilities, water and sanitation services, and telecommunications.
• On 22 September, the Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO) reported that an Israeli airstrike destroyed Ash Shawa building, in As Samer area of Gaza city, which also housed key humanitarian facilities, including a primary health-care centre of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS), a training and community centre of the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (GCMHP), and the offices of several other civil society organizations. The GCMHP centre was providing mental health and psychosocial services to thousands of people, including children, women and people with disabilities. According to PMRS, the attack destroyed its health centre which provided critical services including blood donation and testing services, trauma care, cancer medications, and chronic disease treatment. Following the incident, WHO Director-General emphasized that attacks on health care must end and warned that the “continued destruction of Gaza City's health facilities will cause more deaths and further overwhelm already overcrowded hospitals in the south.” In addition, on 24 September, PMRS reported that their main headquarters in Tal al Hawa in Gaza city was hit. According to PMRS, this attack has rendered all PMRS health facilities in Gaza non-operational.
• On 22 September, the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) announced the relocation of the Jordanian field hospital from the Tal al Hawa area of Gaza city, where it had been operational for more than 16 years, to Khan Younis, citing staff safety concerns. Affirming their readiness to resume operations in Gaza city when conditions allow, the JAF noted that continuous shelling and heavy bombing in recent weeks had caused damage to the hospital’s façade and equipment, the hospital had become increasingly isolated, and the road leading to the hospital has become dangerous.
• On 23 September, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported that the oxygen station at Al Quds Hospital, which it operates in the Tal al Hawa in Gaza city, has stopped functioning after being hit by gunfire from Israeli forces. As a result, the hospital is now relying only on pre-filled oxygen cylinders, which are expected to last for three days. PRCS added that Israeli military vehicles were positioned at the hospital’s southern gate, preventing anyone from entering or leaving.
• Since 1 September, four hospitals in North Gaza and Gaza governorates were forced to shut down, bringing the total number of functioning hospitals in Gaza to only 14, including eight in Gaza city, three in Deir al Balah and three in Khan Younis. None of them, however, is functioning at full capacity. The four hospitals that were rendered out of service are Al Rantisi Children's Hospital, Ophthalmic Hospital, and St. John Eye Hospital in Gaza city and Hamad Hospital for Rehabilitation and Prosthetics in North Gaza. Hamad Hospital is one of the main three specialized rehabilitation facilities in the Gaza Strip, which was serving 250 outpatients with rehabilitation services, in addition to providing medical care for people injured while seeking aid in North Gaza at its trauma stabilization point, with about 200 patients served daily. Al Rantisi Hospital had sustained severe damage from a direct strike days earlier and most of its medical equipment, according to the Health Cluster, were transferred to Al Helou, As Sahaba and Patient Friendly hospitals, all in Gaza city, on 21 September.
• In addition, according to the Health Cluster, between 1 and 23 September, 16 medical points and 11 primary health centres were forced to suspend or shut down services in Gaza city. At the same time, the situation at the remaining eight hospitals and one field hospital in the city is critical. Those health points are overwhelmed by the influx of casualties resulting from strikes, in addition to providing medical care for non-trauma patients.

Challenges Facing the Health-care System in Central and Southern Gaza

• At Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, the situation is extremely dire. Patients, especially children, face critical shortages in both treatment services and hospital beds. According to Nasser Medical Complex, dozens are crowded into hallways and shared rooms, while families are left sitting on the floor amid a severe lack of medicines and essential care. The extreme overcrowding is largely due to the mass displacement of families from northern Gaza, leaving the facility unable to absorb the surge in patients. On 22 September, Dr. Ahmed Al-Fara, Director of the Children's and Maternity Center at Nasser Medical Complex, described the situation as one of unprecedented overcrowding across the entire facility, and particularly in the paediatric departments. “We are witnessing extreme congestion in the neonatal units, with up to three babies sharing a single incubator – a very serious precedent in the nursery departments,” he said. He added that the paediatric departments are beyond capacity, receiving approximately 1,000 cases in just 24 hours, with nearly 200 children admitted, despite the department's capacity of only 40 beds. “These are numbers we’ve never seen before,” he emphasized. Dr. Al-Fara also reported a dramatic increase in the number of premature and low-birth-weight infants, now accounting for 60-70 per cent of newborns, compared with 20 per cent before October 2023. “The conditions are catastrophic in every sense of the word,” he concluded.
• Like many other health facilities, Al Aqsa Hospital, in Deir al Balah, is facing severe overcrowding and insufficient bed capacity to cope with the rising number of patients. Despite having the largest bed capacity among hospitals in the area, with 350 beds, this remains inadequate. In response to extreme overcrowding and amid the arrival of thousands of displaced people in the central governorate, Al Aqsa Hospital has set up fully equipped medical tents to receive the injured along with an additional tent designated for emergency cases, due to the lack of available space in internal wards.
• Shortages of medical supplies and equipment continue to weaken the health system in Gaza. The Kuwait Specialized Field Hospital announced, on 18 September, the forced suspension of all scheduled surgical operations, limiting its services to life-saving surgeries only. This is due to a severe shortage of medications and medical supplies and the deterioration of equipment and devices over the past two years. The hospital is also facing a significant shortage of essential medical necessities, including anaesthesia drugs, medical solutions, sterilization materials and supplies, and critical surgical instruments, the hospital added. Similarly, blood shortage remains a pressing challenge, threatening the lives of patients, with continuous appeals by MoH for blood donation campaigns at all hospitals across the Gaza Strip.

Displacement and the Struggle for Survival

• According to the Site Management Cluster (SMC), more than 388,400 displacement movements were recorded between 14 August and 23 September – an average of about 9,700 movements per day. The majority of these movements originated from Gaza city, with most people reportedly heading toward Khan Younis and Deir al Balah – areas that, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), are projected to face famine by the end of September 2025. The cluster notes that the displacement figures are likely higher, as many people are also moving during the night when monitoring is limited. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of people remain in Gaza city and, according to UNRWA, ‘’are facing daily bombardment, famine and compromised access to means of survival.’’
• The journey to the south is long and dangerous. On 19 September, the Israeli military announced that Salah al Din Road, which opened for 48 hours only, is closed for southward movement. Since mid-August, Al Rashid Road has been the main route available for people moving from Gaza city southward. Prior to departure, many report waiting many days to secure space on trucks for their belongings, with high transportation costs placing an additional burden on already exhausted families. UNRWA reports that costs can reach more than US$3,000, including for transportation, purchasing a tent and land space to set up the tent - where such space is available. According to SMC partners, many families cannot afford transport to the south, forcing some to travel on foot. Families are also facing multi-day delays and travelling along overcrowded and arduous displacement routes, often increasing the risk of family separation. This is especially the case for children under 10, UNICEF highlights. Reports from partners at the four flow monitoring points on Al Rashid Road – comprising partners working on site management and protection, including child protection and addressing gender-based violence (GBV) – indicate that the road is heavily congested, with vehicles, donkey carts, tuk-tuks, and large numbers of exhausted and worn-out people travelling on foot. With the majority of people in Gaza already displaced multiple times, the most vulnerable, particularly children and the elderly, are bearing the brunt of the hardship, including the risk of dehydration during the journey. Layan, an 11-year-old student, told UNRWA: “I am supposed to be in sixth grade. My school was destroyed… I am so tired of evacuation and displacement. This is our sixth time to move in search for a safe place.”
• Between 9 and 23 September, six child protection partners at the four monitoring points reached more than 24,000 people, including over 14,000 children with psychological first aid and referred 44 unaccompanied children for family tracing, reunification and temporary care arrangements. Child protection partners had distributed 4,760 identification bracelets in shelters, displacement corridors, and sites over the past three weeks to facilitate family reunification – each bracelet includes the child’s name, date of birth, caregiver contact information, and displacement site registration.
• The Shelter Cluster reports conditions in the south are alarming: families are squeezed into makeshift tents along the beach, packed into overcrowded schools, or sleeping in the open air or amid the rubble of destroyed homes, services are stretched beyond capacity and cannot meet the needs of those already present, let alone new arrivals. The majority of IDPs are arriving without tents, and tents remain both scarce and unaffordable, according to the cluster, with market prices reaching approximately $1,000 – well beyond the means of most families. According to the Protection Cluster, severe overcrowding in displacement sites in the south is heightening risks of violence, abuse and exploitation of all groups, with a particular risk of neglect for children, and eroding dignity of displaced people. Congestion in sites is also exposing women and girls to the heightened risk of GBV. Families are additionally experiencing extreme stress and trauma, which is fuelling both community-level and intra-familial tensions. On 19 September, an inter-agency mission led by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs visited three displacement sites hosting approximately 4,000 people in Khan Younis and identified critical levels of need, with the most urgent gaps in food , water, sanitation and hygiene, health, shelter, protection, child protection, GBV and site management. In Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, SMC reports that there are currently about 64 displacement sites, including 25 UNRWA designated emergency shelters and other numerous scattered sites along the beach, with a total population of about 460,000 IDPs, including about 20,600 IDPs who have newly arrived from northern Gaza.

Funding

• As of 24 September 2025, Member States have disbursed approximately $1.06 billion out of the $4 billion (26 per cent) requested to meet the most critical humanitarian needs of three million out of 3.3 million people identified as requiring assistance in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in 2025, under the 2025 Flash Appeal for the OPT. Nearly 88 per cent of the requested funds are for humanitarian response in Gaza, with just over 12 per cent for the West Bank. Moreover, during August 2025, the oPt Humanitarian Fund managed 104 ongoing projects, totalling $62.3 million, to address urgent needs in the Gaza Strip (87 per cent) and the West Bank (13 per cent). Of these projects, 48 are being implemented by INGOs, 42 by national NGOs and 14 by UN agencies. Notably, 35 out of the 62 projects implemented by INGOs or the UN are being implemented in collaboration with national NGOs. For more information, please see OCHA’s Financial Tracking Service webpage and the oPt HF webpage.

1800.

AVAAZ

25 september 2025

Het debat over Eurovisie staat in vuur en vlam — we zitten bijna aan een half miljoen handtekeningen!

Er staan belangrijke meetings in de agenda: voeg je naam toe en deel dit nu zodat we de kaap van de 500.000 overschrijden!

Sluit Israël uit van het Songfestival

Er verschuift iets. Nederland maakte onlangs bekend dat het zich terug zal trekken uit het Eurovisiesongfestival als Israël meedoet. En vier omroepen weigeren de wedstrijd uit te zenden. Eindelijk lijkt de genocide in Gaza het zorgvuldig opgebouwde internationale imago van Israël aan diggelen te slaan -- voeg jouw naam toe en roep nog meer tv-zenders op zich uit te spreken en Palestina te steunen. 

1799.

25 september 2025

Humanitarian Situation Update #325
West Bank

24 September 2025

One of 13 children and five adults of the Jaba' Bedouin community, near Jerusalem, who lost their livelihoods when Israeli forces demolished animal shelters they own for lacking building permits. Photo by OCHA

Key Highlights

• Over 3,000 Palestinians have been displaced in the West Bank since 7 October 2023, citing settler attacks and access restrictions, including 40 over the past week.
• Israeli settlers vandalized water networks in five locations across the West Bank, cutting off access to water for hundreds of residents of Palestinian Bedouin and herding communities.
• Israeli forces forcibly evacuated five families from Tulkarm Camp and conducted a large-scale raid in Ya’bad, in Jenin governorate, affecting nearly 20,000 residents.
• Between 1 January and 15 September 2025, the World Health Organization documented 203 attacks on health care across the West Bank, including 166 incidents of obstruction to health care delivery.
• Following the killing of two Israeli soldiers by a Jordanian truck driver transporting cargo for Gaza on 18 September, Israeli authorities closed Allenby Bridge between the West Bank and Jordan until further notice.

Humanitarian Developments

• Between 16 and 22 September, Israeli forces killed two Palestinian men and injured 45 others, including six children, in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Israeli settlers injured another 10 Palestinians during the reporting period. A Jordanian man carried out a shooting attack, killing two Israeli soldiers at Al Karama/Allenby Bridge border crossing.
• On 16 September, undercover Israeli forces raided Qalqiliya city and surrounded the homes of two Palestinian men. They shot, injured and arrested both men. In addition, a 14-year-old boy was shot in the head and transferred to hospital. Later that day, Israeli forces informed the Palestinian District Coordination Office (DCO) of the death of the two men, whose bodies have been withheld. Three other detained Palestinians were released the following day.
• On 18 September, a Jordanian truck driver transporting cargo for the Gaza Strip shot and killed two Israeli soldiers at the Al Karama/Allenby Bridge border crossing. Israeli forces killed the assailant at the scene and reportedly physically assaulted and injured several other truck drivers. Following the attack, Israeli forces closed the crossing for both passenger and cargo traffic and shut down checkpoints around Jericho governorate for about two hours. Movement was further restricted by intensified inspections at checkpoints, causing long queues and delays for Palestinians residents entering and exiting the Jordan Valley area of the West Bank.
• On 23 September, Israeli authorities announced the closure of Al Karama/Allenby Bridge crossing for passenger access in both directions until further notice, while cargo movements had remained suspended since the 18 September attack. As the only crossing point between Jordan and the West Bank, most of the West Bank’s 3.3 million residents depend on Al Karama/Allenby Bridge for travel abroad. It is also critical for commercial imports and exports, and the entry of humanitarian supplies from Jordan. In August, about one quarter of humanitarian relief items entering Gaza through the UN 2720 mechanism came via Jordan, including food, tents, and other urgently needed supplies. The closure has also disrupted the rotation of international humanitarian staff to and from the Gaza Strip. The UN is engaging with relevant stakeholders to urgently address these concerns, warning that the continued closure of this border crossing without viable alternatives would severely undermine the humanitarian response in Gaza and seriously impact the movement of Palestinians.
• Since 7 October 2023, 994 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, including two who died of wounds sustained prior to 7 October. Of the total, 965 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces, 19 by Israeli settlers, and 10 where it remains unknown whether the perpetrators were Israeli forces or settlers. More than half of the 965 Palestinians fatalities by Israeli forces (643) were in the northern West Bank. Of them, 278 were in Jenin governorate alone. During the same period, Palestinians killed 41 Israelis, including 23 members of Israeli forces in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In Israel, attacks by Palestinians from the West Bank resulted in the killing of 17 Israelis and 12 Palestinian perpetrators, in addition to a Palestinian killed in an attack by Israelis in West Jerusalem.

New Access Regulations

• On 16 September, Israeli authorities imposed new access regulations on three Palestinian communities, in northwestern Jerusalem governorate: An Nabi Samwil, Al Khalayleh, and Beit Iksa. An Nabi Samwil and Al Khalayleh communities are located in Area C and are physically cut off from the rest of the West Bank by the Barrier and residents are only able to access West Bank services via Al Jib Barrier checkpoint. Beit Iksa village, with a population of about 2,000 people, is located in Area B and C and is isolated from other villages in northwestern Jerusalem by the Beit Iksa Barrier checkpoint and from the Jerusalem side of the Barrier by a series of closures, where a planned section of the Barrier remains unconstructed (for background please see this OCHA report). Under the new regulations, all residents must obtain an individual magnetic ID card with an access permit to commute between their village and the remainder of the West Bank while remaining barred from East Jerusalem. Each family must prove that the village is their primary place of residence, and those denied permits risk permanent expulsion. The affected area in Beit Iksa also includes Beit Iksa Bedouin community. These measures replace previous coordination arrangements that allowed their movement without permits through Al Jib and Beit Iksa checkpoints, further entrenching the isolation of the three villages.
• These villages are among 17 “dislocated communities,” which are physically separated from the rest of the West Bank by the Barrier, while simultaneously being prohibited from residing in or accessing services in East Jerusalem. The residents of these communities mainly hold West Bank IDs but must cross checkpoints to reach health, education and markets in the West Bank. Family and social life has been fractured, with visitors requiring permits and many residents have been gradually displaced due to untenable conditions. Since 2009, OCHA has documented the demolition of 172 structures in Beit Iksa, Al Khalayleh, and An Nabi Samwil. More than half of these were agricultural or livelihood-related structures, with Al Khalayleh alone accounting for over half of the total number of the demolished structures (about 90 structures). Overall, these demolitions have resulted in the displacement of 159 people, including 92 children. The introduction of new access permits entrenches longstanding restrictions on movement and residency in these communities, further isolating them and restricting their access to services and livelihoods and increasing their risk of forced displacement.

Lack-of-Permit Demolitions

• Between 16 and 22 September, OCHA documented the demolition of 25 Palestinian-owned structures for lacking Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain. Of the total, 18 structures were in Area C and seven in East Jerusalem (all but one were demolished by their owners). Demolished structures included 11 residential structures, eight agricultural and livelihood structures, two latrines, and four other structures.
• On 17 September, 11 people, including four children, were displaced in the Bab Hutta area in the Old City of Jerusalem, following the demolition of two residences by their owners. On 18 September, in Furush Beit Dajan village, in Nablus governorate, Israeli authorities demolished three residential structures, one of them inhabited, along with an animal shelter, displacing a family of seven, including a child. In total, 18 people, including five children, were displaced and about 80 were otherwise affected.
• The highest number of structures demolished in a single incident (eight structures) was recorded on 17 September in Khallet Athaba’, a Palestinian herding community with a population of about 80 people, located in an Israeli-declared firing zone in Masafer Yatta, in southern Hebron governorate. This latest demolition marks the fifth such incident in the community in 2025. The demolished structures included residential shelters, donor-funded latrines and other livelihood structures, while four water tanks were also destroyed. In total, four families comprising 23 people, including 16 children, were affected.
• Since the beginning of the year, 86 structures have been demolished in Khallet Athaba’, over half of them provided as humanitarian assistance. Residents continue to face sustained pressure to leave, compounded by repeated demolitions and settler violence, including an attack by settlers on 4 September that injured 14 people, among them an infant, and earlier incidents in May when settlers occupied and evicted families from two caves, physically assaulting residents, including a pregnant woman.
• Since 7 October 2023, Israeli authorities destroyed, confiscated, sealed or forced the demolition of 3,542 Palestinian-owned structures across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, displacing more than 7,074 Palestinians, including about 3,042 children. These include more than 3,424 Palestinians displaced due to the destruction of homes during operations by Israeli forces, 3,230 Palestinians displaced by lack-of-permit demolitions, and 420 people displaced by demolitions on punitive and other grounds.

Operations in the Northern West Bank

• On 19 September, Israeli forces forcibly evacuated five Palestinian families comprising nearly 25 people from their homes in the Al Matar neighbourhood in Tulkarm Refugee Camp. The evacuations took place late in the day and without prior notice. The affected houses are located within an area for which Israeli forces recently released maps outlining the boundaries of their designated “military zone” in Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps. Over the past four months, the families had intermittently returned to their homes, after being displaced at the onset of the ongoing operation by Israeli forces in Tulkarm’s refugee camps since early 2025.
• Israeli operations continue across cities, towns and villages in the northern West Bank. On 20 September, Israeli forces, accompanied by a bulldozer, conducted a large-scale raid in Ya’bad town, in Jenin governorate. Israeli forces searched and ransacked the contents of nearly all raided houses, including that of the head of the municipality, which was converted into a military post and field interrogation centre. The operation lasted about seven hours, during which around 50 houses were searched, and some 80 men were detained for field interrogation, and one Palestinian man was physically assaulted and injured by Israeli forces. According to the Palestinian District Coordination Liaison (DCL), the bulldozer closed three main roads, leaving only a narrow side road accessible to residents. This significantly disrupted movement within the town, restricted access to services, and hindered the ability of residents to leave or enter the town, with a population of nearly 20,000 people. Two main water pipelines supplying the town were also damaged by an Israeli bulldozer, interrupting water supply for nearly 30 per cent of the town’s population for at least 24 hours.
• On 22 September, Israeli forces physically assaulted and injured a paramedic at Sarra checkpoint, southwest of Nablus. The paramedic, who was also an ambulance driver, was stopped while on duty and beaten by Israeli forces. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), between 1 January and 15 September 2025, 203 attacks on health care were documented across the West Bank, resulting in four deaths and 11 injuries. Of the total, 117 incidents entailed the use of force against health care, 166 incidents involved obstruction to health care delivery, 41 were cases of detention of health care personnel or patients, and 31 were incidents of militarized searches of health care personnel, facilities or transport. Sixty-eight per cent of documented attacks were in Nablus, Jenin and Tulkarm governorates.

Israeli Settler Attacks

• Between 16 and 22 September, OCHA documented at least 28 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians that resulted in casualties, property damage, or both. These incidents led to the injury of 10 Palestinians by Israeli settlers and the injury of two settlers by Palestinians. In addition, seven Bedouin and herding families in Hebron, Ramallah, and Tubas governorates were forcibly displaced. At least 30 olive trees, 10 vehicles, water pipes and networks were vandalized, and dozens of Palestinian-owned livestock were stolen.
• Settlers’ attacks, threats and harassment, including blocking off grazing areas for Bedouin and herding communities across the West Bank, continue to force families out of their communities, some of whom were displaced more than once.
  • In the southern West Bank, in Hebron governorate, on 18 September, two Palestinian families comprising 14 people, including nine children, were forcibly displaced out of Bariyyet ash Shuyukh herding community and relocated to a nearby area in Sa’ir town. These two families were displaced previously from Al Ganoub community in 2023 due to continuous attacks by Israeli settlers.
  • In the central West Bank, in Ramallah governorate, on 17 September, two Palestinian families comprising 11 people, including four children, were forcibly displaced out of East Tayba Bedouin community. The displacement followed an incident in which a settler grazed livestock near residential shelters and attempted to enter an animal shelter, leading to a confrontation with residents. Subsequently, more settlers, accompanied by Israeli forces, entered the community, breaking into homes and animal shelters, physically assaulting three Palestinians, including two elderly people, injuring them, and stealing dozens of livestock. Settlers fired live ammunition in the air and confined women and children to one shelter. A Palestinian ambulance’s access was delayed by Israeli forces for over 90 minutes, during which settlers threw stones at the ambulance. The injured were eventually transported to hospital after residents carried them to the community’s entrance. The two families, who had previously been displaced in May 2025 from Maghayer ad Deir Bedouin community, were forced to dismantle their shelters; they relocated to Area B in Rammun village.
  • In the northern West Bank, in Tubas governorate, on 19 September, three families comprising 15 people, including seven children, from Ibziq herding community were forced to dismantle their structures and relocate to a nearby location in Area B. This followed a raid by two armed Israeli settlers, known to the community and believed to be from a newly established outpost, arrived in a military jeep, reportedly without a registration plate, and dressed in military uniforms. Under the direct threat of weapons, the settlers ordered the families to dismantle their structures and evacuate. They physically assaulted a family member, confiscated his ID, and held him at gunpoint under a tree, giving the families two hours to evacuate in exchange for the ID. Israeli forces later arrived and instructed the families to leave immediately. During the attack, settlers vandalized a water tank. Three additional families in the community received similar threats to evacuate and are preparing to dismantle their structures.
• Settlers vandalized water networks in at least five locations, affecting access to water, particularly those supplying Palestinian Bedouin communities:
  • In Jericho governorate on 20 September, settlers temporarily severed water networks that supply water to the Bedouin communities of Al Hathroura and Sateh al Bahr and installed a pipe in Sateh al Bahr to connect a nearby settlement outpost to the water supply serving the community. This is the second time that settlers sever water networks this month in both communities. Damages were repaired by the residents after a few hours.
  • In Hebron governorate on 14 September, during ongoing bulldozing works carried out by settlers near the Bedouin community of Khirbet Umm al Kheir, the community’s water and electricity networks were destroyed. As a result, 35 families comprising about 200 people were left without access to water and electricity for five days. In another herding community, Umm At Tiran near Khirbet Zanuta, on 22 September, a female Israeli settler cut water pipes and destroyed wires and part of the solar panel system. As of the time of reporting, two families remained disconnected from water and electricity supply.
  • In Nablus governorate on 18 September, a group of Israeli settlers, believed to be from a nearby outpost, vandalized a water network and a vehicle in the village of Duma village, causing damage to 100 metres of plastic water pipes. Settlers also scattered sharp metal objects on the ground, which caused punctures in the tyres of a vehicle belonging to the water department in the village council.
• Since 7 October 2023, OCHA has documented about 3,045 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians, of which 306 led to casualties, 2,422 led to damage to Palestinian property, and 317 led to both casualties and property damage. Since 7 October 2023, 558 Palestinians households comprising 3,055 people, including 1,529 children, have been displaced, mostly from Bedouin and herding communities, across the West Bank, citing attacks by Israeli settlers and access restrictions.
• For key figures and additional breakdowns of casualties, displacement and settler violence between January 2005 and August 2025, please refer to the OCHA West Bank August 2025 Snapshot.

Funding

• As of 24 September 2025, Member States have disbursed approximately US$1.06 billion out of the $4 billion (26 per cent) requested to meet the most critical humanitarian needs of three million out of 3.3 million people identified as requiring assistance in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in 2025, under the 2025 Flash Appeal for the OPT. Nearly 88 per cent of the requested funds are for humanitarian response in Gaza, with just over 12 per cent for the West Bank. Moreover, during August 2025, the oPt Humanitarian Fund managed 104 ongoing projects, totalling $62.3 million, to address urgent needs in the Gaza Strip (87 per cent) and the West Bank (13 per cent). Of these projects, 48 are being implemented by INGOs, 42 by national NGOs and 14 by UN agencies. Notably, 35 out of the 62 projects implemented by INGOs or the UN are being implemented in collaboration with national NGOs. For more information, please see OCHA’s Financial Tracking Service webpage and the oPt HF webpage.

1798.

24 september 2025

Today's headlines

Israel is trying to collapse the Palestinian Authority. The first step is destroying the Palestinian economy.

Qassam Muaddi and Mondoweiss Palestine Bureau

As countries around the world recognize a Palestinian state, Israel is doing everything it can to prevent the possibility of any future state. One way it plans on doing that is through financial strangulation.

1797.

23 september 2025

Come join us in Hebron! We're excited to invite you to join us for the 2025 Olive Harvest, taking place from October 10th to November 20th. Be part of a living tradition that’s been passed down through generations, and stand in solidarity with Palestinian families as they harvest olives from ancient trees that have witnessed centuries of history.

Don't miss out on this experience of cultural exchange, solidarity, and resilience. Learn about olive picking and spend time in the Palestinian community in Tel Rumeida, Hebron, one of the oldest inhabited places in the world. You’ll stay with local families, share meals, and take part in walking tours, trainings, and events that deepen your understanding of life in Hebron and the human rights challenges on the ground. Come work side-by-side with Palestinian families in the ancient practice of the olive harvest from trees that are hundreds of years old!

Did you know

 Olive groves are carbon sinks – critical to combating climate change.

 The olive trees in Hebron may be 800-1200 years old.

 The neighborhood of Tel Rumeida makes Hebron one of the oldest cities continuously inhabited in the world.

 Local olive oil is a major stable in Palestinian cuisine, culture and tradition.

If you cannot join us in Hebron, please consider supporting the olive harvest by donating!

A Visit from Orange Is The New Black Actress

We were visited in Hebron by Natasha Lyonne, an Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated producer, actor, writer, and director best known for her roles in Orange Is The New Black, Russian Doll and Poker Face. Lyonne was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World. We showed her the situation in Hebron and hope to inspire others to come visit and use their influence to stand up for human rights.

Sumud Campaign: Building Resilience

We continue to support Palestinian families by focusing on building resilience (sumud) in the home. We help maintain and install improvements on the homes to make life easier for the most vulnerable Palestinians living under occupation.

Volunteers cleaning the land to prepare for the olive harvest.

Volunteers carrying out maintenance of family water tanks and installing water motor pumps.

With peace,

Friends of Hebron

Working for Peace and Justice

1796.

23 september 2025

On 19 September 2025, in Athens, the Hind Rajab Foundation filed a war crimes complaint in Athens against Naor Shlomo Dadon, a Givati Brigade soldier who documented his role in arson, home demolitions, and the burning of a school sheltering civilians in Gaza. While Dadon now attends a Greek “healing retreat” for combat veterans, HRF urged Greece to apply universal jurisdiction and prove that Europe cannot be a sanctuary for perpetrators of genocide and war crimes.

On 22 September 2025, in Prague, HRF filed another complaint in Prague against Roei Haimatan of the Givati Brigade’s 435th Battalion, presenting evidence from his own posts and fellow soldiers that tie him to forced displacement, torture, and systematic home demolitions in Khan Younis.

HRF emphasized that states have a legal duty to prosecute suspected war criminals, not just denounce atrocities in words while allowing impunity in practice. These filings are part of HRF’s wider strategy to turn condemnation into accountability across Europe.

More information below.

Athens & Prague – September 2025 The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) has intensified its strategy to hold Israeli perpetrators of atrocities in Gaza accountable, filing two new war crimes complaints in Greece and the Czech Republic within the span of three days.

Athens – No Safe Haven in Greek “Healing Retreats”

On 19 September 2025, HRF, represented by Greek human rights lawyer Evgenia Koniaki, filed a criminal complaint before the Athens Public Prosecutor against Naor Shlomo Dadon, a soldier of the Israeli army’s Givati Brigade, 432nd Infantry Battalion “Tzabar.”

Dadon’s own social media posts form a central part of the evidence. He documented his deployment in Gaza from August 2024 through August 2025, during which his unit:

• Burned and demolished civilian neighborhoods in Rafah and Jabalia

• Torched the Hamad Bin Khalifa School, a shelter for displaced families

• Raised flags over destroyed UNRWA facilities

• Celebrated devastation with barbecues in besieged areas

Today, Dadon is in Zagora, Magnesia, attending a “mental resilience” retreat organized by the Israeli group Rising Heroes. HRF condemned such programs as “post-atrocity sanctuaries,” designed not to rehabilitate but to normalize impunity.

Chairman Dyab Abou Jahjah stated:

“There can be no safe haven in Europe for individuals who took part in the destruction of a civilian population. These so-called healing retreats are not post-traumatic support—they are post-atrocity sanctuaries.”

The complaint urges Greek authorities to exercise universal jurisdiction under domestic and international law, including the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute, to open criminal proceedings against Dadon for war crimes and genocide.

This comes just a week after Greece opened a preliminary investigation into another HRF filing against Israeli soldier Yair Ohana, also of the 432nd Battalion. HRF has called on Athens to show consistency in prosecuting Dadon as well.

Prague – Universal Jurisdiction Against Forced Displacement

On 22 September 2025, HRF filed a second major complaint, this time before the Prague Municipal Public Prosecutor’s Office against Roei Haimatan, a soldier of the Israeli army’s Givati Brigade, 435th Infantry Battalion “Rotem.”

The complaint, submitted by Czech legal counsel Jan Täubel, is based on universal jurisdiction, obliging Czech courts to investigate grave crimes when suspects are present on national territory. HRF confirmed that Haimatan is currently in the Czech Republic.

Evidence includes:

• Haimatan’s own social media posts documenting forced displacement

• Unit-level participation in home demolitions and torture of civilians in Khan Younis (Jan–Feb 2024)

• Indiscriminate gunfire and public humiliation of Palestinian detainees

• Cross-referenced documentation from other soldiers in his unit, including Mori Keisar, already subject to a January 2025 HRF complaint

Head of Litigation Natacha Bracq emphasized:

“Czech law obliges prosecutors to act when suspects of genocide or war crimes are present on its territory. The evidence against Haimatan, much of it from his own social media, is credible and serious. Authorities must now open an investigation and secure the evidence without delay.”

Legal counsel Jan Täubel added:

“War crimes should be prosecuted and punished regardless of the citizenship, religion, or political affiliation of the perpetrators. I firmly believe Czech authorities will proceed impartially and without interference.”

A Broader Strategy

Both filings are part of HRF’s multi-jurisdictional strategy to dismantle the shield of impunity surrounding Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. By combining domestic prosecutions in Europe with ongoing submissions to the International Criminal Court (ICC), the foundation aims to close every escape route for perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

“By pursuing accountability wherever perpetrators are found, we affirm that those who commit genocide and war crimes will face justice,” said Chairman Dyab Abou Jahjah.

1795.

23 september 2025

Today's headlines

The recognition of Palestine: what it does, what it doesn’t do, and why now

Qassam Muaddi

The recognition of Palestine as a state is more of a symbolic gesture than a meaningful act, like imposing sanctions on Israel would be. Still, it shows that even Israel's allies have been forced to take action as Israel’s genocide in Gaza deepens.

Israel plans to forcibly expel thousands of Palestinians to clear the way for a settlement that will split the West Bank in half

Zena al-Tahhan

As several Western nations announce their recognition of a Palestinian state ahead of an upcoming UN General Assembly vote, Israel is accelerating its illegal annexation measures of the occupied West Bank to render a Palestinian state impossible.

1794.

22 september 2025

As the Jewish new year 5786 arrives, this sacred time demands that we recommit to the work of tikkun olam: repairing the world.

Though the challenges ahead are immense, we come from generations of activists who have resisted oppression and we will continue to fight for freedom, from here in our communities to Palestine — with our ancestors at our backs.

Find High Holidays resources

1793.

22 september 2025

Today's headlines

Why I can’t join my family in honoring our ancestors killed in the Holocaust while Israel commits genocide in Gaza

Jamila Levasseur

I couldn't join my family in honoring our ancestors murdered in the Nazi genocide while Israel uses our history to justify its oppression of the Palestinians. Instead, I honor my family’s lives by doing all I can to stop the Gaza genocide today.

1792.

AVAAZ

22 september 2025

1791.

BREAKING THE SILENCE

22 september 2025

Last Tuesday, the IDF began its renewed ground invasion of Gaza City. By the military’s own estimate, 600,000 civilians remained in Gaza City as Israeli tanks began rolling through the streets. We’re horrified by our government’s disregard for the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians forced to flee under heavy fire, often with no belongings except the clothes they wear, leaving their destroyed homes behind.

We are also terrified for the fate of the Israeli hostages. Once again, our leaders have decided that waging death and more destruction in Gaza is more important than protecting even their own citizens.

Photo: Mohammed Zaanoun, Activestills.

For weeks, the IDF has been carrying out intensive and deadly airstrikes on Gaza City. 1.2 million residents received a sweeping evacuation notice, ordering them to flee to the so-called "safe zones" further south. Many in Gaza have been displaced countless times over the past two years. They know that the IDF has repeatedly bombed so-called “humanitarian zones” after ordering Palestinians to relocate to those same areas. So when forced to choose between yet another displacement or trying to survive in an active combat zone, many chose to stay.

Others are simply unable to leave. Omar Al-Midana told Haaretz that he fled with his family from Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighborhood to the western part of the city. Now the IDF has ordered them to evacuate again, this time southwards – but leaving isn’t an option. His 65-year-old mother was recently diagnosed with lung cancer, and his 5-year-old daughter Basama suffers from acute malnutrition.

Photo: Yousef Zaanoun, Activestills.

The IDF has been working according to the same logic for decades: “We told them to evacuate, so they left.” And since “all” the civilians presumably evacuated, whoever stayed behind must be a terrorist. Here’s a testimony from a soldier after Israel’s war on Gaza in 2014:

“…the directive, “Whoever you identify is an enemy” was convenient for any of the soldiers, and for me, too…  The justification that’s behind it is that the IDF distributed hundreds of thousands of flyers warning the residents to evacuate, and also made phone calls, and I don’t know what other methods [...] The problem with all these things is that there’s always the possibility that there’s some old man who can’t get out, who has difficulty evacuating.”

Photo: Yousef Zaanoun, Activestills. Israeli Drone over Gaza City.

Once the flyers are dropped, the area is deemed “cleared of civilians,” and soldiers are allowed to open fire as if they’re on a battlefield – rather than in a residential neighborhood. But this doesn’t reflect the reality on the ground. What’s more, civilians killed in these areas are often counted as enemy combatants by the IDF. This is one of the ways that the IDF justifies the unconscionable death toll in Gaza.

Over the past two years, Israel has taken its lax rules of engagement to an extreme. Here’s what a soldier told us recently about “kill zones” in Gaza:

“Given that the Netzarim Corridor is a place that’s off-limits in the first place, if someone enters it and messes with the ground, it’s grounds for opening fire [...] It could be a civilian, in varying percentages. And the numbers that Daniel Hagari (IDF Spokesperson) gives the public when he says “We killed X number of terrorists” or when Netanyahu gives a speech in Congress and says: “In Rafah, we killed 1,203 people and not one innocent civilian,” - it’s total bullshit, because we don’t know. That’s the truth; we just don’t know.”

Photo: Yousef Zaanoun, Activestills.

As the IDF continues its assault on Gaza City, the death toll will only rise. The justification, however, will remain the same: “We told them to evacuate.”

This is an urgent call to those of us inside Israel, and to people around the world. We must do everything in our power:  STOP THE DEATH MACHINE NOW.

The Recognition of a Palestinian State

Years of resisting a Palestinian state — declaring it an existential danger to Israel — has only empowered radical terror organizations like Hamas and brought us to where we are today. That is why a Palestinian state is not only the natural right of Palestinians and a moral imperative — it is also essential for Israel’s security.

But recognition alone is not enough. It must be backed by urgent steps, first and foremost, ending the assault on Gaza and saving countless lives. From there, we must move toward ending Israeli occupation and apartheid. Recognition may not transform reality overnight, but it can pave the way for a better future between the river and the sea.

Escalating Settler Terror

While the eyes of the world are on Gaza, settler terror in the West Bank continues to reach new extremes. Earlier this month, dozens of settlers attacked the village of Khalat al-Dabaa in the Masafer Yatta area, injuring dozens of residents. At least three people were hospitalized with fractures and bleeding. The oldest victim was an 86-year-old man with a head injury and a broken arm; the youngest, a 4-month-old baby, was suffocated by tear gas sprayed into her room.

Although the attack was well documented, not a single Israeli suspect was arrested. According to the IDF, soldiers arrived at the scene but “identified no suspects.” This isn’t incompetence; it’s state policy.

Photo: Demolitions in Khalet a-Daba’, Omri Eran Vardi, Activestills

Khalet a-Daba’ wasn’t chosen at random.

The village lies in Masafer Yatta — an area where settlers are concentrating their efforts to expel Palestinians by making daily life unbearable through violence and constant harassment. It’s also inside  “Firing Zone 918,” a military training zone, declared as such by the Israeli army despite the presence of 12 Palestinian villages inside it. In fact, it was because of their presence.

We created an explainer to help people understand the situation in Firing Zone 918. Watch it here.

Recently, demolitions in the area have accelerated. In May, the Civil Administration destroyed most of Khalet a-Daba’: 25 buildings, six residential caves, ten water tanks, and seven wells.

Settler pogroms at night, army demolitions by day. This is life in Khalet a-Daba’ and across Masafer Yatta. Ethnic cleansing, supported and executed by the state.

Just a few weeks ago, Major General Avi Bluth, Commander of the IDF Central Command, ordered the uprooting of 3,100 olive trees as “deterrence” after an attempted terror attack. This collective punishment, explicitly aimed at an entire civilian population, was justified in Bluth’s own words: “A village carries out an attack? No problem. You want the spotlight on you, we know how to shine a spotlight.” This is an apartheid policy, straight from the mouth of Israel’s top military commander in the West Bank.

Photo: The Israeli operation in Al-Mughayer, Avishay Mohar, Activestills

Taking Israelis and internationals to see the reality on the ground

Since our friend and partner Awdah Hathaleen was shot and killed by a known violent settler, and as the situation in Masafer Yatta worsens, we've ramped up our tours and solidarity visits to the area. We aim to bring as many people as possible to see the reality with their own eyes, so they understand that silence is no longer an option.

Photo: Genia, Tochka Vstrechi. Eid Hathaleen, during a visit to Umm al-Khair with a Russian speaking tour

Here are some of the groups that’ve joined us lately:

• Russian-speaking Israeli activists, as part of an initiative to make information about the occupation accessible to a wider audience.

• Alumni of our intensive seminar for Israeli educators, “Land Beyond the Mountains,”  - a special seminar equipping educators with knowledge and tools to understand the reality of the occupation and to bring it into their classrooms, came with us on a solidarity visit to Umm al-Khair.

• Student leaders of ‘Standing Together’ chapters from universities across the country.

   

Here are three things you can do to help:

• Get involved: Join our tours and see the reality with your own eyes in Hebron and the South Hebron Hills.

• Donate: Your support makes it possible for us to keep documenting and sharing testimonies, and taking more people to witness the occupation on the ground.

• Join solidarity efforts: As our former director Avner Gvaryahu wrote in his recent op-ed for Haaretz, Palestinian communities “need people willing to stand with them, to document abuses and to demand accountability.” Join our partners at Achvat Amim for their upcoming solidarity delegations to provide protective presence to communities at risk of forcible expulsion.

• Spread the word: Help us reach further by sharing our message and testimonies with your own circles.

   

As the new Jewish year begins, we wish for a swift end to the bloodshed, the release of the hostages through a lasting ceasefire, and real progress toward a future for everyone between the river and the sea — a future free of occupation and apartheid.

ADDITIONAL READING

Click on the images to read the full texts

HOW WE FIGHT IN GAZA

“The Perimeter:” our new collection of soldiers’ testimonies chronicles the systematic annihilation and expropriation of entire villages and agricultural zones - anything that lay in the newly created Gaza buffer zone, which the IDF “completed” last December.

Since Oct 2023, Israeli officials have been consistently saying that the 238,000 Palestinians who once lived in this zone will not be allowed to return. This collection details the ethnic cleansing of around 16% of the Gaza Strip.

At the time of writing, it seems the perimeter is being expanded further.

Click on the image to read the full collection on our website

1790.

YESH DIN

21 september 2025

Nearly two years have passed since October 7, 2023, yet the devastation of that day - and all that has unfolded since - continues to shape our reality. This has been a year marked by constant violence and uncertainty, exposing the pain of witnessing so much destruction.

The war in Gaza rages on, the fate of the hostages remains unknown, and tensions with Iran are still hovering above our heads. While public attention is drawn to these crises, the West Bank continues to undergo a dangerous and largely overlooked transformation: violence against Palestinians is intensifying, daily restrictions are tightening, and the government has advanced sweeping structural changes that indicate that annexation is quickly approaching completion by application of Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank.

On the ground, the government’s policies have gone hand in hand with the escalating violence. Our field researchers continue to document settler attacks against Palestinians in towns, villages, and farming communities across the West Bank – often carried out under the protection of Israeli security forces. These incidents, which have become even more brazen and fatal under the cover of war, destroy lives and livelihoods while systematically pushing Palestinian communities off their lands.

At the same time, respect for international humanitarian law is rapidly diminishing. The recent U.S. sanctions on leading Palestinian human rights organizations and the continued efforts of the Israeli government to pass the NGO’s bill are part of a wider assault on those who defend human rights. We stand with our Palestinian and Israeli colleagues and partners, and we remain committed – despite threats and attempts to silence us – to working together for justice, accountability, and the protection of human life.

As we begin the Jewish new year, we draw strength from the knowledge that we are not alone. Your support sustains our struggle and ensures that, in the face of oppression, there will always be voices speaking out for human rights and equality.
 

We wish a peaceful year for all, and hope for the immediate end of the war and the return of the hostages.

With gratitude and determination,
Ziv Stahl
Executive Director

Over the past twenty months, Yesh Din field researchers have collected dozens of testimonies of Palestinians describing soldiers looting their homes. Our new report, ״Uniformed Theft: Pillage of Palestinians’ Money and Property by Israeli Soldiers and Police Officers in the West Bank”, addresses this phenomenon, which international law defines as a war crime. Through the description of five cases of looting that occurred between 2022 and 2024, the report presents the reality faced by many Palestinians whose homes, property, and rights have been left vulnerable to systematic abuse by Israeli security forces.

Although the army officially prohibits looting, in practice, it is a routine phenomenon, carried out under the cover of military law, which grants Israeli security forces the authority to raid homes and conduct humiliating searches. The military law enforcement system’s inaction provides soldiers and police officers who commit offenses with almost total impunity. The report shows that looting has become part of a broader system of control and oppression in the West Bank, causing severe violations of the human rights of Palestinians and constituting a breach of Israel’s obligations as an occupying power.

Read the full report

Annexation Developments

This summer, the Israeli government advanced dangerous new measures to entrench its control over the Occupied Territories. In May, the Cabinet decided to resume Settlement of Title procedures (land registration) – a move that threatens to strip hundreds of thousands of Palestinians of their land rights while providing settlers with yet another avenue to seize Palestinian property. Recently, Yesh Din, together with Bimkom, ACRI, and HaMoked, filed a joint petition to the HCJ against the Cabinet's decision to resume Settlement of Title procedures in the West Bank. The land registry process is supposed to accurately reflect ownership and property rights. Yet Cabinet ministers do not intend to accurately and fairly identify West Bank land ownership rights. Instead, they are weaponizing the procedure as a tool to advance their explicit political-ideological goal of expanding the settlement enterprise and imposing Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank, while dispossessing and displacing Palestinians.

In July, the state submitted a supplementary notice in our joint petition with ACRI to repeal the transfer of powers to the Deputy Head of the Civil Administration, demanding that it repeal the newly signed order, along with the letter of appointment and delegation of powers to the Deputy Head of the Civil Administration for Civil Affairs. In the notice, the state committed to implementing changes that reduce the previously unlimited power granted to Smotrich and the civilian Deputy Head of the Civil Administration. Yet, these changes do not reverse the broader move led by Smotrich to annex the West Bank and dismantle the Civil Administration, while concentrating powers in his own hands and his ministry, a minister in the Israeli government, which is not - and cannot be - the sovereign in the occupied territory.

Meanwhile, the government’s declared intention to formally apply Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank looms ever closer. Whether through legislation or executive order, such a move would mark a decisive leap from the ongoing reality of annexation to its official codification in law. The consequences for Palestinians – and for the rule of law itself – would be catastrophic.

An article in the Times of Israel by Nurit Yohanan about our new report on forced displacement of Palestinian shepherding communities in the West Bank.

MEP Hilda Vautmans met Yesh Din Advocacy Coordinator Yahav Erez for an important meeting and interview to discuss lack of accountability for violent settlers and soldiers. The interview was broadcasted on VRT News in Belgium.

Dan Owen, a Researcher at Yesh Din was interviewed on BBC Newshour about our report The General Staff Whitewashing Mechanism - The Israeli Law Enforcement System & Breaches of International Law & War Crimes in Gaza.

1789.

21 september 2025

Today's headlines

As Israel faces increasing international isolation, BDS becomes more crucial than ever

Mitchell Plitnick

Benjamin Netanyahu walked back claims about Israel's international isolation after causing a stock market crash, but he was right - the Gaza genocide has severely hurt Israel's standing. We must deepen this isolation through boycotts and sanctions.

1788.

21 september 2025

In de nacht van woensdag op donderdag projecteerden wij een grote aftelklok op het gebouw van Buitenlandse Zaken.

De klok telde af naar 18 september 2025: de deadline die de VN een jaar geleden aan Israël stelde om zich volledig terug te trekken uit bezet Palestina. Het is duidelijk dat Israël er niet aan heeft voldaan.

De aftelklok staat nu op nul. Dat vraagt om concreet beleid.

Wij roepen het demissionaire kabinet daarom op om:

1. De druk op te voeren en de volledige terugtrekking van Israël uit bezet Palestina te eisen, inclusief ontmanteling van alle nederzettingen;
2. Handel en investeringen te stoppen die Israëls illegale bezetting en nederzettingen in stand houden;
3. Een wapenembargo in te voeren en militaire samenwerking met Israël te beëindigen;
4. Palestina te erkennen en het recht op zelfbeschikking te respecteren.
5. Herstelbetalingen te eisen voor Palestijnen wier land en eigendommen zijn geroofd of vernietigd;
6. Sancties op te leggen totdat de illegale situatie eindigt.

Tot paria gekroond
Met zijn handelwijze bevestigt Israël dat het zich volledig buiten de internationale gemeenschap en rechtsorde – in feite de beschaafde wereld – heeft geplaatst. Het land heeft zichzelf tot paria gekroond en is er nog trots op ook.
 
Israël begint daar eindelijk de consequenties van te voelen. Veel te laat en nog veel te weinig. Maar vanaf nu kan het hard gaan. De bijeenkomst van de Algemene Vergadering van de VN, komende week in New York, is een belangrijke graadmeter.

ONDERTUSSEN IN GAZA

Neem een moment om dit ooggetuigenverslag van twee Australische artsen te bekijken. Deze helden werken in het al-Shifa ziekenhuis in Gaza-Stad.

5 OKTOBER
RODE LIJN IN AMSTERDAM

Nog steeds weigert de Nederlandse regering echte maatregelen te nemen tegen Israël. Daarom organiseren wij op 5 oktober met tientallen andere organisaties opnieuw een Rode Lijn-demonstratie, dit keer in Amsterdam. 
  
 Zondag 5 oktober, 13.00 uur
 Museumplein, Amsterdam
 Kom in het rood en neem zo veel mogelijk anderen mee!

Gebruik onze posters, flyers en voorbeeldteksten om de actie zichtbaar te maken: deel ze online, hang ze op, of stuur ze door naar mensen in je omgeving. Zo zorgen we er samen voor dat de opkomst zo groot mogelijk wordt.Opnieuw bevestigd: Israël pleegt genocide in Gaza

Hoewel veel Nederlandse media het nog altijd schaamteloos blijven omschrijven als een Israëlisch ‘offensief’ of ‘grondinval’ van Gaza-stad, is de werkelijkheid dat Israël de genocide steeds verder escaleert en stelselmatig Palestijns bestaan aan het uitroeien is.

Er ligt al een grote stapel rapporten van mensenrechtenorganisaties en internationale experts met de conclusie dat Israël volkerenmoord pleegt.

Afgelopen week verscheen een rapport van een VN-commissie, met conclusies die nog vernietigender zijn.

Het rapport stelt vast dat Israël vier van de vijf criteria van het Genocideverdrag schendt:

 het doden van leden van een groep
 ernstige lichamelijke of mentale schade toebrengen aan leden van een groep
 het opzettelijk opleggen van levensomstandigheden met als  doel de fysieke vernietiging van een groep
 het verhinderen van geboortes binnen een groep.

Belangrijk: één criterium is voldoende is om te kunnen spreken van genocide.
 
Intentie tot genocide
Israël heeft de Palestijnen als collectief aangevallen vanwege hun identiteit als Palestijn, schrijft de commissie. Het was zich bewust dat het geweld in Gaza zou leiden ‘tot massale sterfgevallen, waaronder kinderen’. Israëls doel was om ‘zoveel mogelijk Palestijnen te doden’.
 
Dat gebeurde bewust. Israël had de intentie tot het plegen van genocide, concludeert de commissie. Daartoe verwijst ze naar uitspraken van de Israëlische premier Netanyahu, president Herzog en voormalig minister van Defensie Gallant.
 
Niets doen maakt medeplichtig
De commissie wijst erop dat landen die partij zijn bij het Genocideverdrag, waaronder Nederland, maatregelen moeten nemen om Israël een halt toe te roepen. ‘Niets doen is niet neutraal’, schrijft commissievoorzetter Navi Pillay in The New York Times: ‘het is medeplichtigheid’.

FIETSEN VOOR PALESTINA

In een maand tijd fietst Maria Remmerswaal heel Nederland door. Met maar één doel. "Als ik in elke stad waar ik doorheen kom drie mensen aan het denken kan zetten over de situatie in Gaza, ben ik tevreden."

Ze fietst van 1 september tot en met 1 oktober vanuit haar woonplaats Leiden langs de provincie-hoofdsteden van Nederland.

Maria: "Ik fiets alleen, maar het zou natuurlijk fantastisch zijn als velen zich bij mij aansluiten. Hoe meer hoe beter. Bij dezen is iedereen van harte uitgenodigd. Een dag, een week, de hele route, alles is prima!" Volg Maria op Instagram of Facebook voor de routekaarten en het programma.

 Start is elke ochtend om 10.30 uur op de startplek.
 Aankomst dagelijks rond 16.30 uur op een centrale plek in dorp of stad.

21 SEPT STEENWIJK PLEIN BIJ OOSTERPOORT - ASSEN KOOPMANSPLEIN
22 SEPT ASSEN KOOPMANSPLEIN - GRONINGEN GROTE MARKT
23 SEPT GRONINGEN GROTE MARKT - DRACHTEN HET CARILLION
24 SEPT DRACHTEN HET CARILLION - LEEUWARDEN WILHELMINAPLEIN
25 SEPT LEEUWARDEN WILHELMINAPLEIN - LEMMER LEMSTER FISKERMAN
26 SEPT LEMMER LEMSTER FISKERMAN - LELYSTAD STADHUISPLEIN
27 SEPT LELYSTAD STADHUISPLEIN - HUIZEN OUDE RAADHUISPLEIN

No Right To Life is een straatperformance die het Palestijnse (over)leven onder de Israëlische genocide in Gaza invoelbaar maakt. Hij wordt uitgevoerd door de Palestijnse dansgroep Raj’een uit Brussel, samen met activisten en kunstenaars.
 
Schitteren in downtown Den Haag?
Het evenement staat gepland voor zondag 19 oktober om 14.00 uur in het centrum van Den Haag. Iedereen is welkom om het mee te maken, als bezoeker of als deelnemer.

Wil je meedoen aan de performance of anderszins partciperen, geef je dan op. Ervaring is niet vereist. Enthousiasme en aanwezigheid bij enkele repetities wel.Uit onze agenda
zondag 21 t/m zaterdag 27 september
DEMONSTRATIES EN WAKES

 DEN HAAG DAGELIJKS | Doorlopende 24-uurs stiltewake bij het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, Rijnstraat 8
 UTRECHT MA-VR 08:30 | Stilteprotest voor Palestina (Neude, langs het fietspad)
 AMSTERDAM ZO 21 SEPT 17:00 | Stiltewake, elke zondag op het Spuiplein
 DEN HAAG DO 25 SEPT 12:00 | Sit-in van Rijksambtenaren bij het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, Rijnstraat 8
 TREINSTATIONS IN HET HELE LAND DO 25 SEPT 18:00 | Wekelijks lawaaiprotest
 TERNEUZEN DO 25 SEPT 18:30 | Kaarsjes, stilte en kunst
 DOETINCHEM VR 26 SEPT 10:00 | Wekelijks protest (voor het Gemeentehuis)
 AMERSFOORT VR 26 SEPT 09:30 | Wekelijks stilteprotest, Verzamelen op de Varkensmarkt voor een wandeling naar de Hof
 ZALTBOMMEL VR 26 SEPT 19:00 | Stille Rode Lijn (Waalkade)
 GRONINGEN ZA 27 SEPT 13:00 | Tweewekelijkse wake van Vrouwen in het Zwart (Waagplein)
 NIJMEGEN ZA 27 SEPT 14:00 | Wake van mensen in het Zwart (Koningsplein-Mariënburg).


GETUIGEN VAN GAZA

 ACHTERHOEK 24 en 26 SEPT | Burgers lezen de namen voor van slachtoffers.
ZELHEM WO 24 SEPT 09:30-17:30 (Lambertikerk, Dorpsstraat 36)
ULFT VR 26 SEPT 09:30-17:30 (De Blenk)

 UTRECHT ELKE MA EN DO 16:00-20:00 | Getuigen van Gaza. Burgers lezen in september en oktober de namen voor van hen die in Gaza zijn omgekomen. Maandag 22 september op het Moskeeplein (Lombok, achter CS). Donderdag 25 september op de Stadhuisbrug (Centrum).

 ALMELO WO 24 SEPT 19:00 | Stilteviering in de Grote Kerk. Burgers lezen tijdens de Versper namen voor van vermoorde Palestijnen in Gaza.

 ARNHEM 25-27 SEPT | Getuigen van Gaza. Van donderdag 25 september (09.00 uur) tot zaterdag 27 september (23.00 uur) lezen burgers non-stop de namen voor van slachtoffers van het geweld in Gaza en Israël. Simultaan op drie locaties rond de Eusebiuskerk.


CULTURELE EN ANDERE EVENEMENTEN

 AMSTERDAM ZO 21 SEPT 14:00-02:00 SISSI'S | Heart for Palestine. Middag en avond vol live muziek, spoken word, optredens en dj-sets, kunst, gesprekken, eten uit de Palestijnse keuken en activiteiten voor het hele gezin. Alles om zoveel mogelijk geld in te zamelen voor Gaza. Georganiseerd door Carice van Houten en Ink District.
 
 Palestijns-Nederlandse theatervoorstelling DEADLIFT. Geïnspireerd door een schilderij van de Palestijnse kunstenaar Suleiman Mansour, Jamal Al Mahamel, waarop een man een hele stad (Jeruzalem) op zijn rug draagt. In DEADLIFT onderzoekt Murkus hoeveel een mens kan dragen. Waar ligt het breekpunt?
TILBURG ZO 21 SEPT 16:00 De Nieuwe Voorst 
UTRECHT DI 23 SEPT 20:00 Stadsschouwburg
BREDA WO 24 SEPT 20:30 Chassé Theater
ROTTERDAM VR 26 SEPT 20:30 Theater Zuidplein 

 UTRECHT ZA 27 SEPT 13:00-18:00 TIVOLIVREDENBURG | International Literature Festival Utrecht over het thema ‘Never Again Is Now’. Met onder meer Maurits de Bruijn, Sinan Çankaya en Isabella Hammad.


Onze agenda wordt doorlopend aangevuld. Bekijk de hele agenda

1787.

20 september 2025

An arms embargo is the least the world can do

This week, Israeli ground forces pushed deeper into dense residential areas of Gaza City, forcing families to choose between displacement and death. Tareq Hajjaj spoke to residents there who are refusing to leave: “There’s no point in struggling to find a better place in hell,” they told him. At the same time, the Israeli government is advancing settlement plans that would dissolve the West Bank as a geographic and political entity. Benjamin Netanyahu called for Israel to become a self-sufficient “super Sparta” and with a broader defiance of international norms. Abduljawad Omar says Israel is embracing isolation in order to annihilate the Palestinians. And now, after two years of brutality and over 65,000 Palestinians killed, a key United Nations commission concluded that Israel has committed four of the five genocidal acts defined by the Genocide Convention and urged an arms embargo.

In the United States, political figures are struggling to contain the growing public rejection of Israel’s assault on Gaza. At the Democratic National Committee’s meeting in Minneapolis, the party’s establishment leaned on familiar pressure tactics while grassroots support for Palestinian rights grows within its base. State power is being wielded against individuals. Immigration Judge Jamee Comans ordered Mahmoud Khalil deported in a decision widely understood as retaliation for his activism, and the University of California, Berkeley, turned over private information of more than 150 students, staff, and faculty to federal authorities.

By now, readers will know about ABC’s suspension of the Jimmy Kimmel show after political pressure from the Trump administration. The First Amendment is under serious attack; there’s no question about that. But for those of us laboring in the Palestine solidarity movement, we’ve long fought censorship and repression. Palestine is the compass. For decades, the label “antisemitism” has been used to shut down speech and discourse around Palestine. State-imposed censorship has been normalized by applying it to speech focused on Palestinian liberation. And now, it’s being turned on everyone to limit speech that the current U.S. government dislikes. This is a clear example of why, as John Pilger said, Palestine is still the issue.

This assault on free speech and the easy capitulation we see from corporate media are why independent outlets like Mondoweiss are so critically important. We are coming into the final months of 2025, when nonprofits like us will be asking for support. This is the most important fundraising period of the year. We are facing threats like never before. Please make sure you support the independent media that you rely on – us and others – this year. Truthful reporting and insightful analysis are often the first targets of authoritarian regimes. The independent media outlets you follow simply cannot survive without your direct financial support.

David Reed, Publisher

Must read: Israel moves to embrace its isolation

Abdaljawad Omar: Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent comments that Israel must start making its own weapons and become a self-sufficient “super Sparta” signal that the small colony might be willing to embrace its isolation — all in the name of annihilating Palestine.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assesses the situation on Mount Hermon with Defense Minister Israel Katz and former army Chief of Staff, Herzl Halevi, on December 18, 2024. (Photo: Israeli Prime Minister’s Office/APA Images)

Genocide in Gaza

 Tareq Hajjaj: As the Israeli army’s ground invasion advances into major residential areas in Gaza City, some residents say they’re not moving. “There’s no point in struggling to find a better place in hell,” one resident said.

 Michael Arria: A UN commission of inquiry concluded that Israel has committed four of the five genocidal acts defined under the 1948 Genocide Convention. The commission is urging governments worldwide to stop supplying weapons to Israel.

Catch-up

 Nadia B. Ahmad: The Democratic National Committee’s recent summer meeting in Minneapolis showed how the Israel lobby is working to fight increasing support for Palestine among the party’s base, and how it is failing.

 Michael Arria: Immigration Judge Jamee Comans has ordered Mahmoud Khalil to be deported to either Syria or Algeria, in a move seen widely as retaliation for Khalil’s Palestine activism.

 Qassam Muaddi: Netanyahu officially approved a settlement plan last week and announced his intentions to greenlight other settlements just like it. Together, these plans would end the West Bank as a geographic and political entity.

 James North: The mainstream media’s silence about the murder of 35 Yemeni journalists is part of a much larger, shameful cover-up aimed at protecting Israel.

 Michael Arria: The University of California, Berkeley has provided the federal government with the private information of more than 150 students, staff, and faculty. The university is being slammed for caving to Trump and his war on Palestine activism.

 Jessie Stoolman: Activists in Morocco are demanding an investigation after a well-known human rights leader, Sion Assidon, was found unconscious at his home under suspicious circumstances. Assidon is a leader of the Moroccan movement against normalization with Israel.

1786.

20 september 2025

Today's headlines

The Islamophobic biker gang running Gaza aid sites is just the U.S. empire in a leather jacket

Benjamin Ashraf

Infidels MC, an "anti-Islamic" biker gang turned militia, now mans Gaza’s aid checkpoints. From Blackwater to the Pentagon, Islamophobia is no aberration, but the blueprint.

How the Israel lobby is fighting to turn back grassroots support for Palestine in the Democratic Party — and why it won’t win

Nadia B. Ahmad

The Democratic National Committee's recent summer meeting in Minneapolis showed how the Israel lobby is working to fight increasing support for Palestine among the party's base, and how it is failing.

Berkeley faculty and staff members: We condemn the school’s surrender to Trump, and we will not be silenced on Palestine

UC Berkeley Faculty & Staff for Justice in Palestine

In an open letter, Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine condemn UC Berkeley's collaboration with the Trump administration and pledge to continue speaking out about Palestine and the ongoing Nakba.

1785.

19 september 2025

Today's headlines

Israel moves to embrace its isolation

Abdaljawad Omar

Benjamin Netanyahu's recent comments that Israel must start making its own weapons and become a self-sufficient "super Sparta" signals that the small colony might be willing to embrace its isolation — all in the name of annihilating Palestine.

Immigration judge orders Mahmoud Khalil to be deported

Michael Arria

Immigration Judge Jamee Comans has ordered Mahmoud Khalil to be deported to either Syria or Algeria, in a move seen widely as retaliation for Khalil's Palestine activism.

1784.

18 september 2025

Humanitarian Situation Update #324
West Bank

18 September 2025

An iron gate near the Palestinian village of Al Buweib, in Hebron governorate, one of 27 closures installed by Israeli forces in the first half of September across the West Bank, risking further disruption of access to services, workplaces and key road arteries. Photo by OCHA

Key Highlights

• As of 15 September, 186 Palestinians and 16 Israelis, including six soldiers, have been killed in conflict-related incidents in the West Bank since the start of 2025.
• Israeli forces have installed at least 27 new closures across the West Bank, including 18 road gates. While open now, these gates pose a serious risk of movement restrictions if closed – potentially further disrupting access to services, workplaces, and key road arteries such as Road 60.
• Israeli settlers carried out 25 attacks against Palestinians in one week, injuring 13 Palestinians and displacing 33 others.
• Israeli authorities punitively demolished or sealed eight homes and three other structures across the West Bank, displacing 38 people, including 16 children.
• Israeli forces issued a demolition order against a school and raided two other schools in Hebron governorate.

Humanitarian Developments

• Between 9 and 15 September, two Palestinians were killed and at least 39 others, including five children, were injured in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Of the injured, 32 were injured by Israeli forces and seven by Israeli settlers. During the same period, two Israeli soldiers were injured by Palestinians in the West Bank, and two Israelis were injured west of Jerusalem, in Israel, by a Palestinian man from the West Bank. In total, as of 15 September, 186 Palestinians and 16 Israelis, including six soldiers, have been killed in the West Bank in direct conflict incidents since the beginning of 2025.
• On 10 September, Israeli forces encircled a residential area in the southeastern part of Jenin city in an operation reportedly aimed at arresting a Palestinian man. The four-hour raid forced the closure and suspension of classes at 33 governmental schools and one kindergarten, affecting about 12,000 students. Moreover, an Israeli sniper seriously injured a 14-year-old boy riding his bicycle and he remains in critical condition.
• On 11 September, Israeli forces launched a large-scale operation in Tulkarm city, after Palestinians detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) west of the city, injuring two Israeli soldiers according to Israeli media and causing damage to an Israeli military jeep. During the incident, Israeli forces opened fire toward Palestinians and vehicles, injuring a Palestinian man. The large-scale operation that followed lasted around 24 hours, during which Israeli forces closed the city’s entrances, carried out widespread arrests, detaining about 1,000 Palestinians from streets, homes and businesses, and converted several houses into military posts. Although access restrictions eased after 24 hours, Israeli forces have maintained a heavy presence in Tulkarm city.
• On 12 September, according to the Israeli police, a Palestinian resident of Shu’fat Camp, in East Jerusalem, working in a hotel west of Jerusalem, in Israel, stabbed and injured with a knife two Israelis inside the hotel’s restaurant. The man was arrested on the spot. Israeli forces subsequently stormed and ransacked his home and interrogated family members. During the raid, Israeli forces patrolling the streets opened fire toward vehicles and passing Palestinians, resulting in two Palestinian injuries. Between 9 and 15 September, at least 35 other search and arrest operations were recorded across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
• On 13 September, a young Palestinian man succumbed to wounds sustained a day earlier when Israeli forces, along with settlers, shot live ammunition toward Palestinians at the western entrance to Deir Jarir village, in Ramallah governorate. Two other Palestinians were shot and injured in the same incident.
• On 15 September, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man, from Silat adh Dhahr village in Jenin governorate, as he attempted to cross the Barrier in Ar Ram and Dahiyat al Bareed town, in Jerusalem governorate, to access East Jerusalem. In the same area, on 11 and 13 September, Israeli forces shot and injured two Palestinian men while trying to cross the Barrier into East Jerusalem and Israel. Since October 2023, within the context of the revocation or suspension of most Israeli-issued permits for Palestinian workers and others to access East Jerusalem and Israel, OCHA documented more than 160 such incidents across the West Bank, which resulted in the killing of at least 13 Palestinians and the injury of more than 150 others. Of the total, 78 incidents have been recorded since the beginning of 2025, resulting in four fatalities and 74 injuries.
• On 16 September, undercover Israeli forces raided Qalqiliya city and surrounded the homes of two Palestinian men. They shot, injured and arrested both men. In addition, a 14-year-old boy was shot in the head and transferred to hospital. Later that day, Israeli forces informed the Palestinian District Coordination Office (DCO) of the death of the two men, whose bodies they withheld (not counted in the reporting period above). Three other detained Palestinians were released the following day.
• In the first two weeks of September 2025, OCHA documented the displacement of 133 Palestinians across the West bank, including 59 due the demolition of homes that lack Israeli-issued building permits, 38 due to the demolition of homes on punitive grounds, and 36 due settler violence and access restrictions.

Lack-of-Permit and Punitive Demolitions

• Between 9 and 15 September, OCHA documented the demolition of 14 Palestinian-owned structures for lacking Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain. Of the total, 12 structures were in Area C and two in East Jerusalem (both demolished by their owners). Demolished structures included an inhabited residence, an uninhabited residence, ten agricultural and livelihood structures, a water cistern and a container. The demolished water cistern, in Kafr ad Dik village in Salfit governorate, had a capacity of 125 cubic meters and was used for irrigation. In total, two people were displaced in East Jerusalem and about 60 people were otherwise affected.
• During the same reporting period, Israeli authorities demolished or sealed on punitive grounds 11 structures, including eight houses, two water wells and a wall, in seven incidents, displacing 38 people, including 16 children. Five of the structures were in Area A, five in Area B and one in Area C. Of the eight residences, three were demolished with explosives, three with bulldozers, and two were sealed with concrete and iron bars. Below is the list of incidents:
  • Three houses were punitively demolished in Tubas governorate on 9 and 10 September, of which two were in Aqqaba village that belonged to two Palestinians who shot and killed an Israeli settler on Road 90 in the northern Jordan Valley on 11 August 2024. The third house belonged to a Palestinian who killed two Israeli soldiers and injured eight others at Tayasir checkpoint that controls access between the Jordan Valley and Jericho and the northern West Bank on 14 May 2025. The three Palestinians were killed in separate incidents.
  • Three houses were punitively demolished in the northern West Bank on 14 September and one in the south on 9 September. One of the houses was in Kafr ‘Abbush village, in Tulkarm governorate, belonging to two brothers detained for involvement in shooting and injuring an Israeli settler in Qalqiliya city on 12 August 2024. The other house was in Bruqin village, in Salfit governorate, belonging to a Palestinian who was killed in a military operation after being accused of shooting at an Israeli settler car near the village on 14 May 2025, killing an Israeli pregnant woman from Bruchin settlement, injuring her husband, and whose newborn subsequently died in hospital. Another house was punitively demolished in Beit ‘Awwa village, in Bethlehem governorate, that belonged to an imprisoned Palestinian man, who fired at an Israeli bus on Road 60 near Bethlehem on 11 December 2024, killing an Israeli child.
  • On 12 September, two houses were punitively sealed and a wall surrounding another residence demolished in Al Qubeiba and Qatanna villages, in northwestern Jerusalem governorate. The houses belonged to the families of two Palestinian men who were killed on 8 September 2025, after shooting and killing six Israelis in Ramot Allon settlement, in East Jerusalem.
• Since 2009, OCHA has documented the displacement of over 1,000 Palestinians due to the demolition or sealing of 211 structures on punitive grounds across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Nearly 40 per cent of these structures (83) have been demolished or sealed since 7 October 2023, displacing more than 380 Palestinians. So far in 2025, Israeli authorities punitively demolished or sealed 38 structures across the West Bank, compared with 23 structures in 2024 and 17 structures in 2023 for the same parallel periods.

Access restrictions

• During the first two weeks of September, OCHA documented the installation by Israeli forces of at least 27 new closures across the West Bank, including 18 road gates that are currently open, eight earth mounds, and concrete blocks, mostly at the entrances of towns and villages. These movement obstacles restrict Palestinians’ freedom of movement, hinder access to livelihoods, healthcare, education, and other essential services, entrench territorial and social fragmentation, and contribute to worsening humanitarian conditions, including by disrupting access to key routes such as Road 60 that connects the northern and southern West Bank. Of the 27 closures, seven earth mounds were installed across six villages in the Biddu Barrier enclave in Jerusalem governorate following a shooting attack in East Jerusalem on 8 September.
• In Bethlehem governorate, Israeli forces installed five new road gates. Two were placed at the only entrance (through Husan village) to the Palestinian villages of Nahhalin and Wadi Fukin that remains open, further risking the isolation of about 10,500 residents. These residents have already had the other main entrances to their villages closed since October 2023. The other three gates were installed in Beit Jala and Beit Sahur towns, threatening to block access to Bethlehem city and to the remaining route connecting the southern and northern West Bank.
• In Hebron governorate, Israeli forces installed five new road gates. If closed, three gates risk further isolating Yatta town and the surrounding herding communities in Masafer Yatta from Hebron city. In At Tuwani, a new road gate threatens the remaining route for some 1,500 residents to access Yatta town, their main hub for services. In Al Buweib, a new road gate risks cutting 500 residents and the nearby Masafer Bani Na’im from Road 60, the main north–south artery. At Zif junction, a road gate threatens movement between Yatta and Hebron, potentially impacting up to 85,000 people. In the north part of Hebron governorate, two new road gates between Beit Ummar, Al ‘Arrub refugee camp, and Halhul town risk cutting some 31,000 residents off Road 60 and isolating Al ‘Arrub’s refugee camp’s 10,000 residents from Hebron city, the main service center in the governorate.
• In Jerusalem governorate, Israeli forces erected nine new closures, including seven earth mounds across six villages in the Biddu Barrier enclave that cut off key internal routes and access to agricultural land. Two new road gates were also installed: one at the northern entrance to Ar Ram and Dahiyat al Bareed, with a combined population of about 15,800 people; and another gate at the only entrance to Mikhmas village off Road 60, effectively placing its 3,000 residents at risk of isolation.
• In western Ramallah governorate, Israeli forces installed six new road gates, affecting over 20,000 residents in five villages. Three gates between Shuqba, Shabtin, and Deir Abu Mash’al villages (13,000 residents) risk disrupting internal movement and limiting access to Ramallah city. In Beitillu (3,500 residents), two gates at the northern entrance would, if closed, severely restrict access to the northern neighborhood of the village. In Rantis (4,000 residents), a gate at the only eastern entrance places the entire community at risk of full isolation.
• In Salfit governorate, Israeli forces installed concrete blocks near Deir Istiya, closing off the road junction that leads to Zeita Jamma’in town. In Tubas governorate, Israeli forces erected an earth mound west of Al Hadidiya, a herding community of about 70 residents, hindering their already limited access to agricultural and grazing lands.

Ongoing Israeli Settler Attacks

• Between 9 and 15 September, OCHA documented at least 25 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians that resulted in casualties, property damage, or both. These attacks led to one Palestinian fatality (shot by Israeli forces, see above) and 13 Palestinian injuries, of whom seven were injured by Israeli settlers and six by Israeli forces. In addition, four Bedouin and herding families in Jerusalem and Bethlehem governorates were forcibly displaced, and dozens of saplings of figs and grapes, 15 olive trees, seven vehicles, and two houses, were vandalized.
• Five of the seven Palestinians injured by Israeli settlers were physically assaulted by settlers in Hebron governorate. One was a man whose leg was amputated after he had been shot by Israeli settlers on 17 April 2025, when settlers raided his land in Ar Rakeez village in the Masafer Yatta area. The second injured person was a woman who was physically assaulted when Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian houses in At Tuwani village with stones and clashed with residents. Three other Palestinians were injured by settlers in the H2 area of Hebron city and in Masafer Bani Na’im.
• Out of 25 documented Israeli settler attacks, at least four arson attacks took place on 11 and 13 September, resulting in damage to two residential structures and two vehicles and the displacement of a family. On 11 September, in Al Maniya village in Bethlehem governorate, settlers attempted to set fire to a house while residents were inside and burnt a vehicle. In two other incidents in Ramallah governorate, settlers set an under-constructions house in Deir Dibwan village on fire and poured flammable material on a parked vehicle near Atara village. The fourth incident took place on 13 September, when about 10 Israeli settlers carrying flammable materials were witnessed and caught on camera while setting a residential structure on fire on the outskirts of Ma'azi Jaba' Bedouin community, in Jerusalem governorate. The house and its contents were completely burned while its residents comprising five members, including three children, were rescued by community members and relocated to another place inside the community.
• On 14 September, following settler raids on three consecutive days on the community of Wadi Abu Ayyash in Arab ar Rashayida al Barriya, in Bethlehem governorate, three Palestinian families comprising 28 people, including 22 children, were forcibly displaced out of the community. During the raids, settlers repeatedly threatened the families to leave their homes or face death. Settlers were particularly aggressive on the day of the incident, warning that they would burn the residents’ houses and belongings if they do not leave. Fearing for their lives, the families fled the area, managing to take only their herds and a few belongings. One of the displaced families had been previously displaced from the nearby Barriyet Kisan community, where a new settlement outpost has been established, also due to settler violence. Since 7 October 2023, over 3,000 Palestinians, including more than 1,500 children, have been displaced across the West Bank, citing attacks by Israeli settlers and access restrictions.

Education-related Incidents

• During the reporting period, Israeli forces carried out multiple raids into educational institutions across the West Bank. On 13 September, Israeli forces raided two secondary schools in As Samu’ town, in Hebron governorate. Forces first raided the town, arrested two school principals, and took them to the schools, where they were forced to open the schools. Soldiers then broke down doors, caused damage inside the buildings, searched the schools, and confiscated educational materials. The principals were reportedly detained for two hours inside the schools. The raid occurred over the weekend, so no school day was affected. According to a report by the Education Cluster issued on 4 August, during the 2024–2025 academic year, 72 incidents were documented in which Israeli forces entered school premises across the West Bank. The governorates most affected were Hebron (14 incidents), followed by Salfit (11), Bethlehem (8), Tulkarm and Nablus (7 each), and Jenin and Tubas (6 each). As a result, 46 schools sustained damage during these incursions. “These repeated intrusions disrupted educational activities and significantly undermined the safety and well-being of both students and staff. The presence of armed forces within school premises instils fear among students and educators, often leading to early dismissals or complete shutdowns. Over time, such disruptions erode trust in the learning environment and contribute to long-term psychological distress,” according to the report.
• In a separate incident, on 14 September, at about midnight, Israeli forces raided several homes in Hebron city and arrested students along with the deans of Hebron University and the Palestine Polytechnic University. The detainees were then taken to the premises of the two universities, where Israeli forces carried out further raids. Approximately 30 students and the two deans were held in the university yards for at least three hours, handcuffed and blindfolded. During the search and arrest operation, Israeli forces warned against holding activities deemed as incitement, threatening prolonged detention if students did not comply. No damage to the university premises was reported.
• Separately, on 11 September, Israeli forces issued a demolition order against Zweidin Secondary Boys School in the Bedouin community of Umm ad Daraj, in southeastern Hebron governorate, for lacking an Israeli-issued building permit in Area C, placing the education of 150 students at risk and affecting 13 teachers. The school serves students from three surrounding Bedouin communities. According to the Education Cluster, with this new order, 85 schools across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are currently under pending demolition orders for lacking Israeli-issued building permits. Of these, 55 face full demolition, while 30 are subject to partial demolition orders affecting specific structures. Combined, these schools serve 13,005 students, including 6,557 girls, supported by 1,089 teachers (649 of whom are female), the Education Cluster reported.
• On 14 September, Israeli forces broke into Al Jalazun Camp, in Ramallah governorate, during school hours and installed an additional metal fence on top of the barrier separating the refugee camp from the adjacent Israeli settlement of Beit El. As a result, classes at the three UNRWA schools were disrupted that day due to the presence of Israeli forces in the vicinity of the schools, affecting some 2,000 students.

Funding

• As of 17 September 2025, Member States have disbursed approximately $1.05 billion out of the $4 billion (26 per cent) requested to meet the most critical humanitarian needs of three million out of 3.3 million people identified as requiring assistance in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in 2025, under the 2025 Flash Appeal for the OPT. Nearly 88 per cent of the requested funds are for humanitarian response in Gaza, with just over 12 per cent for the West Bank. Moreover, during August 2025, the oPt Humanitarian Fund managed 104 ongoing projects, totalling $62.3 million, to address urgent needs in the Gaza Strip (87 per cent) and the West Bank (13 per cent). Of these projects, 48 are being implemented by INGOs, 42 by national NGOs and 14 by UN agencies. Notably, 35 out of the 62 projects implemented by INGOs or the UN are being implemented in collaboration with national NGOs. For more information, please see OCHA’s Financial Tracking Service webpage and the oPt HF webpage.

1784.

18 september 2025

Today's headlines

As Israeli annihilation of Gaza City advances, residents choose between death and displacement

Tareq S. Hajjaj

As the Israeli army’s ground invasion advances into major residential areas in Gaza City, some residents say they’re not moving. “There’s no point in struggling to find a better place in hell,” one resident said.

If Israel’s settlement plan goes through, the West Bank will soon cease to exist

Qassam Muaddi

Netanyahu officially approved a settlement plan last week and announced his intentions to greenlight other settlements just like it. Together, these plans would end the West Bank as a geographic and political entity.

Just as they have in Gaza, U.S. journalists failed their murdered colleagues in Yemen

James North

The mainstream media's silence about the murder of 35 Yemeni journalists is part of a much larger, shameful cover-up aimed at protecting Israel.

UC Berkeley hands over private staff and student information for Trump’s ‘antisemitism’ probe

Michael Arria

The University of California, Berkeley has provided the federal government with the private information of more than 150 students, staff, and faculty. The university is being slammed for caving to the Trump and his war on Palestine activism.

1783.

18 september 2025

Humanitarian Situation Update #323
Gaza Strip

18 September 2025

Palestinians displaced from Gaza city wait in heavy traffic on Al Rashid Road leading south. Photo by OCHA/Olga Cherevko

Key Highlights

• Eleven UNRWA premises serving as emergency shelters for about 11,000 displaced people in Gaza city have been damaged in five days.
• The massive destruction of civilian infrastructure, combined with severe disruptions to humanitarian operations and access constraints, is collapsing the last remaining lifelines for civilians in Gaza city.
• About half of more than 246,800 displacement movements recorded since mid-August took place over the past week, with growing reports of displaced families sleeping on the streets or in makeshift tents and struggling to survive.
• About 28,000 cases of acute malnutrition among children under five have been identified by nutrition partners in July and August, exceeding the combined total of malnutrition cases identified in the first six months of 2025.

Humanitarian Developments

• Over the past week, Israeli forces have continued to carry out heavy bombardment from the air, land and sea across the Gaza Strip, particularly in Gaza and North Gaza governorates. Israeli strikes on residential buildings (including high-rise buildings), tents and schools sheltering internally displaced people (IDPs), and people seeking aid have continued to be reported, alongside reports of the destruction of whole neighbourhoods through controlled detonations. On 10 September, the Israeli military reiterated its displacement order for all civilians in Gaza city to move towards a designated zone in Al Mawasi area. According to the Israeli military, a range of operational tools have been used to warn residents of Gaza city to evacuate, including voice messages, leaflets, text messages, and phone calls in order to reach as many people as possible. On 16 September, the Israeli military announced that it expanded on 15 September the ground operation in Gaza city, striking more than 850 targets over the past week, while continuing to operate in Rafah and Khan Younis. Combined with displacement orders, Israeli military ground operations and bombardment have continued to drive additional waves of displacement, particularly from Gaza city (see more information below).
• On 10 September, the UN Office of Human Rights (OHCHR) warned against attacks on residential buildings and objects indispensable to civilian life. On 16 September, the office issued a statement, reiterating its calls on Israel’s military to immediately put an end to its wanton destruction of Gaza city, which it says “appears to be focused on causing a permanent demographic shift, which is tantamount to ethnic cleansing.” OHCHR noted that “the ongoing bombings of residential buildings in Gaza City are destroying the last viable element of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, negating any prospect for the survival of civilians.”
• On 17 September, the leaders of over 20 major aid agencies working in Gaza, called on world leaders to urgently intervene, after the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, concluded that genocide is being committed. With entire cities razed to the ground, massive displacement, and famine spreading, they declared: “As humanitarian leaders, we have borne direct witness to the horrifying deaths and suffering of the people of Gaza. Our warnings have gone unheeded and thousands more lives are still at stake. ”They called on states to uphold international law and “use every available political, economic, and legal tool at their disposal to intervene.”
• According to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, between 10 and 17 September, 416 Palestinians were killed, and 2,194 were injured. This brings the casualty toll among Palestinians since 7 October 2023, as reported by MoH, to 65,062 fatalities and 165,697 injuries. MoH further noted that the number of casualties among people trying to access aid supplies has increased to 2,504 fatalities and more than 18,381 injuries since 27 May 2025. Moreover, according to MoH in Gaza, as of 17 September, 432 malnutrition-related deaths, including 146 children, were documented since October 2023. Updated data breakdowns published by MoH on 27 August indicate that of the total, four malnutrition-related deaths were documented in 2023, 49 in 2024, and 260 between January and 27 August 2025.
• Over the past week, three aid workers were reported killed in Gaza. On 15 September, Tamer Institute for Community Education reported that one of its staff members who was a case management officer was killed a day earlier. In a statement on 17 September, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reported the death of a staff member on 16 September from shrapnel injuries sustained during an Israeli airstrike near his tent five days earlier. On the same day, Maan Development Center stated that one of its staff was killed in Gaza city along with a group people while he was collecting his belongings to evacuate from Ash Sheikh Radwan area to the southern Gaza Strip. Since 7 October 2023, at least 543 aid workers have been killed, including 373 UN staff and team members, 54 staff and volunteers of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), four staff of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and 112 aid workers with national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), some in the line of duty.
• According to the Israeli military, between 10 and 17 September, as of noon, no Israeli soldiers were killed in Gaza. The casualty toll among Israeli soldiers since the beginning of the Israeli ground operation in October 2023 stands at 460 fatalities and 2,898 injuries, according to the Israeli military. According to Israeli forces and official Israeli sources cited in the media, more than 1,660 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed, the majority on 7 October 2023 and its immediate aftermath. As of 17 September, it is estimated that 48 Israelis and foreign nationals remain captive in Gaza, including hostages who have been declared dead and whose bodies are being withheld.
• Strikes on IDP shelters, residential buildings, public infrastructure, and people seeking aid continue to be reported. Key such incidents over the past week included:
  • On 10 September, at about 16:55, one Palestinian was reportedly killed while collecting firewood near the Al Mughraqa area, north of An Nuseirat Camp, in Deir al Balah.
  • On 10 September, at about 19:55, four Palestinian males were reportedly killed and 19 others injured when a commercial stall was hit in An Nuseirat Camp, in Deir al Balah.
  • On 11 September, at about 06:15, four Palestinians were reportedly killed and 49 others injured while they were seeking aid near the Wadi Gaza militarized distribution site, in Deir al Balah.
  • On 11 September, at about 17:00, at least 17 Palestinians seeking aid were reportedly killed and many others injured while waiting for supply trucks in Beit Lahiya, in North Gaza.
  • On 12 September, at about 09:00, at least 14 people, including women and children, were reportedly killed and tens of others were reported missing when a residential building was hit west of Jabalya, in North Gaza.
  • On 12 September, at about 11:20, at least 17 people were reportedly injured when an IDP tent was hit south of Al Mawasi, west of Khan Younis.
  • On 12 September, at about 14:25, one Palestinian was reportedly killed while collecting firewood north of An Nuseirat Camp, in Deir al Balah.
  • On 13 September, at about 15:15, the headquarters of the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation was hit and destroyed in Tal al Hawa in Gaza city. The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) condemned the attack and called for accountability for this and other attacks on journalism in Gaza.
  • On 13 September, at about 11:35, three Palestinians, including a female and two males, were reportedly killed and 27 others injured when a residential building was hit in As Sabra neighbourhood, in southern Gaza city.
  • On 13 September, at about 23:00, six Palestinians, including three children and two women, were reportedly killed and others injured when an IDP tent was hit in western Deir al Balah.
  • On 14 September, at about 09:45, at least four Palestinians were reportedly killed and 25 others injured while people were seeking aid near the militarized distribution site in Ash Shakosh area, in northwestern Rafah.
  • On 14 September, at about 14:30, at least seven Palestinians were reportedly killed, and others were reported missing under the rubble, when one or more buildings within the Islamic University were successively hit in Ar Rimal neighbourhood, in central Gaza city, after the Israeli military reportedly issued warnings for people in the area to evacuate. At least one building was sheltering IDPs, who reportedly returned to collect belongings after the second strike when the building was struck again with high-explosive missiles.
  • On 16 September, at about 03:30, 12 Palestinians, including at least two children, were reportedly killed, about 40 were injured and others were reported missing under the rubble when a residential building was hit in Ash Shati’ (Beach) Camp, in northwestern Gaza city.
  • On 15 September, at about 15:00, a water truck was reportedly hit near a school in Ash Sheikh Radwan, in northern Gaza city, injuring an unknown number of Palestinians.
  • On 16 September, at about 12:00, a school was reportedly hit in Az Zaytoun, in southern Gaza city, killing and injuring an unspecified number of Palestinians.
• According to records of OHCHR, since the establishment of the militarized supply sites system in the Gaza Strip on 27 May, and as of 17 September, at least 2,319 people, mostly young men and boys, seeking assistance have been killed, including 1,202 near militarized supply sites and 1,117 along convoy supply routes. Of the total, 210 were killed in the first two weeks of September. While most casualties are reportedly the result of live fire, over the past week, at least nine Palestinians were killed in an airstrike while seeking aid near As Sudaniya area, in western North Gaza, on 11 September.
• Since 12 September, the Zikim crossing (Erez West/As Siafa), which is usually used to collect aid supplies going into northern Gaza, has been closed. As a result, Food Security Sector (FSS) partners have not been able to bring any food aid to northern Gaza, including Gaza city, where hundreds of thousands of people remain and where a human-made famine was confirmed on 22 August. Also on 12 September, the Israeli military announced the start of works to expand Crossing 147 (also known as Kissufim), with the aim of increasing the volume of aid entering the designated zone in Al Mawasi. After completion of the works, the truck capacity at the crossing should increase to 150 trucks per day, which is three times the current capacity, thus enabling increased entry of aid, especially food, the Israeli military added.
• Delays and impediments to humanitarian movements continue, especially for missions from southern to northern Gaza. Missions that are approved by Israeli authorities still take hours to complete and teams have been compelled to wait on roads that are often dangerous or congested. Between 10 and 16 September, out of 117 attempts to coordinate planned movements with Israeli authorities across the Gaza Strip, 52 were facilitated (44 per cent), 24 were impeded (21 per cent), 23 were denied (20 per cent) and 18 had to be withdrawn by the organizers for logistical, operational, or security reasons (15 per cent). This includes 68 missions to northern Gaza, of which 31 were facilitated, 20 were denied, four were impeded and 13 had to be withdrawn. Since the closure of Zikim crossing on 12 September and until 16 September, the denial rate of movements to northern Gaza has increased to 41 per cent, up from 13 per cent in the preceding five days, between 7 and 11 September.
• In total, facilitated movements in southern and northern Gaza included one mission to transfer fuel to Gaza city, one mission to collect medical supplies from Kerem Shalom crossing, and a mission to transfer water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) supplies to northern Gaza. Denied movements included emergency medical team and staff movements and WASH-related missions. Among the 24 impeded missions, seven were fully accomplished despite the impediments, including missions to collect supplies from Kerem Shalom crossing and conduct road repairs. Two missions were not accomplished, including a mission to deploy a PRCS ambulance around aid convoys coming from Kerem Shalom crossing, and the remaining 15 missions were partially accomplished, including missions to collect fuel and other supplies from Kerem Shalom crossing. Overall, eight missions involved fuel collection and transfer and 30 involved the collection of other supplies from Gaza’s crossings.
• On 17 September, the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) reported significant disruption to internet and landline services in Gaza city and North Gaza – while mobile networks remain operational – following damage to fibre-optic cables along the Gaza–Erez route. The disruption, caused by the intensified offensive in Gaza city, highlights the extreme fragility of Gaza’s communications infrastructure – already strained by repeated blackouts, fuel shortages, and access constraints. The Cluster warned that further damage or delays in repairs could lead to a full communications collapse, cutting off civilians and humanitarians from life-saving information and coordination.

Deteriorating Access to Health Care

• Gaza's health-care system continues to be overwhelmed by the influx of mass casualties and a severe shortage of blood units, with the MoH in Gaza reporting on 15 September that the stocks in laboratory stores of blood bags, blood transfusion tools, and testing equipment have reached zero levels. The Health Cluster reported that there are currently about 1,793 in-patient hospital beds for the total population of Gaza, resullting in occupancy rates of 180 to 300 per cent across the 17 (out of a total of 36) hospitals that remain functional, all partially. In Gaza city, limited access to fuel supplies threatens the continued operation of health facilities and ambulance services, according to MpH in Gaza. On 15 September, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) warned that maternal healthcare in Gaza city has been severly impacted, with most of the health facilities that serve 23,000 pregnant women now at risk of imminent shutdown. According to UNFPA, every week in Gaza, at least 15 women deliver outside a hospital or health facility, without a skilled birth attendant, risking the lives of both mothers and newborns.
• Against the backdrop of further deterioration of the health system in Gaza, both the World Health Organization (WHO) and MSF drew attention to critically ill patients in need of medical evacuation – estimated to be over 15,600 patients as of 10 September. The Director General of WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that since October 2023, WHO supported the evacuation of over 7,640 patients, including 5,300 children, and 2,660 companions. He added that more than 700 people have died while waiting for medical evacuation, including almost 140 children, and called on countries to receive critically ill patients from Gaza and on Israel to allow people to be treated in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
• Attacks on health persist. As of 11 September, according to WHO, a total of 793 attacks on health care were recorded, 125 of which affected health facilities, including damage to 34 hospitals. On 14 September, PRCS reported that Israeli forces targeted a residential building less than 50 metres from Al Quds Hospital, in Gaza city, causing severe damage to the hospital, its administrative offices, and neighboring buildings. On 16 September, according to WHO, Al Rantisi Children's Hospital, also in Gaza city, was attacked, causing significant damage to rooftop water tanks, electrical and communication systems and some medical equipment. Forty patients fled for safety while 40 others remained, including four children in the pediatric intensive care unit and eight newborns, WHO added. No casualties were reported. The hospital provides specialised services, including oncology, dialysis, respiratory care and gastroenterology diseases for children. Calling for protection of health workers, health facilities and patients, the Director General of WHO emphasized that “Gaza cannot afford to lose more hospitals.”

Displacement and the Struggle for Survival

• According to the Site Management Cluster (SMC), the majority of over 246,800 displacement movements recorded since 14 August originated from Gaza city and 80 per cent (over 197,976 movements) were recorded from northern to southern Gaza via Al Rashid (coastal) Road. Amid intensified bombardment and issuance of displacement orders, the rate of displacement is growing, with roughly 125,600 movements recorded between 10 and 17 September, representing 51 per cent of all movements observed since 14 August. Yet, most areas in southern Gaza are already overcrowded, lacking dignified shelters and safe sanitation, and existing services are barely sufficient to accommodate the needs of people already there. Within this context, “[d]eciding whether to stay or leave is an almost impossible choice for people exhausted by war, with no guarantee of shelter or safety in the south,” said CARE in a recent statement.
• People who decide to move face an unsafe and burdensome route. On 12 September, at least two people were reportedly killed and others injured when a group of displaced people were struck while moving southward along Al Rashid Road in Tel al Hawa, in southwestern Gaza city. According to the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) road damage assessment of 8 July, imagery analysis indicates that approximately 77 per cent of the road network in the Gaza Strip has been damaged, with most of the completely destroyed roads located in the Gaza and Khan Younis governorates. Damaged and unsafe roads, coupled with prohibitively expensive transportation costs – ranging from 950 ILS (US$256) to 5,600 ILS ($1,500) – are forcing many to flee on foot and make displacement extremely difficult, including for people with mobility challenges. Protection partners report that displaced families are undertaking journeys of up to 12 hours in extreme heat, and with limited access to basic services, creating additional hardship and risks, particularly for injured persons - including children - and older persons.
• Those who risk the dangerous journey often arrive to find no available shelter, limited water supply, and a lack of basic services, with displacement sites and tented areas themselves being hit (see incidents above). According to the Shelter Cluster, many families are living out in the open or in makeshift shelters pieced together from worn tarpaulins, as only very limited quantities of tents and materials have entered Gaza. As of 16 September, about 1,400 tents have been collected from crossings through the UN coordination system, representing less than one per cent of the needs, the Shelter Cluster added. On 16 September, in coordination with the Shelter Cluster, partners distributed roughly 1,150 tents to displaced households, prioritizing women and girls at heightened risk, including survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) referred by the Protection Cluster.
• Israeli military operations are severely disrupting humanitarian operations and the ability of aid actors to provide relief assistance to affected people in Gaza city. For example, the Health Cluster reports that in the first two weeks of September, at least 10 primary health care clinics and medical points had to suspend services for at least one day due to insecurity. Five Women and Girls’ Safe Spaces were destroyed between 31 August and 13 September and the only remaining GBV shelter in Gaza city is now at risk of relocation.
• According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), 11 UNRWA premises, including nine schools and two health centres, serving as emergency shelters for about 11,000 people in Gaza city have sustained significant damage either directly or indirectly by strikes between 11 and 16 September. The UNRWA Gaza Field Office was also significantly damaged in an indirect strike and UNRWA’s only functioning health centre north of Wadi Gaza was forced to suspend operations on 13 September due to intensified attacks and incurred damage. Yet, and although the situation remains volatile and unstable, as of 16 September, UNRWA is still operating 29 emergency shelters hosting more than 4,500 families in Gaza city and continues to operate three medical points, including two conducting nutrition activities. Nutrition screening and treatment services have been severely reduced amid insecurity, the forced suspension of operations at two UNRWA-managed health facilities, and the inability of many staff to report to duty. On average, UNRWA staff screened 153 children for malnutrition and treated 40 per day in Gaza city in August, compared with 50 screened and 15 treated per day in the first two weeks of September. Other services were temporarily suspended for a day before resuming, such as water trucking and solid waste management; UNRWA estimates that it is currently providing water for domestic use to 350,000 people in Gaza city, the majority being served by the main water well in Ash Shati’ (Beach) Camp in western Gaza city.
• With over one million women and girls being repeatedly displaced, safety has become an illusion. As UN Women notes, “each move has meant searching for a small piece of land, often at unbearable rental costs, and many families end up building makeshift tents.” According to the GBV Area of Responsibility (AoR), escalating hostilities and the destruction of safe spaces have drastically reduced access points for women and girls, compounding already severe protection risks. Overcrowded shelters are further increasing exposure to harassment, while critical shortages of dignity kits and menstrual hygiene management (MHM) items leave women and girls without the most basic support. UN Women underscores the scale of this deprivation: “Hygiene is another daily indignity. With sanitary pads largely unavailable or unaffordable, and no privacy, nearly 700,000 women and girls of reproductive age struggle to manage menstruation, often in overcrowded or unsafe facilities.” Moreover, many local NGOs providing relief assistance have had their offices damaged; for instance, since October 2023, nearly 89 per cent of women-led organizations in Gaza have suffered severe damage, with offices destroyed and aid workers killed. Despite challenges, GBV and other protection partners continue to deliver life-saving services where possible across the Gaza Strip, including awareness sessions, psycho-social support, case management, and the distribution of dignity kits, with referral pathways and help desks at reception points south of Wadi Gaza, ensuring continued access to critical support.

Children Facing Collapsing Lifelines

• The escalating Israeli military offensive underway in Gaza city is “already resulting in disproportionate civilian casualties and driving the near total collapse of the remaining lifelines children need to survive,” warned the Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Edouard Beigbeder. Estimating that about 450,000 children in Gaza city are affected, he emphasized that the use of explosive weapons in densely populated areas leads to “devastating, compounding harms – killing and maiming of civilians, including children, destruction of homes, schools and vital water systems – running the risk of effectively rendering the city uninhabitable.” With nowhere safe to go to, especially vulnerable groups include children treated for severe acute malnutrition “who could starve to death,” preterm babies in incubators, injured children in intensive care units, and children with disabilities.
• Amid shrinking humanitarian space, child malnutrition in the Gaza Strip continues to deteriorate at an alarming rate according to UNICEF. The percentage of children identified as acutely malnourished in screenings across Gaza increased to 13.5 per cent in August, from 8.3 per cent in July. In Gaza city, where famine has been confirmed last month, the percentage of children admitted with malnutrition was even higher, at 19 per cent, up from 16 per cent in July, UNIFEF explained. In total, based on reports received as of 17 September, roughly 28,000 cases of acute malnutrition among children under five have been identified by Nutrition Cluster partners across Gaza in July and August, exceeding the combined total of malnutrition cases identified in the first six months of 2025 (about 23,000 cases). The severity of cases has also increased; about 23 per cent (about 6,400 out of 28,000) of acutely malnourished children in July and August were suffering from severe acute malnutrition, up from about 15 per cent (about 3,400 out of 23,000) between January and June 2025.
• The Nutrition Cluster warns that ongoing military operations and large-scale displacement from northern Gaza risks to further derail efforts to detect and treat new acute malnutrition cases and disrupt the continuity of care for those already enrolled. As of 16 September, 18 out of 50 treatment centres have been reportedly closed in Gaza city, according to the Nutrition Cluster. This has caused a reduction in malnutrition screenings in August compared with July and risks to compromise the recovery of children currently under treatment. Moreover, for the past two months, the World Food Programme’s (WFP’s) Blanket Supplementary Feeding Programme has been on hold due to the lack of Medium Quantity Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements (LNS-MQ). Other prevention supplies provided by UNICEF in August – small quantity LNS and High Energy Biscuits – have only been sufficient to support about 39,000 children, or 13 per cent of the 290,000 children between six and 59 months, and 21,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women (PBW), or 14 per cent of the 150,000 PBW in need of essential nutrition support. Despite challenges, efforts continue to provide nutrition supplies and cash assistance as part of the nutrition component of the famine response.
• According to the Child Protection AoR, eight partners have been forced to suspend or relocate 34 safe spaces or service points within Gaza city or to Deir al Balah since 1 September, further straining service coverage for vulnerable children and families. At present, only 120 safe spaces for children are run by partners across the Gaza Strip, including 30 in Gaza city, down from a total of 282 safe spaces and points in February 2025. In addition to the ongoing military offensive, delivery of critical child protection services -- such as case management for vulnerable children, family tracing and reunification, alternative care, and mental health and psycho-social support (MHPSS) for children and caregivers – continues to be hindered due to insecurity, infrastructure damage, limited fuel supplies, repeated displacement and the associated reduction in operational capacity. Like everyone else in Gaza, children, caregivers and staff providing protection services are exhausted, traumatized and facing psychological strain. Partners are reporting that protective environments are shrinking; more children are being pushed into hazardous labour and high-risk environments and children with disabilities remain especially marginalized.
• Amid seemingly insurmountable challenges, Child Protection partners are endeavouring to sustain services. For example, between 1 and 12 September 2025, partners distributed 6,000 psychosocial support kits procured from the local market – which comprise drawing books, toys and coloured pencils – to children in displacement sites and delivered critical MHPSS services to about 6,900 children and 2,000 caregivers in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis governorates. MHPSS activities included recreational sessions, art therapy, and structured trauma recovery modules. Furthermore, 39 children with disabilities received nutritional supplements and fortified food, while 1,000 vulnerable children, including children with disabilities, received dignity kits. During the same period, community engagement and awareness-raising activities reached over 24,000 people with messages on child protection risks, parenting support, prevention of family separation, protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, and coping strategies.

Limited Access to Water and Deepening Sanitation Crisis

• Access to WASH services across the Gaza Strip continues to be limited. As of 9 September, the WASH Cluster reported that 69 per cent (520 out of 756) of WASH facilities are in areas under displacement orders or within Israeli-militarized zones. In Gaza and North Gaza governorates, this access is becoming increasingly constrained, with humanitarian partners facing major challenges in sustaining essential operations, including water trucking, hygiene kit distribution, and solid waste management. Since 11 September, all coordinated requests for water trucking have been denied, and access to Mekorot filling stations remains blocked, further limiting available water sources. Additionally, the main Mekorot pipeline in northern Gaza, one of three in the Gaza Strip, is operating below capacity due to a leakage in the Shuja’iya area, in North Gaza, resulting in a 25-per-cent reduction in potential water supply. Despite these constraints, over 15 WASH Cluster partners are maintaining the provision of minimum services, primarily in the western parts of Gaza governorate. The last fuel delivery, received on 11 September, is expected to support critical facilities for approximately one week, operating under restricted hours.
• Due to ongoing bombardments in Gaza city, which have further intensified in the past week, WASH infrastructure has suffered severe damage, including the sewage network. This has resulted in sewage overflow in the streets, posing serious public health risks. According to the WASH Cluster, the Al Samer pumping station, which plays a critical role in managing sewage flow, is currently at risk whereby any further damage or operational failure could trigger a catastrophic sanitation crisis. Additionally, the Sheikh Radwan lagoon – Gaza city's main reservoir for receiving sewage – has been inaccessible for three weeks due to the intensification of Israeli military operations and displacement orders in the area, making it impossible to discharge wastewater into the sea and risking the occurrence of overflow and flooding in surrounding neighbourhoods.
• Solid waste management remains extremely challenging across the Gaza Strip. In Gaza and North Gaza governorates, some projects were suspended due to safety concerns and the lack of access to safe disposal sites. The accumulation of waste in residential areas and makeshift shelters is further exacerbating public health risks, as it creates breeding grounds for disease vectors, such as rodents and ectoparasites, the WASH Cluster reports. The situation is worsened by the unavailability of chemicals needed to control their spread. In the southern governorates, solid waste management efforts continue, with approximately 1,260 cubic metres per day being transferred to the five available temporary dumping sites. However, most of these sites are nearing full capacity – presently full at 80 to 95 per cent – and urgently require decongestion. The Sofa landfill remains the only designated final disposal site in the southern governorates, but access is not possible due to displacement orders and denied access to militarized zones. In hard-to-reach areas, such as Al Bureij and An Nuseirat, people are facing significant health and environmental risks due to the absence of functioning waste management systems and unsafe disposal practices. Waste collection operations are further hindered by challenges in fleet management, as only around 20 per cent of service provider vehicles are currently functional due to the lack of preventive maintenance, spare tires, and batteries.
• On 13 September, following a month-long outage, the Bani Suhaila Mekorot water line supplying Khan Younis was repaired, allowing the resumption of water flow at a rate of 12,000 cubic metres per day through the distribution network, despite ongoing infrastructure damage. Additionally, the newly inaugurated trunk line funded by the UAE, which connects the seawater desalination plant on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing to southern Gaza, has introduced a vital new water source. However, it is currently operating at only one-fifth of its intended capacity, according to the WASH Custer. In contrast, the Bani Said Mekorot water line, which supplies Deir al Balah, has remained non-functional since January after sustaining damage. Meanwhile, WASH Cluster partners have continued to diversify water sources through expanding the subsidized water scheme, increasing the number of operational desalination plants in Khan Younis and Deir al Balah governorates from one to six. These plants now produce a total of 2,370 cubic metres per day, serving nearly 400,000 people through water trucking, the WASH Cluster reported.
• The Gaza Municipality continues to warn about the growing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza city, noting that the approaching winter season would exacerbate the already dire humanitarian conditions. It cited unprecedented damage to infrastructure, public facilities, and civil institutions, alongside the accumulation of large quantities of solid waste in central areas, sewage overflow in the streets, and stormwater ponds that are already filled. The situation is compounded by a lack of critical supplies, including vehicles, fuel, and essential equipment to repair damaged facilities, posing a grave threat to public health and safety. The Municipality highlighted that many stormwater ponds have been contaminated with sewage due to the shutdown of pumping stations following the recent ground incursion, and that teams have been unable to access them to conduct repairs, which further heightens the already high risk of flooding in low-lying neighbourhoods and deepening the crisis.

Funding

• As of 17 September 2025, Member States have disbursed approximately $1.05 billion out of the $4 billion (26 per cent) requested to meet the most critical humanitarian needs of three million out of 3.3 million people identified as requiring assistance in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in 2025, under the 2025 Flash Appeal for the OPT. Nearly 88 per cent of the requested funds are for humanitarian response in Gaza, with just over 12 per cent for the West Bank. Moreover, during August 2025, the oPt Humanitarian Fund managed 104 ongoing projects, totalling $62.3 million, to address urgent needs in the Gaza Strip (87 per cent) and the West Bank (13 per cent). Of these projects, 48 are being implemented by INGOs, 42 by national NGOs and 14 by UN agencies. Notably, 35 out of the 62 projects implemented by INGOs or the UN are being implemented in collaboration with national NGOs. For more information, please see OCHA’s Financial Tracking Service webpage and the oPt HF webpage.

1782.

18 september 2025

Today marks a watershed moment as the UN deadline for Israel to end its occupation of Palestine passes. Twelve months on, Israel's military might in occupied Gaza has brought the livestreamed genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians to unimaginable horrors, and accelerates the ethnic cleansing and annexation. Yet, bar a handful of states, most have failed to start addressing these obligations. Israel is now officially a rogue state and must be treated at least as apartheid South Africa was.
 

The BDS movement calls on you to immediately escalate our existing call for lawful and targeted sanctions by joining our #DisruptComplicity Global Weekend of Action, 18 - 21 September.

As a matter of life-or-death urgency, Palestinian civil society calls on you to block highways, ports, and facilities of complicit corporations — to end business as usual with a rogue, apartheid state and its livestreamed genocide.

We are calling on you to stage mass protests at ministries and parliaments to demand a military embargo, the suspension of trade and academic ties, and the suspension of Israel from the UN, to organize strikes and work stoppages, where possible and reasonable, to escalate boycott campaigns against BDS priority targets, including disruptions at stores and offices, and to launch and support intersectional campaigns — pushing universities, unions, hospitals, and councils to exclude war-profiteering companies from contracts.

The BDS movement, with its tens of millions of supporters in over 120 countries worldwide, will not stop until we end Israel’s genocide and until Palestinians everywhere can exercise self-determination and enjoy freedom, justice and equality.
 

*Consult movement lawyers wherever you are before staging any disruptive actions.

1781.

SP

17 september 2025

Teken de petitie!

1780.

17 september 2025

Mass Demonstrations Across the Country

We all have the same feeling. Watching Gaza burn while feeling so incapable, wondering what can be done to end the holocaust of our time. Well, enough is enough! The people of Gaza have no time left.

As the genocide in Gaza enters its third year, American Muslims for Palestine is calling on all of its chapters and community partners to launch demonstrations in cities across the country to demand an end to the genocide and to increase pressure on officials.

Gaza is not alone, and will never be left alone!

The message is clear:
End the Genocide Now
End Israel’s Apartheid Regime
End the Occupation Now
End US Support to Israel
Global Sanctions on Israel
Try Israeli War Criminals at ICC

Listed below are actions taking place across the U.S. that you can participate in:

• Thursday, September 18th, 12:00PM - Lifeline for Palestine Day of Action March - NYC
• Saturday, September 20th, 3:30PM - Gaza Needs Us Now! - Watertown Park - Chicago, IL
• Sunday, September 21st, 10:00AM - Wadee Day - Van Horn Woods East - Plainfield, IL
• Friday, September 26th, 9:00AM - Stop The Genocide, March to the UN - UN Headquarters - NYC
• Saturday, September 27th, 7:00PM - Palestine 101 Understanding the Holy Land - Islamic Center of South Florida - Pompano Beach, FL
• Saturday, October 4th, 2:00PM - Rise Up for Gaza - CT State Capitol - Hartford, CT
• Tuesday, October 7th, 5:00PM - Two Years On, End the Genocide Protest - Federal Building 300 S 4th St - Minneapolis, MN
• Saturday, October 11th, - End the Genocide, Stand With Gaza - Washington, DC - TBA

Need help organizing a rally in your hometown? Please contact us by replying to this email, and we will be happy to assist you.

If you are already organizing a rally or know of one happening locally that is not listed here, please notify us immediately so we can include it in our list. Just reply to this email and we will add it to our list.

Marching on,

Taher HerzallahDirector of Grassroots Organizing

P.S. Don't forget to join AJP Action's 11th Annual Palestine Advocacy Days from October 19–21 in Washington, D.C. to meet with lawmakers, demand an end to U.S. military aid to Israel, and push for accountability and a foreign policy rooted in justice, human rights, and international law.

1779.

17 september 2025

Today's headlines

UN inquiry finds Israel is committing genocide, calls for arms embargo

Michael Arria

A UN commission of inquiry concluded that Israel has committed four of the five genocidal acts defined under the 1948 Genocide Convention. The commission is urging governments worldwide to stop supplying weapons to Israel.

Rubio reaffirms support for Netanyahu after Doha strike

Michael Arria

Despite reports of a rift following Israel's failed attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar, Marco Rubio reaffirmed the Trump administration's strong support during a trip to Jerusalem.

1778.

17 september 2025

Gaza Humanitarian Response Update

31 August – 13 September 2025

Providing nutrition treatment to a child in Gaza. Photo by UNICEF/El Baba

Food Security

Response

• Between 1 and 15 September, humanitarian partners conducted daily convoys to collect food aid, uplifting over 12,500 metric tons (MT) of wheat flour, food parcels, and bulk supplies into Gaza through the UN-coordinated aid mechanism. However, more than 77 per cent of this aid was offloaded by hungry crowds or looted by organized groups along convoy routes, preventing targeted household distributions and safe delivery to partner warehouses.
• As of 13 September, 116 kitchens supported by 20 partners were preparing and distributing 558,000 meals daily across the Gaza Strip – 167,000 in the north and 391,000 in central and southern Gaza. In response to ongoing north-to-south displacement, partners have significantly scaled up meal production in central and southern Gaza, increasing daily meal production by over 40,000 meals between 12 and 13 September. Additionally, since 10 September, partners have been distributing 10,000 loaves of bread daily to displaced people on the move relocating south of Wadi Gaza from the north.
• In the north, partners have been endeavoring to maintain the level of meal provision despite the risky and unpredictable operational context. Reports indicate damage to some partner facilities due to nearby attacks, and two commercial bakeries have received orders to evacuate.

Challenges

• Since 20 July, when regular food cargo uplifts from Gaza’s crossings resumed, less than 35 per cent of the 2,000 MT of food supplies required daily to meet basic humanitarian needs has been able to enter the Strip. Since the closure of the Zikim Crossing on 12 September, Food Security Sector partners have not been able to bring any food aid to northern Gaza where hundreds of thousands of people remain and where a human-made famine was confirmed on 22 August. There are grave concerns over fuel and food stock depletion in a matter of days as there are now no direct aid entry points into northern Gaza and resupply from south to north is increasingly challenging due to mounting road congestion and insecurity.
• There is an urgent need to scale up the entry of nutritious food through the commercial sector, including fresh produce and fortified food items, to help meet growing needs.
• Despite sustained advocacy efforts, cooking gas has not entered Gaza for over six months and is now unavailable in local markets. Firewood has also become increasingly unaffordable. Many people are reduced to using waste and scrap wood as alternative cooking sources, exacerbating health and environmental risks.

Nutrition

Response

• Nutrition Cluster partners continue to actively screen children for early detection and treatment of acute malnutrition. In August, out of approximately 95,000 children screened, 12,800 were diagnosed with acute malnutrition and enrolled for treatment. Compared to July, when over 150,000 children were screened and 13,000 diagnosed with acute malnutrition, the case identification rate has spiked from 8.3 to 13.5 per cent. In Gaza city, the percentage has reached 19 per cent, meaning nearly one in five children is affected. Alarmingly, the severity of cases has also increased, with over 23 per cent of malnourished children suffering from the most severe form in August, compared with a ratio of 1 in 8 back in February.
• In the first half of September, UNICEF dispatched to partners 201,528 packs of ready-to-use nutrient-rich baby food, sufficient to support over 63,000 infants and young children for two weeks, and 10,000 boxes of High Energy Biscuits (HEBs) to assist more than 10,000 acutely malnourished pregnant and breastfeeding women (PBW) for one month.

Challenges

• WFP’s Blanket and Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programmes remain on hold due to the lack of Medium-Quantity Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements (LNS-MQ). In August, in the absence of such supplies, only 36,000 children and 21,000 PBW were supported with second line prevention items (either Small Quantity LNS or HEB), provided by UNICEF, compared with the 290,000 children and 150 PBW in need.
• The escalating Israeli military operations in Gaza city and resulting high scale displacement is disrupting nutrition service delivery across the governorate. As of 13 September, 21 out of 50 treatment centers had already been reportedly closed, hindering the detection of new cases and jeopardizing follow-up care for an estimated 4,000 children already receiving treatment, placing them at increased risk of deterioration and life-threatening complications. Rising population influx in the south is also increasing pressure on already strained nutrition services available in Khan Younis and Deir Al Balah.

Health

Response

• During the reporting period, WHO collected 44 trucks with 891 pallets of essential medical supplies into Gaza and dispatched 277 pallets to health facilities. A total of 120 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and emergency beds and four anesthesia machines were dispatched to the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al Balah. WHO also conducted a field visit to the Emirati Field Hospital in Rafah, retrieving two truckloads of essential medicines for Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) and partner facilities.
• A total of 527 wheelchairs were collected into Gaza, of which 465, including 235 pediatric ones, were dispatched to the Ministry of Health and partners. These have been distributed to hospitals responding to mass casualty incidents to enhance site accessibility and create a more inclusive, disability-friendly environment. A portion of these wheelchairs will also be allocated to priority patients who are the sole survivors in their families and whose social circumstances warrant urgent support. More than 13,000 assistive devices are currently needed for patients on the waiting lists.
• UNFPA distributed contraceptive pills, and ten types of Inter-Agency Reproductive Health (IARH) Kits to support an estimated 3,849 PBW, newborns and women and girls of reproductive age across the Gaza Strip. UNFPA also continues monitoring daily deliveries across health facilities to assess trends and ensure adequate stocks of medical supplies and consumables. Between 8 and 11 September, 188 deliveries were recorded across the four Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CeMONC) facilities in Gaza city, including 53 cesarean sections. From January to August 2025, 27,857 deliveries were recorded across the Strip, an average of 3,482 per month, with 6,727, or 24 per cent, of the total being cesarean sections.
• The UNRWA Japanese Health Center in Khan Younis was re-opened and is now providing comprehensive health services, including for non-communicable diseases.
• The Al-Awda Health and Community Association inaugurated the Al-Awda Field Maternity Hospital in An Nuseirat, funded by UNFPA, MedGlobal, and Human Concern International (HCI). Across the Gaza Strip, there are currently 13 CeMONC facilities, nine Neonatal ICUs, 55 delivery beds, alongside 87 medical points and primary healthcare centers providing Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) outpatient services. Since the collapse of the ceasefire in March, 80 medical points and PHCs providing SRH outpatient services have been affected, with 65 still non-functional.
• As of 10 September, 27 EMTs continued to provide surgical, emergency and non-communicable disease services across Gaza, with over 3.4 million consultations, 49,790 surgeries, and 172,148 trauma cases treated since January 2024.
• As of 13 September, 88 Health Cluster partners remained operational in Gaza, with 75 directly supporting 207 of the 236 still partially functioning health facilities across the Strip, including 18 hospitals, 10 field hospitals, 66 PHCs, and 113 medical points.
• During the reporting period, 30 critical patients alongside 98 companions were medically evacuated to Jordan, the United Kingdom, and Türkiye.
• Fifty health service providers were trained on Essential Newborn Care (EENC), 27 providers on Integrated Management of Child Health (IMCH), and 26 on Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH), Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and child protection. Twenty-nine physiotherapists were also trained on rehabilitation in limb reconstruction and emergencies.

Challenges

• Forty-six per cent of hospitals and field hospitals are located in Gaza city, accounting for 36 per cent of total in-patient bed capacity and nearly 50 per cent of all intensive care beds in the Gaza Strip. If health service points become inaccessible due to displacement orders and the intensifying military offensive, critical health services will become unavailable. Between 8 and 13 September, at least 10 PHCs and medical points were forced to suspend their services for at least one day or more due to insecurity.
• The requirement for partners operating in Gaza city to coordinate all movements with the Israeli authorities represents a major challenge, as missions are being frequently denied, leaving health care workers unable to reach their clinics.
• Hospitals and health care facilities also continue to be hit and damaged due to their proximity to locations that are under bombardment, leading to a loss of functionality and access to key medical equipment.
• Key asks by the Health Cluster at this critical point are the protection of health care workers and health facilities, and safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian health service delivery.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

Response

• During the reporting period, over 35 WASH Cluster partners continued water trucking operations to supply safe drinking water across the Gaza Strip.
• Despite limited access in the north, partners remain committed to service delivery and are adapting to displacement trends, prioritizing the western areas of Gaza city. In central and southern Gaza, daily water supply is being scaled up, including to key reception points. A coordination workshop held on 9 September engaged over 30 partners to improve water trucking effectiveness.
• The UNICEF-led Subsidized Water Scheme is progressing, with selected private desalination plants receiving consumables to enhance safe water production and distribution. Five new plants have been added in the southern governorates, while the system remains functional in northern Gaza. This initiative allows partners to access water at reduced costs, expanding coverage.
• The newly inaugurated trunkline connecting the UAE-funded seawater desalination plant on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing to southern Gaza provides a vital new water source, though in the reporting period it only worked at nearly a fifth of its intended delivery capacity.
• On 13 September, the Bani Suhaila Mekorot water line supplying Khan Younis was also repaired after a month-long outage, allowing water trucking to resume.
• Increased fuel availability has enabled partners in central and southern Gaza to scale up waste collection and the safe disposal of over 1,280 cubic metres of waste daily across five controlled dumping sites. Due to restricted access to official landfills, temporary sites are being used to manage accumulated waste and maintain public health standards. In Gaza city, however, solid waste management operations remain limited due to access and infrastructure constraints, with safe disposal currently not feasible.
• Nine field laboratories are operational, providing essential support for water quality testing and public health protection.
• With hygiene supplies now entering Gaza, WASH Cluster partners distributed 1,000 hygiene kits, 1,500 cleaning kits, and 1,500 water storage kits during the reporting period.

Challenges

• Intense military operations and the blanket displacement order issued for northern Gaza have critically affected WASH services. The fuel supply chain has been disrupted, Mekorot filling stations are inaccessible, while access to multiple ground water wells and to the Firas Market - the only dumping site in Gaza city - has been lost.
• Displacement towards the western part of Gaza city has created severe challenges for water trucking and solid waste collection. Congestion and traffic jams are limiting operations and reducing the ability to conduct multiple trips.
• The Sheikh Radwan Pond, Gaza city’s main rainwater basin, remains inaccessible and is now contaminated with untreated sewage, posing serious flood and health risks.
• The Mekorot water line from Israel in Bani Saeed, Deir al Balah, has been non-functional since January, with repairs still ongoing.
• The Southern Gaza Desalination Plant remains operational but has been facing repeated power disruptions, the latest of which on 13 September, forcing reliance on fuel-intensive backup generators.
• Restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities on the entry of reverse osmosis membranes, cartridge filters, oil, generators, pipes, and other essential components continue to severely hinder WASH partners’ ability to maintain critical services.
• Fleet management for water trucking and solid waste operations is nearly impossible due to the lack of preventive maintenance. Only 20 per cent of the solid waste fleet is currently operational, with urgent needs for new vehicles, tires, batteries, and spare parts.
• Limited availability of hygiene items in the market is restricting access to essential supplies for the population. In some areas of the Gaza Strip, a single bottle of dishwashing liquid can cost up to US$30.

Protection

Response

• Mine Action: Mine Action partners conducted four Explosive Hazard Assessments (EHAs) and provided Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) support to five inter-agency missions with UNICEF, UNDP, OCHA, WFP, and UNOPS. Partners also conducted 717 Explosive Ordnance Risk Education & Conflict Preparedness and Protection (EORE-CPP) sessions, targeting 22,048 beneficiaries in Deir al Balah, Khan Younis and Gaza. Since October 2023, 123 Explosive Ordnance (EO) incidents with 160 victims (18 killed, 142 injured) have been reported.
• Gender-Based Violence (GBV) - Partners have continued to deliver life-saving services despite escalating insecurity in Gaza. The intensification of hostilities has significantly increased risks of GBV, including domestic violence and early marriage. During the reporting period, five Women and Girls’ Safe Spaces (WGSSs) were destroyed in Gaza city, and staff were killed. The Gaza Safe Shelter for survivors of GBV remains partially functional, but seven high-risk cases were relocated to a similar shelter in the south for continued services and protection.
• Operating through the remaining nine Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSSs) and mobile teams across Gaza, GBV partners provided:
  • case management for 74 GBV survivors, including persons with disabilities;
  • legal aid services through awareness sessions, consultations, and court support for 527 women;
  • Psychological First Aid (PFA) for 216 women and girls, referrals for 44 cases identified through helpline calls and psychiatric care for 19 people, structured psychosocial support for 456 women and 127 girls, alongside awareness services for 2,584 women;
  • survival and relocation assistance for the staff and offices of three new Women-Led Organizations (WLOs), enabling continued service delivery despite displacement, exhaustion, and resource constraints; and
  • training on PSEA risk mitigation and on strengthening interagency referral pathways for 23 healthcare staff in coordination with the PSEA Network and Child Protection partners.
• At the Reception Point set up on Al Rasheed Road, a help desk was established in coordination with the Protection Cluster to provide PFA, safe identification and referral of survivors, and awareness raising on available services.
• In coordination with the Shelter Cluster, partners also distributed 10 tents to displaced women and girls at heightened risk, alongside food parcels through the Saudi Center for Cultural Heritage. Additionally, 921 dignity/Menstrual Health Management kits were distributed with UNFPA support.
• Child Protection (CP) – Child Protection actors provided case management services to over 900 children at risk of abuse, neglect, or separation, ensuring appropriate specialized care and referrals.
• Family tracing and reunification efforts continued, with 15 children successfully reunified with families and caregivers. In addition, 39 children with disabilities received nutritional supplements and fortified food, while 1,000 vulnerable children received dignity kits.
• Child protection partners also reached over 6,890 children and 2,013 caregivers with critical mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services, distributed around 6,000 psycho-social support kits to children across shelters and displacement sites, and reached over 24,000 people with awareness raising and community engagement on child protection risks and mitigation measures, parenting support, prevention of family separation and PSEA, and child safeguarding and positive coping strategies —averaging approximately 3,516 people per day.
• Due to the ongoing escalation in Gaza city, 18 child protection service points and safe spaces have suspended operations and 11 have been relocated to safer locations, either within Gaza city or to the south, including Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis. On the other hand, three child protection help desks have been established at reception and monitoring points in southern Gaza to provide immediate support to the most vulnerable children. On 11 September alone, 15 children with urgent protection concerns (separated, orphaned, or injured) received support or referrals.
• Legal Task Force (LTF) – LTF partners have coordinated closely during the reporting period to ensure continued service delivery, amid movement restrictions and severe access constraints, including:
  • case management and legal assistance, civil documentation, capacity development and training.
  • awareness-raising activities targeting communities that may be newly affected by displacement, with guidance on safeguarding essential Housing, Land, and Property (HLP) and civil documentation.
  • The launch of a new online Detainee Tracing Platform which enables families and authorized representatives to submit tracing requests online, track progress securely, and communicate digitally with lawyers

Challenges

• Access to protection service points remains highly restricted, while needs far exceed available human and financial resources. Persistent shortages of specialized staff, coupled with limited and unpredictable funding, are further compounded by rising safety risks for both personnel and beneficiaries. Service continuity is also hindered by fuel scarcity, infrastructure damage, and mobility restrictions.
• Critical gaps persist in the availability of assistive devices such as wheelchairs, crutches, and hearing aids, affecting persons with disabilities, including children. Other urgent unmet needs include diapers, infant formula, tents for vulnerable families, and fuel to support service relocation and mobile team deployment. Lack of dignity kits and menstrual hygiene management items remain a critical gap for women and girls.
• Escalating hostilities and the destruction of safe spaces have reduced access points for women and girls, compounding GBV risks, while movement restrictions, fuel shortages, and rising costs continue to limit survivors’ ability to safely and consistently access services.

Shelter

Response

• During tthe reporting period, one Shelter partner distributed 899 tents to the most vulnerable newly displaced households, prioritizing cases referred by the Protection Cluster in the Deir al Balah and Khan Younis areas. Overall, between 16 August, when Israeli authorities lifted the ban on the entry of shelter items, and 13 September, the UN and partners collected 1,443 tents into Gaza.
• Beyond tents already collected into the Strip, 34 trucks carrying 4,008 tents have been dispatched from Jordan. In preparation to receive them, partners have started compiling potential beneficiary lists based on the Shelter Cluster’s recently published Targeting and Prioritization Guidance, ensuring a more effective and timely response amid massive needs.

Challenges

• Despite rising needs in the north, Shelter Cluster partners remain unable to respond due to the continued ban on the entry of materials into norther Gaza. To date, 18 rejections have been reported across 8 partners. While some were linked to allocations planned for the north, most were due to registration constraints affecting INGOs.

Multi-purpose Cash Assistance

Response

• During the reporting period, Cash Working Group (CWG) partners distributed Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) to 5,870 households, prioritizing newly displaced families or those identified as being highly vulnerable through their individual programme databases. Each household received 1,000 NIS (approximately US$295), delivered via payment codes or direct transfers to their digital wallets. This brings to at least 219,679 the number of households in Gaza that received at least one MPCA installment thus far in 2025, with 291,950 payments issued in total by CWG members since the start of the year.

Challenges

• Ongoing liquidity shortages, combined with limited transportation caused by soaring fuel prices and movement restrictions, continued to impede MPCA recipients’ ability to access the few goods available inside the Gaza Strip.
• Price deviations based on payment method remain significant, with digital payments costing between 17 and 66 per cent more compared with using cash.

Site Management

Response

• The Site Management Cluster continues to monitor displacement movements from northern to southern Gaza through three operational Flow Monitoring Points (FMPs)—two located in Khan Younis and one in Deir Al Balah. These points operate daily from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm and are strategically positioned to capture population movements along displacement corridors. The data collected informs humanitarian planning and response coordination, helping to identify urgent needs and trends in displacement. During the reporting period, nearly 150,000 north-to-south displacement movements were recorded, primarily involving people traveling on trucks, cars, donkey carts and tuk-tuks, with vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities among those observed.
• In coordination with other Clusters, Site Management partners have also equipped the flow monitoring point on Al Rasheed Road as Reception Point, where immediate humanitarian support is provided to people on the move, including distribution of potable water, provision of child protection and specialized GBV services.

Challenges

• Severe overcrowding in displacement sites is increasingly making it difficult to manage crowds during distributions. During water trucking operations, the lack of space and high demand often lead to chaotic scenes and agitated crowds, posing serious risks to both staff and displaced populations and undermining dignified provision of humanitarian assistance.
• Due to insecurity and access restrictions, Site Management partners can only track movements observed at the three flow monitoring points during daylight hours, with data collected likely to represent only a portion of the true scale of displacement.

Education

Response

• During the reporting period, 38 new Temporary Learning Spaces (TLSs) were established, of which 10 in Deir al Balah, 11 in Khan Younis, 11 in Gaza city, and two in North Gaza. Operations in the newly established spaces in the north however remain suspended due to insecurity, while those in the south are ongoing.
• To strengthen preparedness, 252 teachers and partners in the south have received training on how to react to evacuation orders. Similar sessions are planned for the north when security allows.

Challenges

• The blanket displacement order affecting all of northern Gaza forced at least 95 functional TLSs (89 in Gaza city, 6 in North Gaza) serving about 25,000 school-aged children to suspend operations; this is in addition to 44 previously closed learning spaces, further limiting access to in-person learning for an estimated 280,000 people in the north. Presently, only 202 of 705 TLSs remain functional.
• Between 4 and 13 September, at least seven airstrikes impacted four UNRWA and three Palestinian Authority schools serving as shelters for displaced households, six in Gaza city and one in Khan Younis.
• Entry restrictions on educational supplies continue to block pre-positioned shipments needed to establish or expand alternative learning spaces.
• Restrictions on electronic devices have affected the administration of the Tawjihi (secondary school completion) exams. Of about 35,000 expected candidates, only around 28,000 sat the exams primarily due to the lack of electronic devices to prepare and complete the test. At least 8,000 tablets remain in the Ministry of Education’s warehouse in Ramallah, pending clearance to enter Gaza.
• Funding shortfalls persist. By the end of August, at least 166 learning spaces had closed, and insufficient teacher incentives continue to undermine retention and the ability to sustain services.

Emergency Telecommunications (ETC)

Response

• ETC is working with Gaza telecommunication operators to enhance emergency readiness and sustain services amid escalating access constraints in Gaza city. Activities include securing spare part equipment, ensuring site access, and assessing risks such as fibre cuts and service outages.
• Local providers (Jawwal-Paltel, Ooredoo) continue to provide around 96 per cent of all services, including mobile/SMS and fixed internet, for free since October 2023; this connectivity is mission-critical for coordination of movements, service messaging, delivery of cash/e-wallet assistance, public access to first responders, tele-health and mental-health support, life-saving alerts and GBV referrals, online learning, PSEA reporting, and remote assessments and logistics tracking.
• Following exhaustion of the US$1.2 million fuel support for the telecommunications sector on 29 August and no new funding secured to date, ETC is actively engaging with partners in an effort to mobilize additional resources to sustain critical communications services.

Challenges

• Connectivity for the public and humanitarian operations remains volatile due to infrastructure damage, recurrent cuts from bombardment, restricted access to materials, equipment and staff, and basic-services gaps affecting telecom personnel—reducing operational communications and public access to life-saving information. Restrictions on the entry of equipment continue to hinder ETC’s ability to implement planned services and alternative solutions, including secure radio communications.

Logistics

Response

• Between 31 August and 13 September, the Cluster collected 608 pallets of aid into Gaza from the Erez West (Zikim) crossing on behalf of one partner, while no cargo collection was possible from the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem (KS/KAS) platform.
• During the reporting period, the Logistics Cluster facilitated access to two Government-to-Government (G2G) convoys from Jordan for a total of 10 trucks carrying food items on behalf of one partner, alongside nine trucks that were pending to cross from a previous convoy; all offloaded at Erez West (Zikim). In addition, two Back-to-Back (B2B) convoys were facilitated for a total of 14 trucks carrying WASH and health items on behalf of three partners, which offloaded at the KS/KAS platform.

Challenges

• Logistics Cluster-facilitated transport operations from KS/KAS and Erez West (Zikim) continue to face persistent security incidents inside Gaza leading to vast commodity losses.
• G2G convoys are currently ongoing, although at reduced capacity in light of multiple challenges and delays due to Israeli authorities’ inspection requirements. With the full displacement order of Gaza city recently issued, future convoys are contingent upon the status of Erez West (Zikim) crossing.
• While health and food items were previously eligible for transport to Gaza from Jordan via B2B modality, the Israeli authorities are currently only authorizing shelter items to be dispatched without Israeli security escorts. The Cluster continues to advocate for the inclusion of all humanitarian items – including critical food and health items.
• The West Bank route remains restricted with the intermittent closure of the crossing and limitations on the number of trucks and item types. Only health and limited food items from a few organizations are currently authorized via this route. Recent requests to mobilize trucks with tents and WASH items - including hygiene kits - were rejected by the Israeli authorities. Since the partial resumption of aid entry on 19 May and as of 13 September, only five organizations had been allowed to send 136 trucks of food and health items to KS/KAS.
• The scanning capacity in Ashdod continues to be severely affected by Israeli authorities’ requirement for physical inspection of all containers, significantly limiting the daily volume of aid that can be cleared.

Protection against sexual abuse and exploitation (PSEA) remains a cross-cutting priority for all clusters. Aid distribution must be delivered with dignity and respect. Any wrongdoing can be reported through SAWA’s toll-free number 164. SAWA will assist and provide services free of charge and with the utmost confidentiality.

The AAP Working Group is currently reconfiguring the Humanitarian Service Directory which provides information on aid services, helplines, and key messages, and is available via hyperlink and QR code.

1777.

AVAAZ

17 september 2025

710.000 mensen roepen inmiddels op tot een uitsluiting van Israël op het WK. En er verschuift iets: na protesten tijdens de Ronde van Spanje en oproepen om Israëls deelname aan het Eurovisiesongfestival te boycotten, is nu de voetbalwereld aan de beurt.

Een land dat genocide pleegt kan niet verwachten dat het welkom is op een internationaal podium. Teken nu en help ons 1 miljoen handtekeningen te verzamelen vóór de Ballon d’Or-ceremonie volgende week. Dat is het grootste evenement voor voetbalfans buiten het stadion. Ons team zet zich schrap om de leiders van de FIFA en de UEFA onder druk te zetten zodat ze eindelijk hun verantwoordelijkheid nemen. Help jij ook?

Israël niet op het WK

In deze e-mail die we je hier eerder over stuurden, vind je meer informatie:

1776.

16 september 2025

Palestine Advocacy Days are almost here, reserve your spot before tickets sell out!

We’re sure that by now, you’ve seen what Javier Bardem and Hannah Einbinder did at the Emmys. Javier wearing a Kuffiyeh, and both of them speaking out against Israel’s genocide. Did it hit you that they utilized their freedom of speech in the space most available to them to make an impact where their voices carry weight?

You too, have the power to use every space you’re in to speak out, and one of the most powerful ways to do that is by engaging your elected officials in Congress.

Across the country, artists, academics, engineers, lawyers, filmmakers, athletes, and musicians are refusing silence, showing that no matter your profession, speaking truth to power is part of living with integrity. In a place like Hollywood, which has long been dominated by Zionist influence, this kind of bold truth-telling is both unconventional and taboo. The fact that this is happening anyway shows a cultural shift we cannot ignore.

That same responsibility extends to all of us as residents of this country. Our stage may not be Hollywood, but we all exist in spaces where advocacy matters, whether it be in classrooms, hospitals, community centers, or any other kind of workplace. Wherever we are, we have both the right and responsibility to speak up. 

Most importantly, our collective stage is the halls of Congress. Making our voices heard in our elected offices is our right and duty in a proclaimed democracy. And this October, we’re giving you the platform and resources to do just that!

From the Emmy stage to the streets of D.C., from Hollywood to your hometown, it all adds up to a movement they cannot ignore. This October, let’s show them that no matter how hard they try to silence us, we will always choose justice, dignity, and freedom – together.
 

In solidarity,
Americans for Justice in Palestine Action

1775.

16 september 2025

Today's headlines

Prominent Moroccan Palestine solidarity activist Sion Assidon remains in coma after being found unconscious

Jessie Stoolman

Activists in Morocco are demanding an investigation after well-known human rights leader, Sion Assidon, was found unconscious at his home under suspicious circumstances. Assidon is a leader of the Moroccan movement against normalization with Israel.

1773.

16 september 2025

This week HRF advanced three major legal actions across Europe, holding Israeli leaders and soldiers accountable for war crimes and genocide

In the Netherlands, HRF filed a criminal complaint in Amsterdam against Israeli soldier Adir Yiftach for war crimes and genocide, demanding his immediate arrest under Dutch and international law.

In the United Kingdom, HRF, together with partners, submitted a criminal complaint seeking the arrest of Israeli President Isaac Herzog for grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions, including his role in the systematic destruction and starvation campaign in Gaza.

In Greece, HRF called on authorities to investigate David Hadar, a sergeant in the Golani Brigade, who was arrested in Athens after physically attacking Palestinian demonstrators. His military role links him directly to war crimes committed in Gaza.

More information below.

Amsterdam / London / Athens – 16 September 2025

The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) has this week launched three major legal actions across Europe, advancing its mission to end impunity for Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza. These filings — in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Greece — highlight a growing wave of accountability efforts under the principle of universal jurisdiction.

Netherlands: Complaint Against Adir Yiftach

On 16 September 2025, HRF filed a formal criminal complaint before the Dutch National Prosecutor for International Crimes against Adir Yiftach, a former member of the Israeli army currently present in the Netherlands.
The complaint, filed by HRF’s legal counsel Mr. Haroon Raza, documents Yiftach’s deployment in the 424th Infantry Battalion (“Shaked”) of the Givati Brigade under the 401st Armored Brigade during the ground invasion of Gaza.
Evidence from Yiftach’s own social media posts places him at multiple sites of mass destruction in Gaza City and Rafah, including the siege of Al-Shifa Medical Complex and the killing of six-year-old Hind Rajab.
HRF has requested Yiftach’s immediate arrest and prosecution under the Dutch International Crimes Act and the Geneva Conventions.

United Kingdom: Complaint Against President Isaac Herzog

On 10 September 2025, HRF, together with the European Legal Support Centre (ELSC) and the Stop the War Coalition, filed a criminal complaint to UK authorities against Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
The complaint provides detailed evidence of Herzog’s role as an accessory to war crimes, including his public statements erasing civilian protections, denial of famine in Gaza despite overwhelming UN documentation, and his visits to military sites during destructive campaigns such as Operation Oz and Nir.
HRF and partners stress that the UK has a binding obligation under Article 146 of the Fourth Geneva Convention to arrest and prosecute individuals reasonably suspected of grave breaches of international law when present on its territory.

Greece: Call for Investigation Into Golani Sergeant David Hadar

On 14 September 2025, HRF submitted a formal request to Greek authorities to investigate David Hadar, a sergeant in the Israeli army’s Golani Brigade, after he violently attacked Palestinian demonstrators in Athens’ Syntagma Square.
The Golani Brigade has been repeatedly implicated in atrocities in Gaza, including the livestreamed attack on Nasser Hospital in August 2025 and the killing of paramedics and journalists earlier this year. HRF is urging Greece to expand its investigation beyond the Athens assault to Hadar’s potential role in war crimes in Gaza.

“From Amsterdam to London to Athens, we are making sure perpetrators of genocide and war crimes find no refuge in Europe,” said Dyab Abou Jahjah, Chairman of the Hind Rajab Foundation.

1772.

16 september 2025

Op 5 oktober komt er een nieuwe Rode Lijn demonstratie, in Amsterdam. Omdat het moet. Omdat het al lang teveel is. Omdat de Nederlandse regering tegen alle verplichtingen in Israël blijft steunen en laat doorgaan met uithongeren en uitmoorden van de Palestijnen. Omdat onze druk zin heeft. Druk heeft ertoe geleid dat de regering twee Israëlische ministers buitensluit. En dat de Europese Commissie nu halve maatregelen voorstelt.

Laten we 5 oktober allemaal naar Amsterdam komen om in elk geval elkaar en de wereld te tonen dat je niet eindeloos het internationaal recht aan je laars kunt lappen. Laat je weten of je komt?

Een strijdbare groet van het docP team; blijf BDS-en!

Eis een einde aan Nederlandse betrokkenheidKom 5 oktober naar Amsterdam

Er is de internationale oproep van het BNC tot grootschalig verzet tegen de betrokkenheid bij genocide van onze regeringen. Sancties en embargo's nu!

Er zijn de eisen van de VN:

• Israël moet de genocide en apartheid stoppen en zich terugtrekken uit de bezette gebieden
• Alle staten moeten hun medeplichtigheid aanbij Israël’s internationale misdrijven stoppen en sancties instellen.
• Bedrijven moeten ook stoppen met het zaken doen met Israël

Kom 5 oktober naar Amsterdam en eis massaal dat Nederland, de EU, Microsoft, Google en alle grote bedrijven hun banden met Israël verbreken. Samen voeren we de druk op!

1771.

14 september 2025

Today's headlines

Zohran Mamdani, and a 100-year-old history of anti-Zionism in New York City

Jonathan Ezra Goldman

In taking a stance against Israels' genocide in Gaza and its Zionist underpinnings while running for New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani is situating himself within a historical lineage of anti-Zionism in the city that goes back over a century.

1770.

14 september 2025

Support Gaza War Refusers

For months, we’ve used this platform to report what the Israeli media refuses to show: stories of refusers breaking ranks, settlers attacking villages, activists risking their freedom, Palestinians resisting occupation and genocide, and moments of solidarity that connect these struggles across the world. International coverage often misses or distorts these realities. The Israeli media buries them entirely. That’s why this platform matters.

It is more than news. It is an alternative media channel, a bridge between our movement and its support network. When we post, people in New York, Berlin, São Paulo, and Johannesburg hear what is happening here and act, whether that means donating to a protective presence car, joining a protest, or sharing the testimony of an Israeli refuser.

Renaming the channels as Resistance Solidarity Network reflects what it has already become: a place not only for voices, but for connection, solidarity, and action. It is about building a global network of resistance against genocide, occupation, and militarism.

I invite you to follow Resistance Solidarity Network on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Tiktok. Share our posts, amplify the voices we lift up, and help us grow this bridge between movements.

Together, we will keep telling the truth from the ground, resist, and we will keep building the solidarity needed to win.

In solidarity,

Atalya Ben-Abba
Media Coordinator
Refuser Solidarity Network

1769.

13 september 2025

If you oppose political violence, stop arming Israel

From European leaders to big U.S. media figures, the old defenses of Zionism are losing their power. In our must-read article, Phil Weiss argues this shift is a real opening for the left, especially for anti-Zionist Jews, to speak plainly and invite newcomers into a politics of equality. The task now is persuasion and welcome, not gatekeeping. Read Phil’s piece here.

On the ground in Palestine, Israel is racing to lock in facts. After flattening Gaza City’s east, the army is now demolishing high-rise towers in the west, where displaced families have been sheltering. As Tareq Hajjaj reports, this is not about defeating Hamas and other armed resistance groups; it is about forcing the Palestinian population out. Qassam Muaddi traces a tradition of Palestinian “committed journalism” that treats reporting as part of collective defense. The colleagues we have lost were builders of public memory. Read Tareq’s report and Qassam’s letter.

Evidence alone will not move the governments backing this war. Layth Hanbali and James Smith cut through the wishful thinking: Western leaders are not confused or timid; they are acting on imperial interests. If that is true, ending the genocide means changing the cost-benefit math. That looks like sanctions that bite, legal risk for officials and executives, labor actions that slow weapons and logistics, shareholder fights, and campus and municipal divestment wins that turn elite impunity into public pain. Read their analysis here.

Israel struck Qatar’s capital, Doha, to assassinate Hamas’s lead negotiator while his delegation was reviewing the proposal from Donald Trump. Mitchell Plitnick explains how such attacks signal that no rule will restrain Israeli power, even in a capital aligned with Washington. Michael Arria reports that Qatar publicly rejected Washington’s claim that it was warned, exposing how U.S. messaging bends to cover an ally’s recklessness. Qassam Muaddi adds the obvious conclusion: bombing the negotiating team is the opposite of negotiating. In the West Bank, after a shooting in Jerusalem that killed six Israelis, Israeli analysts warn of an “explosion,” and Palestinians brace for the collective punishment they know is coming. Israel is pushing displacement in Gaza, widening intimidation across the region, and deepening military rule in the West Bank while Western governments still underwrite it.

Finally, in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s killing on Wednesday, I am reflecting on the violence that feels omnipresent in our society. Kirk styled himself as a culture warrior and gleefully cast liberals and leftists as an enemy within. His rhetoric was racist, antisemitic, transphobic, and Islamophobic. He does not leave a healthy democratic legacy. As statements poured in condemning “political violence,” it bears saying what is obvious: violence is always political because it is an exercise of power over others.

Right now, the U.S. government and governments around the world are allowing Israel to commit heinous acts of political violence in the course of this genocide. It is hypocritical for those same institutions—and for civil society groups that have refused to condemn Israel’s ethnic cleansing—to decry political violence only when it happens here. The live question is not whether our society is riddled with political violence, but who is permitted to wield it and against whom.

Broadly speaking, the left advances a vision not based on coercion but on mutual aid and shared prosperity. The right, ascendant here and around the world, treats the capacity to inflict harm as the foundation of governance. There is no way to square these visions. The answer is to organize deeply in our communities, build the power to win and hold office, and deliver real material improvements so people are not driven into a zero-sum scramble for the means of force.

If our governments were serious about ending political violence, they would stop supplying weapons to the rogue Israeli state now. The violence we export will return home to us. The inverse is also true: when we invest in peace and justice, they return as well.

David Reed, Publisher

Must read: From European leaders to American media personalities, Zionism’s rationale is crumbling

Phil Weiss: The breakdown of the mainstream consensus on Israel is an opportunity for the left, specifically anti-Zionist Jews, to get their message across. We must seize it and welcome those who are finally seeing the light.

Genocide in Gaza

 Tareq Hajjaj: After leveling Gaza City’s eastern neighborhoods, the Israeli onslaught has entered a new phase as the army flattens high-rise towers in the city’s western areas, where most civilians are sheltering. The goal is to cause a mass exodus.

 Qassam Muaddi: Palestinian journalists in Gaza are carrying on a tradition of “committed journalism” that began decades ago. They, like their predecessors, were killed in the line of duty because they were working for a cause.

 Layth Hanbali and James Smith: No amount of convincing and irrefutable evidence of the genocide will convince Western leaders to halt support for Israel, because it isn’t in their interests. The only thing that will stop the genocide is to make it more costly than profitable.

Catch-up

 Qassam Muaddi: In the aftermath of a Palestinian shooting attack that killed six Israelis, Israeli analysts and security officials warn of an “explosion” in the West Bank. Meanwhile, Palestinians are bracing for the ensuing collective punishment by Israel.

 Mitchell Plitnick: Israel has sent a message that its impunity extends even to attacks on states that have close relations with Washington. They need only cry “HAMAS” and any act is acceptable.

 Michael Arria: In response to the Israeli attack on Qatar, which targeted senior Hamas officials in the country, the Trump administration said it “feels very bad.” The U.S. government claimed it had notified Qatar of the impending attack, a claim Qatar denies.

 Qassam Muaddi: Amid ongoing ceasefire talks, Israel attempted to assassinate the Hamas negotiating team in an airstrike on the Doha office of its lead negotiator, senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya. Hamas officials say the negotiating team survived the attack.

1768.

13 september 2025

Today's headlines

In display of ‘humiliation,’ Israeli army detains over 1,000 Palestinians at random in West Bank city

Qassam Muaddi

Following the Tulkarem Brigade’s first armed operation against Israeli forces in eight months, the Israeli army arrested over 1,000 Palestinians at random and marched them through the streets of Tulkarem, in an act of “collective vengeance.”

What it takes to be a Palestinian journalist

Qassam Muaddi

In Palestine, journalistic integrity isn't derived from AP or the New York Times. It is grounded in the faithfulness of Palestinian journalists to their people and to the truth of their reality. That is why Israel is killing them.

1767.

12 september 2025

Your Activist Scoop

SHARE THIS INSTAGRAM POST 

READ THIS ARTICLE 

DEMAND INVESTIGATION OF THE GHF 

1766.

12 september 2025

Deze week waren we getuige van een aardverschuiving.

Tientallen jaren blokkeerde de VVD Nederlandse maatregelen tegen de handel met illegale Israëlische nederzettingen. Maar afgelopen woensdagavond kwam daar verandering in.

Tweede Kamerlid Eric van der Burg antwoordde met één woord op de vraag of de VVD een verbod op de illegale handel ditmaal zou steunen: ‘Ja.’

De meeste Nederlanders willen een ander beleid. De politiek voelt die druk uit de samenleving. Ja, zelfs de VVD!

De net aangetreden VVD-minister van Buitenlandse Zaken David van Weel wil een nationaal verbod op handel met de Israëlische nederzettingen. Op vrijdag 22 augustus trad zijn voorganger Caspar Veldkamp (NSC) af nadat de VVD zo’n handelsverbod blokkeerde. © ANP / Lisa Sel

De nu door politiek Den Haag ingezette weg moet daarom onvermijdelijk leiden tot een algehele economische boycot van Israël.

Een boycot is het enige dat echt helpt.

 Lees het hele artikel

Vandaag werd ook bekend dat Nederland afziet van deelname aan het Eurovisie Songfestival als ook Israël deelneemt. Een goede stap van AVROTROS! Eerder lieten Ierland en Slovenië weten niet te zullen deelnemen als Israël van de partij is. Spanje en IJsland overwegen diezelfde stap.

5 OKTOBER
RODE LIJN IN AMSTERDAM

Actievoeren heeft zin! Den Haag voelt dat de druk toeneemt. Juist daarom doen we er nog een schepje bovenop. Daarom trekken we opnieuw een Rode Lijn.

 Meld je aan als deelnemer

 Wanneer: zondag 5 oktober
 Locatie: Amsterdam. Locatie en route maken we binnenkort bekend
 Kleding: Trek rode kleding aan

Vrijwilligers gezocht
Help je ons mee de Rode Lijn zo goed mogelijk te laten verlopen?
 Meld je aan als vrijwilliger

TEGENLICHT MEETUP - IN DE BAN VAN ISRAËL
16 september, 20:00 Pakhuis de Zwijger, Amsterdam

Het denken over Israël in Nederland wordt gemanipuleerd door een machtig samenspel van politiek, geloof en propaganda. Dat liet de Tegenlicht-uitzending In de ban van Israël in 2012 al zien.

We bekijken samen met experts fragmenten uit het verleden, maar ook uit het heden. Welke politieke, economische en culturele belangen spelen mee? Edwin van 't Pad van The Rights Forum is te gast.

 Meld je aan om de livestream van de bijeenkomst te volgen
 Bekijk de uitzending uit 2012 hier terug

Tweederde van alle Nederlanders wijst kabinetsbeleid over Israël af

Uit een nieuwe peiling blijkt dat twee derde van de Nederlanders het kabinetsbeleid over Gaza afkeurt. In september 2024 was dat nog 49 procent.

Steun zakt verder weg
Nog maar 18 procent steunt het beleid, waarvan slechts 3 procent volledig.

In november 2023 steunde de meeste VVD- en CDA-kiezers het kabinetsbeleid (57 en 56 procent). Daarvan is nu nog 35 (VVD) en 26 (CDA) procent over.

Meer betrokkenheid
Steeds meer mensen volgen Gaza op de voet (60 procent) en maken zich zorgen (68 procent). Het aandeel zonder mening daalde naar 17 procent.

Harder optreden tegen Israël

• 58 procent wil dat het kabinet Israël kritischer aanpakt.
• Slechts 12 procent vindt het huidige beleid goed.
• 59 procent noemt Israëls geweld buitenproportioneel.
• 49 procent wil geen wapenhandel meer met Israël.

KIJKTIP: HET GEWETEN VAN ISRAËL
Nadia Moussaid volgt Israëlische en Palestijns/Israëlische burgers die zich uitspreken tegen de genocide in Gaza, ondanks de grote sociale druk en dreigende gevangenisstraf.

In Israël en de Westelijke Jordaanoever spreekt Nadia met activisten, journalisten, politici, dienstweigeraars en betrokken burgers. Ze is ooggetuige van de spanningen en het dagelijks leven in een samenleving waar 7 oktober nog vers in het geheugen ligt, maar de oorlogsmisdaden die het leger in Gaza pleegt nauwelijks de Israëlische media halen. Wie deze gruwelijkheden wel benoemt, komt vaak in conflict met de staat, zijn eigen omgeving en wordt als verrader gezien.

Uit onze agenda
zaterdag 13 september t/m zaterdag 20 september

DEMONSTRATIES EN WAKES
• Doorlopende 24-uurs stiltewake bij het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, Rijnstraat 8, Den Haag
• Tweewekelijkse wake van Vrouwen in het Zwart in Groningen op zaterdag 13 september op het Waagplein in Groningen (13.00 uur).
• Veertiende ‘schoenenprotest’ van Plant een Olijfboom op zondag 14 september in Apeldoorn (Marktplein, 12.00-16.30 uur).
• Rode Lijn-demonstratie in Groningen op zondag 14 september (Grote Markt, 14.00 uur).
• Stilteprotest voor Palestina in Utrecht op elke doordeweekse ochtend (Neude, langs het fietspad, 08.30 uur).
• Rode Lijn-demonstratie bij het hoofdkantoor van de Protestantse Kerk in Nederland (PKN) op woensdag 17 september in Utrecht (Joseph Haydnlaan 2A, 08.45 uur).
• Sit-in van Rijksambtenaren op donderdag 18 september in Den Haag, Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, Rijnstraat 8 (12.00 uur).
• Wekelijks lawaaiprotest op donderdag 18 september op circa 25 treinstations door heel Nederland.
• Kaarsjes, stilte en kunst’ - herdenking van de slachtoffers in Gaza in Terneuzen op donderdag 18 september (18.30 uur).
• Wekelijks protest tegen genocide en voor menselijkheid op vrijdag 19 september voor het gemeentehuis in Doetinchem (10.00 uur).
• Wekelijks stilteprotest tegen genocide op vrijdag 19 september in Amersfoort. Verzamelen op de Varkensmarkt voor een wandeling naar de Hof (09.00 uur).
• Wekelijkse Stille Rode Lijn in Zaltbommel op vrijdag 19 september (Waalkade, 19.00-20.00).
• Wake voor Palestina in Den Bosch op zaterdag 20 september (Burgemeester Loeffplein, 12.00 uur).


GETUIGEN VAN GAZA
• Getuigen van Gaza in Amsterdam. Van woensdag 10 september (08.00 uur) t/m zondag 14 september (20.00 uur) lezen burgers bij de Stopera dag en nacht de namen voor van de 69.000 slachtoffers van de genocide in Gaza. Daarnaast worden op zaterdag 13 september namen voorgelezen in Amsterdam-West (Bos en Lommerplein, 08.00 tot 20.00 uur).
• Getuigen van Gaza in Utrecht. Burgers lezen in september en oktober de namen voor van hen die in Gaza zijn omgekomen. Elke maandag en donderdag van 16.00 tot 20.00 uur. Maandag op het Moskeeplein (Lombok, achter CS). Donderdag op de Stadhuisbrug (Centrum).
• Getuigen van Gaza in Doetinchem. Burgers lezen de namen voor van slachtoffers van het Israëlische geweld in Gaza (Simonsplein bij de Catharinakerk, 09.30 tot 17.30 uur).


CULTURELE EN ANDERE EVENEMENTEN
• Palestijns-Nederlandse theatervoorstelling DEADLIFT op zaterdag 13 september in het Bijlmer Parktheater, Amsterdam (20.00 uur); op dinsdag 16 september en woensdag 18 september in Theater Bellevue, Amsterdam (20.30 uur); en op donderdag 18 september in het Parktheater, Eindhoven (20.30 uur).
• Lezing ‘Palestinian Refugee Women from Syria to Jordan’ op maandag 15 september bij het Internationaal Instituut voor Sociale Geschiedenis in Amsterdam (16.00 uur).
• Tegenlicht-meetup ‘In de ban van Israël’ over manipulatie en propaganda op dinsdag 16 september in Pakhuis de Zwijger, Amsterdam (20.00 uur).
• Lezing ‘De stille kracht van het Internationaal Strafhof’, woensdag 17 september in de bibliotheek van Zutphen (Broederenkerkplein 2, 19.30 uur).
• ‘Atelier van de Onmacht’ over de onmacht over de genocide in Gaza, en het gebrek aan respons van het Westen. Met participatie van het publiek. Zaterdag 20 september, Verkadefabriek, Boschdijkstraat 45, Den Bosch (13.00 uur).

Onze agenda wordt doorlopend aangevuld. Bekijk de hele agenda

1765.

12 september 2025

Join thousands in Chicago for AMP’s 18th Palestine Convention

Never in the history of the Palestinian people have we faced such annihilation. Not during the great revolt of 1936. Not during the Nakba of 1947-49. Not during the Naksa of 1967. This is something entirely different. Never have the Palestinian people been so devastatingly abandoned by the powers that be or the organizations and international mechanisms designed to prevent the crime of genocide.

But the Palestinian people have been facing genocide for more than a century. They’ve not only developed ways to survive but also to thrive under the most difficult circumstances. Resisting genocide has become part of the culture, politics, and being of the Palestinian people. It is what has prevented our complete erasure despite the efforts of the American empire and Zionist colonization.

That is why our convention theme this year is Beyond Survival: Resisting Genocide. As we relentlessly work to end the genocide in Gaza, we commit ourselves to thinking beyond the survival of our people and our cause.  

From November 27-29, thousands will gather to not only discuss the ongoing genocide but also how we come out of it as a people, a movement, and a cause.

Our comprehensive program includes something for everyone. From young children to college students and community leaders, this convention provides an opportunity for all to contribute to this just and noble cause.

This year, we’ll be joined by leading Palestinian leaders and thinkers, featuring Mosab Abu Toha, Dr. Hatem Bazian, Dr. Osama Abu Irshaid, Ahmad Abuznaid, and Laila Elhaddad. Former Congress members Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman, as well as authoritative academics such as Dr. Ramzy Baroud and Dr. Norman Finkelstein, along with influencers like Summer Homayed and Salem Furrha, a.k.a. “Pops” of the Furrha Family, and many more, will be the main features of the event. 

Remember to register today and use promo code SEPT30 to receive your special discount!

In the end, we know Palestine and the Palestinian people will prevail. That is why we must look beyond survival and prepare for what lies ahead.

Register Today

Onwards,

Salah SarsourPalestine Convention Chairman

1764.

12 september 2025

In Palestine childhood is a luxury.

Muhammed Brash, entered prison as a child and lived an entire part of his life - 22 years - behind Israeli bars.

“You either treat prison as a waiting station, or as a phase of the struggle, or as a place to invest in learning, through reading and developing specific skills.”

Freedom Breakers 6 - Watch now

Thank you for standing with people like Mohammed — people who carry the struggle forward.

If their courage moves you, please consider making a donation to help us amplify more of these stories.

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The PIPD

1763.

12 september 2025

Today's headlines

Western leaders aren’t cowards for continuing to support Israel — they’re committed imperialist ideologues

Layth Hanbali and James Smith

No amount of convincing and irrefutable evidence of the genocide will convince Western leaders to halt support for Israel, because it isn't in their interests. The only thing that will stop the genocide is to make it more costly than profitable.

1762.

12 september 2025

Humanitarian Situation Update #322
West Bank

12 September 2025

A resident of the Palestinian herding community of Khirbet Tell al Khashaba, in Nablus governorate, showing a UN team what remains of structures that Israeli authorities demolished. Photo by OCHA

Key Highlights

• Six Israelis were killed in a Palestinian shooting attack at a bus station in Ramot settlement, in East Jerusalem; two Palestinian perpetrators, identified to be from Al Qubeiba and Qatanna villages in northwestern Jerusalem, were shot and killed.
• About 40,000 Palestinians in villages in northwestern Jerusalem have been placed under a complete closure by Israeli forces for the fourth consecutive day, cutting them off from essential services and livelihoods.
• Israeli forces killed two 14-year-old boys at the entrance to Jenin Camp and evacuated nearly 20 families from their homes near Tulkarm Camp, amid large-scale operations ongoing across the northern West Bank since January 2025.
• Two other Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces during the period, both in Nablus governorate.

Humanitarian Developments

• Between 2 and 8 September, six Palestinians, including two children, and six Israelis (all adults) were killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In addition, at least 56 Palestinians, including 12 children, and 22 Israelis were injured. The following are details of the incidents that resulted in fatalities:
  • On 5 September, Israeli forces fatally shot a 58-year-old Palestinian man at the Al Murabba'a checkpoint, east of Tell village, one of the main entrances leading to Nablus city. According to local community sources, Israeli soldiers stopped the man who was inside his car at the checkpoint and ordered him to exit his vehicle. A verbal altercation ensued, and Israeli forces opened live fire, killing him on site. According to the Israeli military, the Palestinian man threw a suspicious object and ignored soldiers' instructions. An Israeli ambulance transported the body to Huwwara checkpoint, but the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported that their ambulance was prevented from reaching the checkpoint for about an hour before they could retrieve the body through coordination with the Palestinian Coordination Liaison (DCL).
  • On 3 September, Israeli forces carried out an operation in Balata refugee camp in Nablus governorate that included the deployment of undercover units. During the operation, an Israeli sniper shot in the chest a 25-year-old Palestinian man, who died shortly after arriving at the hospital. According to a local human rights organization that documented the incident, Israeli soldiers killed him after he opened the rooftop door of his home, which was adjacent to a house besieged by the military. According to the Israeli military, the killed Palestinian man had thrown a rock at soldiers.
  • On 8 September, at the entrance to Jenin refugee camp, Israeli forces shot and killed two Palestinian boys, both aged 14 years, and injured at least two others. Following news of an Israeli military withdrawal from the refugee camp, residents had entered the refugee camp to check on their homes and were then fired upon by Israeli forces.
  • On 8 September, two Palestinians opened fire at a bus station in Ramot settlement, in East Jerusalem, killing six Israelis and injuring 21 others. The Israeli police shot and killed one assailant, while an armed Israeli shot and killed the other at the scene. Israeli forces reported that the two assailants, identified to be from Qattana and Al Qubeiba villages in northwestern Jerusalem governorate, opened fire at the bus station, shooting inside a bus and at people waiting nearby. Seven people were critically injured with gunshot wounds, and 14 others suffered shrapnel injuries. Israeli forces arrested another Palestinian at the scene, whom media reports alleged had driven the assailants to the location.
• Following the above-mentioned shooting attack in East Jerusalem, Israeli forces imposed widespread movement restrictions across the Ramallah and Jerusalem governorates, leaving tens of thousands of Palestinians stranded for hours and further isolating entire communities:
  • On 8 September, Israeli forces raided Qattana and Al Qubeiba villages and have since maintained a continuous military presence there. All roads leading to the villages were sealed, and large-scale house-to-house searches were carried out, including in the perpetrators’ homes. Israeli forces fired tear gas canisters, imposed extensive movement restrictions, and arrested several relatives, including the fathers and two brothers of the perpetrators. Nearly all homes in Qattana and Al Qubeiba were raided, ransacked, and residents interrogated. Israeli forces have also been occupying at least four homes in Qattana, confining residents to a single room and converting their homes into military posts. To date, at least 30 Palestinian men have been arrested, while dozens more have undergone field interrogations. As cited in Israeli media, on 9 September, the Israeli Defense Minister announced punitive measures against residents of the two villages, including the issuance of demolition orders against homes built without Israeli-issued permits and the revocation of work permits for West Bank ID holders to enter Jerusalem and Israel. Following this, 16 demolition orders were delivered against residential and public structures in Biddu, Qattana, and Al Qubeiba.

• • The Biddu Barrier enclave, which comprises nine villages and is home to about 40,000 Palestinians, remains under near-complete closure as of the publication of this report; these include Biddu, Beit Surik, Qattana, Al Qubeiba, Kharayeb Umm al Lahim, Beit ‘Anan, Beit Duqqu, Beit Ijza, and Beit Iksa (which has a checkpoint at its entrance). After these villages were cut off from Jerusalem by the Barrier, the main access point to the enclave is an underpass road that links the villages to the Ramallah urban centre; the road gate at this key access route has remained almost continuously closed by Israeli forces, opening only briefly once a day before being re-shut. In addition, Israeli forces erected earth mounds in villages inside the enclave, which have effectively severed movement on all secondary roads, leaving only one main road accessible, primarily for military use. These restrictions have severely disrupted daily life: education has come to a halt as teachers from outside the enclave cannot access schools, and students and teachers from inside the enclave have been unable to reach schools and universities elsewhere. Access to emergency medical care has also become heavily constrained, with delays reported in evacuating urgent medical cases. The Biddu medical centre has been converted into a 24-hour emergency facility despite its limited capacity.
  • In parallel, Israeli forces imposed wider movement restrictions across the Jerusalem and Ramallah governorates. On 8 September, they installed three new road gates at the entrances to Shuqba, Rantis, and Deir Abu Mash’al villages all in Ramallah governorate, further isolating these communities and intensifying control procedures at existing checkpoints in the area. On 8 September, tens of thousands of Palestinians were held up for hours at checkpoints and road gates, while Israeli forces closed Jaba’, Ein Siniya, and 'Atara checkpoints for at least seven hours and continue to enforce stringent checks. Residents of nearby communities in Ramallah and Jerusalem governorates opened public halls to shelter those stranded.
• Between 2 and 8 September, OCHA documented the demolition of 55 Palestinian-owned structures for lacking Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain. These included 51 structures in Area C and four others demolished by their owners in East Jerusalem. The demolitions included 15 residences, 35 agricultural and livelihood structures, and five water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) structures. These demolitions resulted in the displacement of 57 people, including 28 children, and otherwise affected the livelihoods of more than 160 people. Key demolition incidents during the reporting period include:
  • On 2 September, Israeli authorities demolished nine structures in the Palestinian community of South ‘Anata Bedouins (Wa’ar al Beik), in Jerusalem governorate, displacing 14 people, including eight children. The community is near the area designated for the E1 settlement plan, which, if implemented, could lead to cutting off the northern and central West Bank from the south, and heighten the risk of forced displacement for 18 communities.
  • On 2 September, nine structures were demolished in Al Khader village, in Bethlehem governorate, including three residences, three animal structures, two water cisterns and a stone wall, displacing 14 people, including three children.
  • On 4 September, a Palestinian family in Silwan comprising eight people, including six children, was forced to demolish its house following the receipt of a final demolition order in April 2025 and to avoid the payment of additional fines.
  • On 8 September, 11 people, including seven children, were displaced in the community of Tell al Khashaba, in Nablus governorate, after the demolition of two tents and one latrine provided as humanitarian assistance in response to previous demolitions.
• Operations by Israeli forces continued across multiple cities, towns, and villages in the northern West Bank, including concurrent raids reported on 8 September in Al Judeida, Meithalun, Sir, Sanur, Siris, Anza, and Misliya villages in Jenin governorate. In Qabatiya town, also in Jenin, Israeli forces carried out a two-day operation between 8 and 10 September, during which they searched homes, deployed forces in the streets and converted two residential buildings to observation posts. Access to the upper floors of the two buildings was restricted, while families were ordered to remain inside. Palestinians threw stones at forces deployed in the streets, and forces fired live ammunition, critically wounding a Palestinian man, who sustained an abdominal injury and was transferred to hospital for medical treatment. Although the academic year was scheduled to begin on 8 September (see below), the Ministry of Education’s directorate in Jenin suspended classes in the town until Israeli forces withdrew on 10 September. Also, on 4 September, Israeli forces evacuated nearly 20 Palestinian families, comprising about 100 people, from four residential buildings in the eastern neighbourhood near Tulkarm refugee camp. According to local sources and the Palestinian DCL, residents were given two hours to vacate their homes. This came a few days after Israeli authorities provided maps to the Palestinian DCL outlining the boundaries of a newly designated military zone, which encompasses parts of Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps and areas within the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Ongoing Israeli Settler Attacks

• Between 2 and 8 September, OCHA documented at least 29 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians that resulted in casualties, property damage, or both. These attacks led to the injury of 24 Palestinians all by Israeli settlers and one Israeli settler by Palestinians. In addition, at least 30 trees, mainly olive trees, 12 vehicles, four houses, two plant nurseries, a school, a carpentry workshop, pipelines, water tanks and solar lights and panel slabs were vandalized by settlers during these attacks.
• Most of the Palestinian injuries (20 out of 24) occurred in Hebron governorate, particularly in Masafer Yatta and in the Farsh al Hawa area in Hebron city. Key incidents resulting in casualties include:
  • On the night of 4 September, more than a dozen Israeli settlers raided Khallet Athaba’, a community in Masafer Yatta located in Firing Zone 918, and attacked residents with sticks fitted with knives. Fourteen Palestinians were injured, including seven children (one an infant), an elderly man, and a woman. The infant was affected due to pepper spray, while the others sustained bruises and fractures. The attack also caused damage to five structures, including four homes and the community’s school, as well as water tanks, solar lights, solar panel slabs, water pipelines, furniture, and household items. The settlers fled before Israeli forces arrived.
  • On 6 September, armed Israeli settlers blocked the way of a Palestinian vehicle in Farsh al Hawa area in Hebron city and forced a family of four out of the vehicle at gunpoint and compelled them to lay on the ground. The settlers physically assaulted the family, which comprised an elderly couple, their daughter and grandson, with sticks, and forced them to drive to an isolated area. According to local community sources, when community members, some of whom witnessed the settler attack, gathered, and a PRCS ambulance arrived, the settlers opened fire in their direction, preventing medical teams from reaching the family. The settlers left the area after approximately four hours.
• Out of 28 documented settler-related attacks between 2 and 8 September, at least three attacks targeted Palestinian Bedouin and herding communities that resulted in the injury of two Palestinians by live ammunition and damage to at least four structures. On 3 September, Israeli settlers cut a water network in Sateh al Bahr, in Jericho governorate, which cut the supply of water to the community for about a day. On the night of 6 September, settlers shot and injured two Palestinians in a raid on Khallet al Ayiasa herding community in Ash Shuyukh village, in Hebron governorate, when they clashed with the residents under the pretext of searching for stolen livestock. One residential house sustained partial damage, while a carpentry workshop was completely set on fire. Also on 6 September, Israeli settlers raided the Bedouin community of Ma’azi Jaba’, in Jerusalem governorate, setting fire to a tent and an animal structure and throwing stones at homes.
• In the Ramallah governorate, Israeli settlers blocked roads and vandalized at least six Palestinian-plated vehicles. On 4 September, Israeli settlers blocked for about four hours a main road between Deir Jarir and Silwad villages and stoned Palestinian-plated vehicles passing by, damaging at least one vehicle. On 7 September, armed Israeli settlers, believed to be from a newly established settlement outpost on the western outskirts of Deir Nidham village and wearing semi-military clothing stoned Palestinian-plated vehicles and stopped a taxi driver. The settlers intimidated the driver, demanded his identification card, and damaged the side mirror of his vehicle. On 8 September, settlers blocked a roundabout near Ein Ayoub area on Road 463 near Ras Karkar village in Ramallah governorate, and threw stones at Palestinian vehicles, damaging at least one vehicle.
• In two separate attacks in the northern West Bank on 8 September, Israeli settlers raided the villages of Osarin and Deir Sharaf, both in Nablus governorate, resulting in five injuries and extensive damage to property. Surveillance cameras caught seven masked Israeli settlers carrying out an arson attack on a Palestinian agricultural facility that serves as a plant nursery in Deir Sharaf village. The nursery includes greenhouses, storage structures for pesticides and plant seeds, and machinery and equipment. In an attempt to put off the fire after the withdrawal of the settlers, three Palestinians sustained burns. During the raid in Osarin, a group of Israeli settlers carried out an attack on Palestinian houses and property, raiding house yards and vandalizing the windows of three Palestinian vehicles. Two residents sustained injuries after falling while running during confrontations with the settlers.
• For key figures and additional breakdowns of casualties, displacement and settler violence between January 2005 and July 2025, please refer to the West Bank Monthly Snapshot on Casualties, Property Damage and Displacement, covering July 2025.

Latest developments in the H2 area of Hebron city

• On 2 September, Israeli settlers from a religious school (Yeshiva) began moving into the second floor of a multi-storey building, located in the old municipality square (Bab al Baladiya) where Palestinians previously resided near the old market in the H2 area of Hebron city. The property lies outside the closed military zone in H2. For decades, the building had been used by Palestinian families and for municipal workshops, and its ownership has been subject to prolonged legal disputes between the heirs of Palestinian residents and the Israeli Custodian of Government Property.
• In November 2022, Israeli forces evicted a Palestinian family living in the building next to the one taken over on 2 September 2025, and in July 2025 a carpentry workshop in the building was sealed after the Palestinian tenant was forced to vacate from the second floor. According to Peace Now, this is the first case in the H2 area of Hebron where the Custodian has allocated property outside established settlement areas to settlers. The Civil Administration granted the building to the Shavei Hebron Yeshiva, which has announced plans to house students there.
• Palestinian residents fear that the establishment of a settlement will cause additional restrictions on their movement in the area, where longstanding closures and checkpoints and daily harassment by Israeli forces (including at ad-hoc checkpoints) have constrained access for residents as well as for traders and visitors. While already restricted, this area has one of the last remaining access routes for Palestinians to the Old City, the Ibrahimi Mosque, and to soup kitchens that many families rely on for hot meals. In other parts of the H2 area of Hebron, such as Ash Shuhada Street, the establishment and subsequent expansion of settlements was a precursor to the imposition of severe movement restrictions that have hindered or altogether prohibited Palestinian access to certain streets and shops.

Challenges facing Education in the West Bank

• According to the Education Cluster, the start of the 2025–2026 school year on 8 September was overshadowed by protection risks, movement restrictions, and the impact of more than 2,000 education-related incidents documented during the last academic year. These challenges are compounded by financial pressures, including the Palestinian Authority’s fiscal crisis, which has disrupted salary payments and shortened school days. During the 2024–2025 academic year, 541 schools, 84,749 students, and 4,711 teachers were affected by such incidents, with frequent operations by Israeli forces forcing closures and shifts to remote learning. As of September 2025, 84 schools face pending demolition or stop-work orders, threatening the education of 12,855 students and the livelihoods of 1,076 teachers, most of them in Area C and East Jerusalem.
• These challenges are particularly acute in the northern West Bank, where more than 4,000 children have been unable to return to their classrooms, as 10 UNRWA schools in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams refugee camps remain closed due to the Israeli forces’ “Operation Iron Wall.” These children are instead relying on alternative education modalities, including remote learning, self-study materials, and temporary learning spaces. In addition, two PA schools near Jenin refugee camp remain closed, forcing the relocation of about 1,130 students, while the Palestinian DCL secured the reopening of two government schools nearby, serving more than 1,100 secondary-level students. In Tulkarm, all schools reopened, including those near Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps, except for those inside the camps, which remain closed. On 1 September, UNRWA underlined that “education should be a safe haven for children, and yet over the last two years there have been unprecedented levels of disruption to education in the occupied West Bank.” The Agency further noted that schools have been damaged and raided, while ongoing violence and displacement continue to cause distress and trauma among children and their families.
• Additionally, in East Jerusalem, nearly 800 children remain affected by the forced closure of six UNRWA schools by Israeli authorities in May 2025. The Director of UNRWA Affairs in the West Bank stressed that “in East Jerusalem – for the first time in our history – UNRWA has been obstructed from opening our six schools.” While most of the affected students have been able to enroll in other schools, some continue to face uncertainty in accessing education. Across the West Bank, nearly 46,000 Palestine refugee children began the school year on 1 September at UNRWA schools, including some 5,000 boys and girls attending for the first time.
• New laws and legislative initiatives adopted in the 2024-2025 school year are reshaping the education landscape in East Jerusalem, according to a recent report by Ir Amim. This is already impacting or is projected to impact access to education in the city, where all new schools must now adopt the Israeli curriculum and where classroom shortages persist. At a time when six UNRWA schools were forced to close in the city, about 1,460 classrooms are missing or substandard and only 20 new classrooms were built over the past year, the report notes.

Funding

• As of 10 September 2025, Member States have disbursed approximately US$985 million out of the $4 billion (24 per cent) requested to meet the most critical humanitarian needs of three million out of 3.3 million people identified as requiring assistance in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in 2025, under the 2025 Flash Appeal for the OPT. Nearly 88 per cent of the requested funds are for humanitarian response in Gaza, with just over 12 per cent for the West Bank. Moreover, during August 2025, the oPt Humanitarian Fund managed 104 ongoing projects, totalling $62.3 million, to address urgent needs in the Gaza Strip (87 per cent) and the West Bank (13 per cent). Of these projects, 48 are being implemented by INGOs, 42 by national NGOs and 14 by UN agencies. Notably, 35 out of the 62 projects implemented by INGOs or the UN are being implemented in collaboration with national NGOs. For more information, please see OCHA’s Financial Tracking Servicewebpage and the oPt HF webpage.

1761.

11 september 2025

Today's headlines

From European leaders to American media personalities, Zionism’s rationale is crumbling

Philip Weiss

The breakdown of the mainstream consensus on Israel is an opportunity for the left, specifically anti-Zionist Jews, to get their message across. We must seize it, and welcome those who are finally seeing the light.

Understanding Israel’s attack on Qatar, and what it means for the region

Mitchell Plitnick

Israel has sent a message that its impunity extends even to attacks on states that have close relations with Washington. They need only cry “HAMAS” and any act is acceptable.

1760.

11 september 2025

Humanitarian Situation Update #321
Gaza Strip

10 September 2025

Newly displaced people in Gaza city, just hours after leaving an area of Ar Rimal neighbourhood following a warning by the Israeli military that its forces would attack a high-rise tower nearby. Photo by OCHA

Key Highlights

• Nearly one million people estimated to be in Gaza city, where famine has been confirmed, are facing daily bombardment and compromised access to means of survival after the Israeli military placed the entire city under a displacement order.
• With no safe place left, the UN and its humanitarian partners call for a ceasefire, the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and the sustained expansion of humanitarian access throughout the Gaza Strip.
• The number of aid workers killed in the Gaza Strip since October 2023 rises to 540. 
• Some humanitarian facilities in Gaza city have been forced to halt services and many others risk shutdown, including temporary learning spaces and those offering sexual and reproductive health services to women and girls. 

Humanitarian Developments

• Over the past week, Israeli forces have continued to carry out heavy bombardment from the air, land and sea across the Gaza Strip, particularly in Gaza and North Gaza governorates. Strikes on residential buildings, tents and schools sheltering internally displaced people (IDPs), and people seeking aid have continued to be reported. Rocket fire by Palestinian armed groups into Israel and fighting with Israeli forces have taken place. Combined with displacement orders, Israeli military ground operations and bombardment have continued to be especially intensive in Gaza city, driving additional waves of displacement (see more information below). 
• In a statement on 7 September, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, expressed grave concern over Israel’s latest displacement order against Palestinians in Gaza city, which came after famine was confirmed in the territory and amid an Israeli intensified military offensive. He warned that the “narrow window – until the end of September – to prevent famine from spreading to Deir al Balah and Khan Younis…is now closing fast,” stressing that “death, destruction, starvation and displacement of Palestinian civilians are the result of choices that defy international law and ignore the international community.” The UN relief chief called for unimpeded humanitarian access, the protection of civilians, implementation of the International Court of Justice’s provisional measures, the release of hostages and arbitrarily detained Palestinians, and an immediate ceasefire. 
• In a speech on 8 September, the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk denounced Israel’s commission of “war crime upon war crime” and expressed his horror at the “open use of genocidal rhetoric” by senior Israeli officials. He decried the lack of action by the international community and asked: “Where are the decisive steps to prevent genocide?” He called on countries to do more, urging a halt to “the flow to Israel of arms that risk violating the laws of war.” He warned against inaction and called on the international community to “oppose Israel’s planned military takeover of Gaza.” 
• On 10 September, the UN and its humanitarian partners issued a statement on the “dangerous escalation in Gaza city, where Israeli forces have stepped up their operations and ordered everyone to move south.” Noting that Israeli authorities have issued these orders “without effective steps to ensure the safety of those forced to move” and directed people to an area in the south where neither the size nor the scale of provided services is fit to support those already there, let alone new arrivals, they concluded. “Nearly one million people are now left with no safe or viable options – neither the north nor the south offers safety.” They underscored the commitment of the humanitarian community to “remain in Gaza city for as long as [they] can” and stated that they “will remain across the Strip, doing all [they] can to bring aid and deliver lifesaving services.” They demanded that civilians and civilian infrastructure be protected, and humanitarian access be “expanded and sustained to include direct routes to both the north and the south.”
• According to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, between 3 and 10 September, 499 Palestinians were killed, and 2,258 were injured. This brings the casualty toll among Palestinians since 7 October 2023, as reported by MoH, to 64,656 fatalities and 163,503 injuries. According to MoH, the total number includes 401 fatalities who were retroactively added on 4 September 2025 after their identification details were approved by a ministerial committee. MoH further noted that the number of casualties among people trying to access aid supplies has increased to 2,456 fatalities and more than 17,861 injuries. 
• According to the Israeli military, between 3 and 10 September, as of noon, four Israeli soldiers were killed in Gaza. This brings the casualty toll among Israeli soldiers since the beginning of the Israeli ground operation in October 2023 to 460 fatalities and 2,892 injuries, according to the Israeli military. According to Israeli forces and official Israeli sources cited in the media, more than 1,660 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed, the majority on 7 October 2023 and its immediate aftermath. As of 10 September, it is estimated that 48 Israelis and foreign nationals remain captive in Gaza, including hostages who have been declared dead and whose bodies are being withheld.
• Over the past week, two aid workers were reported killed in the Gaza Strip, both in Gaza city. On 7 September, the offices of Aisha Association for Woman and Child Protection was hit, resulting in the killing of one male staff, a pregnant woman, and a child. In addition, many injuries among those present inside and around the premises were reported. In a separate incident on the same day, Tamer Institute for Community Education announced the killing of one of their female staff, working as a case management supervisor, along with her child when their home was hit. This has brought the number of aid workers killed since October 2023 to 540, including 175 women and 365 men. The total includes 373 UN staff and team members, 54 staff and volunteers of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), four staff of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and 109 aid workers with national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
• Key incidents resulting in fatalities among people seeking aid over the past week included:  
  • On 3 September, between 15:30 and 19:45, at least ten Palestinians were reportedly killed and dozens injured while waiting for supply trucks along the Morag corridor, south of Khan Younis. 
  • On 4 September, at about 13:00, seven Palestinians were reportedly killed near a militarized distribution site in northern Rafah. 
  • On 6 September, at about 20:30, 13 Palestinians were reportedly killed and dozens injured while waiting for aid in As Sudaniya area, in western North Gaza.
  • On 7 September, at about 17:30, five Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured while waiting for supply trucks in As Sudaniya area, in western North Gaza.
  • On 8 September, at about 15:15, six Palestinians, including three males, were reportedly killed and 15 others injured while waiting for supply trucks along the Morag corridor, south of Khan Younis.
  • On 9 September, between 8:30 and 9:15, at least five Palestinians were reportedly killed near the militarized distribution point southwest of Khan Younis.
• According to records of the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), since the establishment of the militarized supply sites system in the Gaza Strip on 27 May and as of 9 September, at least 2,256 people seeking assistance have been killed. This includes 1,172 near militarized supply sites and 1,084 along convoy supply routes. Younger men and older boys continue to comprise the vast majority of deaths and injuries, with most casualties reportedly the result of live fire. 
• On 8 September, the Palestinian Civil Defense (PCD) stated that the Israeli authorities continue to deny some of the movements of its teams, obstructing their access to people trapped under the rubble of destroyed homes and their ability to carry out other humanitarian interventions. It reported that in August alone, 10 urgent appeals were submitted to the Israeli authorities via international organizations, but timely coordination was regularly denied. PCD added that since 6 September, it had been seeking approval to reach a family trapped under rubble in Bani Suhaila, in Khan Younis, after their home was hit; the mission was approved by Israeli authorities on 10 September, PCD later reported.
• According to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS), August witnessed an unprecedented level of attacks against Palestinian journalists, with 15 journalists killed, of whom three were female journalists. Of the total, 11 journalists were killed in two incidents at Nasser Medical Complex and near Al Shifa Hospital. In addition, at least nine journalists were injured in August, mostly due to direct strikes that resulted in limb amputations or paralysis. Overall, PJS reported that out of 247 Palestinian journalists and media workers killed in the Gaza Strip since 7 October 2023, 31 were female journalists, including six while on duty.
• Gaza's health-care system continues to be overwhelmed by the influx of mass casualties, limited medical stocks and supplies, and a shortage of medical equipment and blood units. On 7 September, the MoH in Gaza issued an urgent call for blood donations at hospitals and the central blood bank to save the lives of patients and injured people. According to the Health Cluster, the last shipment of blood to Gaza was on 4 August and included 6,000 units that were consumed within 20 days. It is estimated that the daily need is about 350 units. Moreover, two health cluster partners have been carrying out blood donation campaigns. However, amid starvation, the spread of disease and growing displacement, a decline in the number of donors has been reported by cluster partners.

• The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) warns of catastrophic consequences of the Gaza city offensive on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services for women and girls. UNFPA emphasizes that the health system is collapsing and could lose half of its remaining capacity if hostilities continue; UNFPA added that four hospitals providing obstetric and newborn care and 23 primary healthcare centres and medical points delivering outpatient SRH services in Gaza city are at imminent risk of shutdown. Facilities in the south are already operating above capacity and cannot absorb the growing influx of patients from the north. Access to care is increasingly constrained as families must travel long distances on damaged roads, while limited fuel supplies have crippled ambulances, private transport, and hospital operations. With hospitals overwhelmed or unreachable, more women are giving birth in unsafe conditions, such as shelters and streets. In the first seven months of 2025, more than 465 deliveries took place outside hospitals, some attended only by paramedics and many without any medical support, with June and July recording the highest numbers. To help sustain services, UNFPA and two partners supported the opening of a new Field Maternity Hospital by Al-Awda Health and Community Association on 31 August, which now provides maternity follow-up and family planning services; the facility has 23-bed inpatient capacity, seven delivery beds, and operating theatres equipped for caesarean sections (C-sections) and gynaecological surgeries. In parallel, on 24 August, UNFPA delivered six trucks with 765 reproductive health kits into Gaza for distribution to health partners, supporting an estimated 212,000 SRH services in the coming months, including clean delivery kits for 22,000 pregnant women, contraceptives for 83,000 women, and supplies to treat reproductive tract and sexually transmitted infections for 107,000 people.
• Delays and impediments to humanitarian movements continue. Missions that are approved still take hours to complete and teams have been compelled to wait on roads that are often dangerous or congested. Between 3 and 9 September, out of 120 attempts to coordinate planned movements with Israeli authorities across the Gaza Strip, 50 were facilitated (42 per cent), 33 were impeded (28 per cent), 22 (18 per cent) were denied and 15 (12 per cent) had to be withdrawn by the organizers for logistical, operational, or security reasons. Facilitated movements included two missions to transfer fuel to Gaza city and two missions to collect medical supplies from Kerem Shalom crossing. Denied movements included staff movements and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)-related missions, including for water trucking and solid waste removal. Among the 33 impeded missions, 13 were fully accomplished despite the impediments, including missions to collect supplies from Kerem Shalom crossing and staff rotations. Three missions were not accomplished, including a mission to transfer a crusher machine and the remaining 17 missions were partially accomplished, including two missions to collect fuel from Kerem Shalom crossing. Overall, 13 out of the 120 movements involved fuel collection and transfer, 21 involved the collection of other supplies from Gaza’s crossings, nine were staff movements and rotations, and 77 aimed to support other ongoing humanitarian operations.
• On 10 September, the World Health Organization (WHO) and PRCS supported the evacuation of 128 people from the Gaza Strip, including 30 patients and 98 companions, to receive treatment abroad. Among them were several cancer patients and injured people. According to WHO, over 15,800 critical patients require medical evacuation abroad.
• While the school year in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) officially commenced on 8 September, the Education Cluster reports that in-person, formal education remains on hold in the Gaza Strip. Formal education in Gaza will be limited to distance learning programmes managed by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoE) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA); an estimated 370,000 students are currently enrolled while facing severe challenges due to ongoing hostilities, displacement, and severe disruptions to telecommunications and internet services. Students from the 2023-2024 cohort have also begun this week taking the General Secondary School Examinations (Tawjihi) through a mobile application administered by MoE. Non-formal education initiatives continue by cluster partners through Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS), with about 705 TLS established in the first eight months of 2025 by 52 cluster partners, including four UN agencies, 21 international NGOs (INGOs) and 27 national NGOs (NNGOs). During this period, nearly 260,000 children attended TLS, of whom about 144,000 completed at least three months of in-person learning; in other words, only about 22 per cent of school-aged children completed at least three months of in-person learning so far in 2025.

Intensification of the Israeli Military Offensive in Gaza City

• On 5 September, the Israeli military announced that it will start targeting high-rise buildings in Gaza city and issued over the ensuing days displacement orders against three specific buildings. On 6 September, the Israeli military announced that Al Mawasi, in Khan Younis, is a “humanitarian area,” where residents of Gaza city should evacuate to via Al Rashid Road, and that efforts will be made to provide better humanitarian services in the area; this area comprises about 12 per cent of the Gaza Strip. On 9 September, and for the first time since the Israeli authorities announced preparations for taking control of Gaza city on 8 August 2025, the Israeli military ordered all the residents of Gaza city, from the Old City and At Tuffah in the east to the sea in the west, to evacuate immediately via Al Rashid (coastal) road to Al Mawasi area. 
• Over the past week, the Israeli military issued evacuation notices to people in residential buildings and schools sheltering IDPs across Gaza city ahead of strikes on them or in their vicinity. For example, on 8 September, at about 20:50, the Israeli military reportedly issued a warning to residents of As Salam residential tower, in Ar Rimal area in central Gaza city, to evacuate before carrying out a strike on the tower, which is reportedly surrounded by hundreds of IDP tents. On the same night, the Israeli military reportedly issued a warning to people sheltering in Al Mustaqbal School and four residential buildings that are in the same block as As Salam Tower to evacuate, and one of the houses was reportedly struck at about 22:45 but no information is available on whether there were casualties. 
• On 9 September, PCD reported that in the preceding 72 hours, five high-rise buildings comprising 209 apartments and more than 350 IDP tents were bombed in Gaza city, resulting in the estimated displacement of nearly 7,600 people, including women, children and elderly people. Furthermore, on the same day, the PCD spokesperson said that their capacities are extremely limited, as they are operating with minimal resources and lack sufficient equipment to respond amid escalating attacks. They warned that without adequate support, they will be unable to provide lifesaving services, leaving people trapped under the rubble without any means of rescue.
• Between 5 and 8 September, at least the following five high-rise buildings were reportedly destroyed:  
  • On 5 September, a 12-storey building was destroyed in north of Ar Rimal, in central Gaza city, injuring an unknown number of Palestinians, including due to flying debris, and reportedly leaving dozens of Palestinians displaced. The building was reportedly surrounded by thousands of IDP tents when struck.
  • On 6 September, two displacement orders were issued for two high-rise buildings in Gaza city and the surrounding blocks and IDP tents. These orders covered 1.8 kilometres in two neighbourhoods. One of the buildings consisted of two adjacent 13-storey towers containing at least 100 residential apartments. On the same day, the building was destroyed, resulting in the displacement of at least 100 families who had lived there. The second building was hit and destroyed on 7 September, resulting in the reported killing of one person and the injury of others. 
  • On 8 September, a displacement order was issued for a 12-storey commercial building and the surrounding blocks and IDP tents, near Al Azahar University in Ar Rimal, in central Gaza city. The order covered one square kilometre in one neighbourhood. On the same day, the building was hit and destroyed, causing severe damage to the area.
  • On 8 September, a 15-storey residential building was hit in Ar Rimal, in central Gaza City (see reference to As Salam tower above). The strike reportedly caused debris to fly long distances and resulted in extensive destruction in the vicinity.
• In other cases, casualties were reported in strikes on IDP tents, residential buildings, schools and other facilities sheltering IDPs, and a market in different parts of Gaza city, including the following key incidents:  
  • On 3 September, at about 13:00, seven Palestinians, including five males, were reportedly killed and another 18 were injured in Ash Sheikh Radwan market, in northern Gaza city.
  • On 3 September, at about 14:30, 10 Palestinian males were reportedly killed when a residential building was hit in northern Gaza city. 
  • On 3 September, at about 15:15, seven Palestinians, including a female and a couple, were reportedly killed and a child was injured when a residential building was hit in Ash Sheikh Radwan, in northern Gaza city.
  • On 3 September, at midnight, at least five Palestinians were reportedly killed and at least 15 others, including five children, were injured when several IDP tents were hit in An Nasr area, in western Gaza city. Three fires reportedly erupted.
  • On 4 September, at about 0:30, five Palestinians, including four children, were reportedly killed when an IDP tent was hit in Tel Al Hawa, in southwestern Gaza city.
  • On 4 September, at about 09:20, at least eight Palestinians were reportedly killed when a residential building was hit in Ash Shujai’yyeh, in eastern Gaza city.
  • On 4 September, at about 14:00, 11 Palestinian males including seven from one family and four from another family, were reportedly killed and around 50 others, mostly women and children, were injured when at least four houses were hit in At Tuffah area, in northeastern Gaza city. A residential block had reportedly been ordered to evacuate and when residents returned to check on their homes, the same block was reportedly hit again. 
  • On 6 September, at about 12:00, eight Palestinians, including four children were reportedly killed and others injured when an apartment was hit in Ash Sheikh Radwan, in northern Gaza city.
  • On 7 September, at about 02:00, eight Palestinians, including children, were reportedly killed and others injured when a school, reportedly sheltering IDPs, was hit in central Gaza city.  
  • On 7 September, at about 02:00, nine Palestinians, including four boys, were reportedly killed and others injured when an IDP tent was hit, in western Gaza city.
  • On 7 September, at about 17:15, 15 Palestinians, including children, were reportedly injured when the Al Jazeera Club, specializing in sports for people with disabilities, and sheltering IDPs from around 80 families was hit in central Gaza city. The occupants of the Club were reportedly ordered to evacuate prior to the hit.
  • On 8 September, at about 01:40, at least two people (brothers) were reportedly killed, and an unknown number of people were injured, when a residential apartment was hit in Ar Rimal, in central Gaza city. 
  • On 8 September, between 15:00 and 16:00, three Palestinians, including two women, were reportedly killed and 20 others injured when at least one residential building and other locations were hit, in the northeast and central areas of Gaza city.
  • On 9 September, at about 03:00, casualties were reported when a residential building was hit near Al Qawqa roundabout in Ash Shati’ (Beach) Camp, in northwestern Gaza city, with about 25 people believed to be under the rubble. At about 14:00, PCD reported that they managed to retrieve the bodies of two people and rescue two injured persons from under the rubble of this building.   

• The intensification of strikes on Gaza city has inflicted severe damage on some humanitarian facilities and disrupted the operations and delivery of essential services, such as in the following cases: 
  • On 8 September, Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) reported that a medical point run by Ard El Insan (AEI), which partners with MAP on nutrition projects, had been forced out of service after being damaged, reportedly by a nearby attack, hindering the provision of lifesaving services. MAP’s Gaza Director said: “What we are seeing in Gaza city is not collateral damage; it is the predictable and preventable result of deliberate Israeli policies and actions that harm civilians and healthcare in violation of international humanitarian law.”
  • On 7 September, the Prosthetics and Paralysis Center of Gaza Municipality was reported to have been severely damaged by an Israeli strike on a nearby residential building, forcing the suspension of operations until urgent repairs are completed. The strike damaged parts of the infrastructure, operational equipment, and several rooms and sections of the centre, halting the delivery of vital humanitarian services to amputees and paralysis patients who depend on prosthetics and assistive devices to regain mobility and live with dignity.
  • On 9 September, the main offices of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) located in one of the targeted high-rise buildings was destroyed. 
  • On 9 September, Médecins du Monde (MdM) stated that a building that was hit the previous day was located a few metres from one of their clinics in Gaza city. While no casualties among staff and patients were reported, the facility sustained severe damage, rendering it out of service. MdM reported that no alert or request for evacuation had been directly transmitted to the teams. MdM stated that the security situation no longer allows them to continue their activities in Gaza city and was therefore forced to suspend its operations for an indefinite period in this area by closing its two clinics. This will deprive 600 patients from the care they need. 
• In general, the displacement order for Gaza city is threatening humanitarian operations carried out by hundreds of partners to serve nearly one million Palestinian residents. According to the Health and Nutrition clusters, some health partners have suspended activities at primary health care centres, while 12 out of 49 outpatient therapeutic sites have halted services amid ongoing airstrikes in Gaza city. In addition, at least two community kitchens suspended operations, and three others had to relocate within the city. The intensified Israeli military operation has also forced protection cluster partners, including child protection actors, to suspend operations in premises located near high-rise buildings targeted by airstrikes. According to WHO, about half of all functional hospitals are in Gaza city; this includes 36 per cent of all hospital beds and 50 per cent of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds across the Strip. “The crippled health system cannot afford to lose any of these remaining facilities,” warned WHO’s Director General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. 
• As the Israeli military offensive on Gaza city is underway, the Education Cluster reports that schools sheltering IDPs continue to be hit (see incidents above) and is concerned that 95 TLS in northern Gaza (including 89 in Gaza city and six in North Gaza), serving about 25,000 children, may be at imminent risk of closure due to displacement orders issued by the Israeli military and ongoing insecurity, which would further disrupt efforts to provide emergency education services. As of 8 September, only 297 TLS remained functional, serving more than 112,000 students, with the rest either destroyed, closed due to funding constraints, or were forced to temporarily pause their activities due to insecurity and displacement orders.  Since 7 October 2023 and as of 10 July 2025, 97 per cent of school buildings in the Gaza Strip have sustained some level of damage, the majority (92 per cent) requiring clearance of explosive contamination and either full reconstruction or major rehabilitation to be functional again. 
• On 9 September, following the issuance of displacement orders by the Israeli military in Gaza city, UNRWA’s Commissioner General Philippe Lazarrini stated: “Gaza is being emptied from its starving population [who is] forced to move into the so-called ‘humanitarian’ area of Mawasi. There is no safe place in Gaza, let alone a humanitarian zone.”
• With winter approaching, Israeli military operations in Gaza city intensifying, and famine at risk of spreading from Gaza city to Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, an inter-cluster preparedness and operational plan has been activated by the UN and its partners. The initially three-month plan outlines activities to scale up operations in Gaza city in the face of large-scale population movements, looming famine, the onset of winter rains, and the massive gap in essential services. While conceived as a preparedness plan, humanitarian partners warn that its implementation is severely constrained by restricted access, the limited entry of supplies and the volatile security environment.

Displacement and Shelter Crisis

• The Israeli military order to empty Gaza city follows many rounds of displacement forced by hostilities and the issuance of displacement orders. It also comes as hostilities intensify, and amid massive destruction to housing and displacement sites. "This is not an evacuation. The directive amounts to forcible transfer, an atrocity crime under international law. Families are being driven out of Gaza City into small, confined areas, under the constant threat of deportation beyond Gaza itself,” said Jan Egeland, the Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). “This is not about protecting civilians, it is about stripping them of their homes, their communities, and their right to remain on their land," he added. Already by October 2024, over 90 per cent of Gaza’s population were estimated to have been displaced for an average of six times, and some up to an alarming 19 times.
• According to the Site Management Cluster (SMC), the majority of over 122,385 displacement movements recorded since 14 August originated from Gaza city and 60 per cent (over 73,500 movements) were recorded from northern to southern Gaza Strip via Al Rashid (coastal) Road, including about 25,000 movements observed since 7 September. On 9 September, SMC partners established two reception/counting points on Al Rashid Road, where they have been providing displaced people with water, high-energy biscuits, and referrals for protection services including to unaccompanied minors. Partners have observed some return movements from central and southern Gaza to the north, with returnees citing severe overcrowding in displacement sites in southern Gaza. Thousands of people have also been displaced to the western parts of Gaza city along the shoreline and have set up tents in the area. According to the UN Satellite Centre (UNOSAT), the expansion of tented areas along the coast raises serious risks of flooding and waterborne disease, particularly as displaced communities concentrate in low-lying shoreline areas with poor drainage and no adequate shelter materials. 
• Overall, families in Gaza have nowhere to go, with displacement sites severely overcrowded and living conditions unsafe and undignified. The SMC notes that the average living space in displacement sites is only 0.5 square metres per person, which is far below the Sphere Standard of 3.5 square metres. Even when families find space, they often lack tents or shelter items, as tented areas themselves continue to be bombed (see above). For those considering to move, the related costs are alone a major deterrent: partners estimate the cost of transport within a single governorate at about ILS 950 (US$280) and up to ILS 4,000 (US$1,200) for transportation between governorates. For families with disabilities, these costs rise to ILS 1,330 (US$390) within governorates and ILS 5,600 ($1,700) between governorates.
• Repeated waves of forced displacement result in the loss or abandonment of essential shelter items, which further contribute to creating a repetitive cycle of demand for shelter assistance. According to the Shelter Cluster, as of August 2025, 1.4 million people are in need of emergency shelter items, while about 1.45 million people are estimated to require essential household items. Yet, despite the recent entry of some shelter items into the Gaza Strip, the needs far surpass available supplies; since mid-August, when Israeli authorities lifted the ban on the entry of shelter materials, only about 1,400 tents have so far been collected from the crossings through UN coordination, which is nowhere near meeting the emergency shelter needs across Gaza, according to the Shelter Cluster. The Shelter Cluster estimates that at the current rate of entry, even if 30 per cent of all cargo were allocated to shelter, it would still take five months to meet needs, roughly the same as the lifespan of the shelter materials, after which they would need to be replaced. In a position paper by the Shelter Cluster, the cluster emphasized: “Shelter actors will operate under clear principles: assistance based solely on need, delivery across all areas, including northern Gaza, and solutions that remain temporary and transitional, linked to durable housing, land, and property solutions that uphold displaced families’ right to return to their homes in Gaza.’’
• The burden of repeated displacement falls disproportionately on the most vulnerable, including the elderly, people with disability and pregnant women, according to the Site Management and Shelter clusters. On 9 September, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reported that many women in areas designated by the Israeli authorities as combat zones, such as Gaza city – are scheduled for C-sections in the coming days and weeks, yet bombardment and the challenges of safe movement have left them trapped in areas with no safe access to hospitals. When these women go into labour, they are faced with life-threatening risks.
• Highlighting the challenges faced by persons with disabilities in the OPT, including the Gaza Strip, the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) noted that forced displacement and the need to flee dangerous areas are particularly difficult for those sustaining war-related injuries and people with disabilities, many of whom have lost their assistive devices and are unable to afford the pricy cost of transportation (see above). In June 2025, Humanity and Inclusion (HI) estimated that about 6,000 prosthetic devices were needed, including many for children. During the first week of September, WHO said that 572 wheelchairs, including 260 for children, have entered Gaza and will be distributed to hospitals and partners in Gaza to cover urgent needs, including in relation to mass casualty management and rehabilitation. Moreover, many persons with disabilities are unable to evacuate during bombardments because warnings are issued in formats they cannot access.

Famine, Food Insecurity and Restricted Access to Markets

• The amount of aid entering the Strip is still drastically insufficient to meet the scale of needs almost three weeks after a famine was declared in Gaza. On 5 September, the Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), Cindy McCain, stressed that more aid needs to get into Gaza at scale and continually as this would also relieve the panic facing people who are uncertain about whether they would have access to food. This would also allow the Food Security Sector (FSS) partners to restart the community-based distribution system and re-open the UN-supported bakeries.  Flooding Gaza with enough assistance and making sure it reaches the entire population is the only way to turn around a catastrophic hunger trajectory, which requires political will, WFP Palestine Country Director, Antoine Renard, recently underscored: “If there is the political will, the situation can flip from one day to the next… There are no logistical issues, no lack of capacity, no lack of funding. The goods are there, ready to serve the population.”
• According to monitoring data by the UN 2720 mechanism, over 5,700 metric tons (MT) of humanitarian food supplies were collected from Gaza’s crossings through UN coordination in the first nine days of September. This is about 32 per cent of the daily minimum of 2,000 MT required across the Strip to meet basic food needs, according to FSS.  As of 9 September, 19 FSS partners prepared 519,000 individual meals every day at 110 community kitchens across Gaza, including about 170,000 meals in the north and 349,000 meals in southern and central Gaza. This is compared with 468,000 daily meals prepared and distributed by partners as of 30 August. FSS partners are trying to keep the kitchens running to serve the people in need wherever they are, amid a very risky and unpredictable security situation. Following the issuance of a displacement order for Gaza city by the Israeli military on 9 September, at least two kitchens have seized operations, and three others had to relocate within the city.
• People’s access to markets and nutritious food across the Gaza Strip remains restricted, according to WFP’s monthly market monitoring report covering August 2025. While access to food across the Gaza Strip slightly improved for some households, most households are still facing extreme difficulties and forced to adopt negative coping mechanisms, such as skipping meals, eating smaller portions, or restricting adults’ food intake to prioritize children. Furthermore, 50 per cent of surveyed households reported having worse access to food in August compared with July, and about 39 per cent reported going an entire day without eating at least once during the past 30 days. Other key report findings include the following: 
  • While a larger volume of humanitarian and commercial supplies has triggered a significant drop in the prices of some items, such as wheat flour and sugar, in August compared with July, the prices of other items have increased again in the last week of August due to the very limits amounts available – this was the case, for example, with dry onions and tomatoes, which went altogether missing from markets in Gaza city in the last days of August. Moreover, commercial goods that are entering tend to be those that can bring a large profit margin (e.g. processed cheese and salty snacks), rather than vegetables, dairy products and other items that have a high nutritious value. By August 2025, food diversity in Gaza reached one of its lowest points, with diets reduced almost entirely to cereals and pulses, while dairy products, vegetables, fruits, and proteins had disappeared from household consumption. The only exception was frozen chicken, which was allowed into the Gaza Strip at the start of the third week of August for the first time in over six months and was being reportedly sold at ILS 130 (US$39) per kilogramme in Deir al Balah and ILS 120 (US$36) per kilogramme in Gaza city.
  • Between 64 and 76 per cent of households across Gaza’s governorates reported being unable to access markets, primarily due to a lack of cash (94 per cent) and soaring food prices (60 per cent). Moreover, an alarming 77 per cent of households reported facing safety risks while trying to obtain food. The report also highlights a continuing cash liquidity crisis that is disrupting market operations, with 74 per cent of shops unable to restock or pay suppliers. This is despite a reported decrease in digital payment and withdrawal fees by 30–35 per cent, down from 50 per cent at some point in July. Furthermore, markets continue to lack essential items, including cooking gas, which remains nearly unavailable. This has forced two-thirds of households to burn waste for food preparation. 
• According to MoH in Gaza, as of 10 September, 404 malnutrition-related deaths, including 141 children, were documented since October 2023. Updated data breakdowns published by MoH on 27

1759.

10 september 2025

Today's headlines

Qatar refutes Trump’s claim that U.S. warned the country of Israeli strikes

Michael Arria

In response to the Israeli attack on Qatar, which targeted senior Hamas officials in the country, the Trump administration said it "feels very bad." The U.S. government claimed it notified Qatar of the impending attack, a claim Qatar denies.

Israel bombed Qatar to assassinate Hamas’s lead ceasefire negotiators

Qassam Muaddi

Amid ongoing ceasefire talks, Israel attempted to assassinate the Hamas negotiating team in an airstrike on the Doha office of its lead negotiator, senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya. Hamas officials say the negotiating team survived the attack.

1758.

10 september 2025

The Hind Rajab Foundation has filed two new legal actions in Europe to ensure there is no safe haven for perpetrators of atrocities in Gaza. In Greece, HRF submitted a criminal complaint against Major Yair Ohana of the Givati Brigade for war crimes, torture, and genocidal conduct while serving in the 432nd Battalion. In Spain, HRF asked a Barcelona court to investigate and arrest former IDF sergeant Tameer Mulla of the 101st Paratrooper Battalion for genocide and war crimes. These cases reflect HRF’s global strategy to hold individual perpetrators accountable under universal jurisdiction wherever they travel.

More details below.

Greece: Criminal complaint against Major Yair Ohana

On 3 September 2025, HRF—through Greek lawyer Evgenia Kouniaki—filed a formal criminal complaint with the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Greece against Major Yair Ohana (Givati Brigade, 432nd “Tzabar” Battalion).
The case details alleged war crimes, torture, and conduct contributing to genocide. With Ohana reportedly visiting Greece as a tourist, we urge authorities to uphold their obligations under the Geneva Conventions and the UN Convention Against Torture.
 Read the announcement:
https://www.hindrajabfoundation.org/perpetrators/no-safe-haven-hrf-seeks-prosecution-of-israeli-war-criminal-yair-ohana-in-greece

Spain: Barcelona court asked to arrest Tameer (Tamer) Mulla

On 9 September 2025, HRF asked a court in Barcelona to investigate and arrest former IDF sergeant Tameer (Tamer) Mulla (101st Paratrooper Battalion) for genocide and war crimes committed in Gaza. Spain’s universal-jurisdiction framework and treaty obligations provide a path to action.
 Read the announcement:
https://www.hindrajabfoundation.org/perpetrators/barcelona-court-asked-to-arrest-israeli-soldier-for-genocide-and-war-crimes-hind-rajab-foundation

Together, these filings advance a simple principle: justice must be borderless. We will continue to work with partners and legal teams worldwide to press for investigations, arrests, and prosecutions. 

1757.

10 september 2025

Israel on Tuesday struck Qatar’s capital, Doha, with missiles that it said were aimed at senior Hamas leaders. We unpack what happened and why it’s so significant.

1756.

9 september 2025

Beste BDS-er,

Vanuit het BDS Nationale Comité komt een actieoproep voor het weekend van 18 t/m 21 september. Deze datum is gekozen omdat dan de deadline van de Algemene Vergadering van de VN aan Israël van vorig jaar, voor terugtrekking uit de bezette gebieden, verloopt.

Het BNC roept op tot brede coalities met krachtige massale, strategische, verstorende en vreedzame acties.

Een strijdbare groet van het docP team; blijf BDS-en!

Actieweekend 18 t/m 21 september 2025

Disrupt complicity!

Doorbreek de medeplichtigheid!

Vorig jaar stelde de Algemene Vergadering van de VN Israël een ultimatum zich voor 18 september dit jaar terug te trekken uit de bezette gebieden. En de zwijgzame secretaris-generaal stelt nu ook dat Israël de hongersnood in Gaza opzettelijk veroorzaakt. De kans dat Israël zich echt terugtrekt en de genocide en apartheid stopt, is nul.

Het BNC roept dan ook op tot acties die leiden tot naleven van de wettelijke verplichtingen onder internationaal recht. Dat kunnen stakingen zijn of massale boycotacties tegen bedrijven, merken en producten die bijdragen aan of profiteren van zijn aan de genocide. Of ook het strategisch blokkeren van wegen, bruggen of havens, zolang het elke steun aan bezetting, apartheid en genocide effectief verstoort.

Dit is het moment voor het lanceren van brede intersectionele campagnes om instellingen – waaronder gemeenteraden, universiteiten, vakbonden, ziekenhuizen, enz. – te dwingen om, waar van toepassing, een ethisch inkoop- en investeringsbeleid te voeren dat bedrijven uitsluit die willens en wetens en voortdurend betrokken zijn bij ernstige schendingen van de mensenrechten, met name oorlogsmisdaden, misdaden tegen de menselijkheid en genocide.

Staten zullen eraan moeten geloven en oproepen tot, en meedoen aan energie- en wapenembargo’s tegen apartheid Israël, evenals aan diplomatieke boycots, zoals het verwijderen van Israël uit de VN. Laten we business-as-usual verstoren en een einde te maken aan de apartheid en genocide van Israël.

1755.

9 september 2025

AJP Action Condemns Israeli Aggression in Doha and Tunis, Demands U.S. End its Complicity

Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action) condemns Israel’s widening campaign of aggression, including today’s airstrike in Doha, Qatar, and the terrorist bombing of the Global Sumud Flotilla in Tunisia. These attacks further expose Israel’s utter disregard for international law, regional sovereignty, and ongoing ceasefire negotiations intended to halt the genocide in Gaza.

Israel’s attack on Doha reveals its blatant indifference to the sovereignty of other nations and its hostility towards diplomacy. Qatar serves as a mediator in ceasefire negotiations at the direct request of the United States and has frequently hosted delegations from the U.S., Israel, and the Palestinians. What Israel did today is not merely a slap in Qatar’s face—it is a slap in the face of the Trump administration itself, which just days ago announced a new proposal for a ceasefire, with Qatar as one of its intermediaries. Israel continues to make it clear that it does not want to negotiate or commit to a ceasefire deal, and it's willing to sabotage it in every way possible.

“According to American and Israeli sources, Israel had notified the United States in advance of its intention to strike Doha. Qatar is a U.S. ally, designated as a major non-NATO ally, and hosts the largest American military base in the Middle East. For the Trump administration to permit such an assault on a residential neighborhood in the capital of a friendly nation underscores its disregard for international peace and stability, and raises serious questions among U.S. allies about Washington’s reliability,” said Dr. Osama Abu Irshaid, Executive Director of AJP Action.

The aggression in Doha comes alongside another assault in Tunisia. The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), an international coalition of activists working to break Israel’s illegal blockade on Gaza, reported that one of its ships, the Family Boat, was struck by a suspected drone while docked in Sidi Bou Said. Verified footage shows an incendiary device falling on the vessel, sparking a fire. While no casualties were reported, the incident represents an alarming escalation into North Africa and, if confirmed, a direct violation of Tunisian sovereignty and international maritime law.

From Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon to Syria, Iran, Yemen, Qatar, and now Tunisia, Israel’s campaign of war crimes demonstrates its reckless disregard for civilian lives and international law. The United States cannot continue to arm and shield Israel diplomatically while it destabilizes the Middle East and jeopardizes American personnel and interests abroad.

These attacks are part of a systematic campaign of terror to crush and ethnically cleanse the Palestinian people, as well as intimidate any nation or movement supporting Palestinian rights. It is well overdue for the international community to act decisively to halt Israel’s crimes by cutting all aid, in accordance with both U.S. and international law, as well as sanctioning the Israeli government.
 

In solidarity,
Americans for Justice in Palestine Action

1755.

9 september 2025

As a part of our Gaza Speaks Out series, which aims to share the human stories behind the headlines, we recently had the honor of meeting an incredible young man in Gaza named Omar. He shared how his life as a deaf person has been impacted by the ongoing genocide — and how, despite everything, he continues to work tirelessly to uplift and support the deaf community.

Below, you'll find our full interview with Omar, followed by a personal video message from him.

You can support Omar and his vital work by following Deaf Relief on Instagram or donating through the links below. 

Deaf in Gaza: An Interview with Omar Abu Farhana

Eyewitness Palestine: What is your name? Tell us about yourself.

Omar: My name is Omar Nabil Mohammed Abu Farhana, a 20-year-old Deaf young man from Gaza. I graduated from high school shortly before the war with an average score of 88 in the Industrial major. I had hoped to continue my university studies in a field related to technology, as it is the area I love and see my future in.

I live with my family in Abasan al-Kabira, east of Khan Younis. My family consists of 5 members: my father Nabil, my mother Maysa, and my siblings Qusai and Janan. We used to live a simple life full of love and contentment until the current war displaced us into tents under harsh conditions.

Eyewitness Palestine: Where is your family originally from?

Omar: My family is from Abasan al-Kabira, east of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip.

Eyewitness Palestine: Did you grow up in Gaza? What was life like in Gaza as a Deaf person?

Yes, I grew up in Gaza. I lived like other young people: studying, going out with my Deaf friends, and always trying to learn and develop myself. But I faced many difficulties in communicating with people outside the Deaf community, especially in official or medical situations, since sign language is not understood by everyone.

Eyewitness Palestine: How has your life changed since the beginning of this war?

Omar: The war has made my life much harder. I can no longer hear the sounds of bombings or warnings, which puts me at greater risk because I don’t know when I should run to safety. We lost our home and familiar places, and it became much harder to stay connected with my friends due to displacement and the difficult conditions.

Eyewitness Palestine: As a Deaf person, what unique challenges have you faced during the war?

Omar: The biggest challenge is not being able to hear explosions or warning calls. I always need someone to inform me about what is happening around me. Also, there are no sign language interpreters in hospitals or shelters, which makes it very difficult to understand news or instructions.

Eyewitness Palestine: How has the Deaf community in Gaza been affected?

Omar: The Deaf community has suffered greatly. We lost friends and colleagues, and we were scattered due to displacement. Most of us lost our homes and became more isolated than before. The war has deepened our sense of loneliness and made it more difficult for us to gather or communicate.

Eyewitness Palestine: What are the current needs of Deaf people in Gaza?

Omar: We urgently need sign language interpreters in hospitals and aid centers so that we can understand what is happening and what is required of us. We also need alternative communication tools, such as screens or translation applications. Most importantly, we need psychological and social support to help us cope with these harsh conditions.

Eyewitness Palestine:  What are your hopes and dreams for the future?

Omar: Our hopes and dreams have been shattered by the destruction of Gaza, and now we see traveling abroad as one of our biggest dreams — to find safety, continue our education, and build a better future. Still, I dream of living in peace, of having the chance to complete my university education, and of working in a field I love. I also aspire to support my Deaf community and to see us gain the rights and services that guarantee us a dignified life like everyone else.

1754.

9 september 2025

Today's headlines

The ethnic cleansing of Gaza City is expanding as Israel levels residential high-rises

Tareq S. Hajjaj

After leveling Gaza City's eastern neighborhoods, the Israeli onslaught has entered a new phase as the army flattens high-rise towers in the city's western areas, where most civilians are sheltering. The goal is to cause a mass exodus.

Palestinians in the West Bank brace for Israeli retaliation after six Israelis killed in Jerusalem shooting

Qassam Muaddi

In the aftermath of a Palestinian shooting attack that killed six Israelis, Israeli analysts and security officials warn of an “explosion” in the West Bank. Meanwhile, Palestinians are bracing for the ensuing collective punishment by Israel.

1753.

8 september 2025

Palestijnen worden uitgehongerd. Hun levens en cultuur vernietigd. Het overgrote deel van Nederland eist daarom sancties. Tégen genocide, tégen bezetting. Tégen apartheid.

Ondertussen blijft Den Haag doof en blind.

Geen echte actie.
Geen koerswijziging.
Alleen medeplichtigheid.

Daarom trekken we op zondag 5 oktober opnieuw een Rode Lijn – dit keer in Amsterdam.

Vlak voor de verkiezingen van 29 oktober laten we politici zien: Nederland is klaar met passiviteit en medeplichtigheid!

Waar de regering wegkijkt, trekken wij samen de grens.

Vóór rechtvaardigheid.
Vóór menselijkheid.

Meld je aan en bijf op de hoogte

Demonstreren heeft zin, dat hebben de vorige Rode Lijn-demonstraties laten zien. Den Haag voelt dat de druk toeneemt. Juist daarom doen we er nog een schepje bovenop.

Nu is het moment om die stem nog krachtiger te laten klinken – juist vlak voor de verkiezingen.

 Kom op 5 oktober naar Amsterdam
 Vertrekpunt, route en tijdstip maken we binnenkort bekend.
 Trek iets roods aan
 Sta schouder aan schouder in de Rode Lijn

We vragen niet om loze woorden. We eisen daden:

• Een wapenembargo
• Een handelsembargo
• Sancties tegen Netanyahu’s regering en kolonisten
• Een einde aan Nederlandse medeplichtigheid aan genocide en bezetting

Samen laten we zien dat Nederland kiest voor recht, vrede en menselijkheid.

Doe mee. Sta op. Sluit je aan bij de Rode Lijn.

Meld je aan en bijf op de hoogte

Tot ziens op 5 oktober!directeur The Rights Forum

1752.

BDS MOVEMENT

8 september 2025

Why is genocidal Israel playing a Men’s Football World Cup Qualifier match today?
 

Because UEFA and FIFA are criminally corrupt, hypocrites and complicit.

As football’s governing bodies continue to shield Israel from accountability, even as it commits genocide against Palestinians, the calls from the world of sport and beyond for apartheid Israel to be banned from global football, just as apartheid South Africa once was, are only growing louder.

In Italy, where the national team is set to play World Cup Qualifiers against Israel today, there are unprecedented calls to #BanIsrael from football.

The National Football Coaches Association has called on the Italian Football Federation to urge FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israel. Forty five members of the Italian and European parliaments are calling for the same.

Nearly 50,000 Italians have signed petitions calling on Italy not to play the match and for FIFA to suspend Israel.

Roughly 250 popular sports teams, trade unions, student groups, and grassroots collectives have endorsed a call to protest the home match in the northern Italian city of Udine on October 14, with a poster from famed cartoonist Zerocalcare.
 

The mobilizations have also pushed the mayor of host city Udine to describe the match as “inopportune” and call for it to be postponed.
 

As Israel continues to intentionally massacre and starve Palestinians in Gaza, kill hundreds of footballers, and destroy all sports facilities, we won’t stop pressuring world football – and other sports – to hold genocidal Israel accountable. Make your voice heard now.
 

1. Take action on the Ekō action hub:
   actions.eko.org/a/uefa-suspend-israel/
   
   Send an email to the head of the Italian Football Federation and share comments on its social media.
    
2. Share this documentary "Gaza's Vanishing Stadiums. The Football Story That Is Being Ignored" by The Pitch Inspection to UEFA, FIFA and the Italian Football Federation.

1751.

8 september 2025

Today's headlines

I was brutalized by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank. It was only a fraction of what Palestinians experience every day.

Anonymous Contributor

The violence of apartheid across the West Bank isn't just physical. Israel relies on constant psychological warfare to terrorize rural Palestinian communities and make them live with the perpetual dread of army raids and settler pogroms.

1750.

7 september 2025

Coordinated ethnic cleansing and the growing pushback

This week, our reporting shows the coordination between the United States and Israeli governments to ethnically cleanse Gaza. From Washington to Gaza to the West Bank, and inside New York City, the project takes different forms: prevent accountability, manufacture unlivable conditions, and drive Palestinians out of political life. But people are pushing back.

In Washington, the State Department sanctioned three leading Palestinian human rights groups—al-Haq, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, and Al Mezan—for supporting the International Criminal Court’s probe of Israeli war crimes, punishing those who use international law to stop this genocide.

Inside Gaza, public health is collapsing. A “new strain” of respiratory illness is ripping through overcrowded shelters as famine and malnutrition make routine infections deadly. At the same time, a leaked Trump plan dresses ethnic cleansing up as “temporary relocation,” dangling $5,000, rent, and food subsidies to push Palestinians out. On the ground, midwives deliver babies by cell phone flashlights as mothers arrive malnourished and hospitals run on fumes. Israel is also “managing” the famine through engineered scarcity and chaos by taxing merchant trucks while aid convoys are attacked.

But pressure is growing. New Yorkers are organizing to evict genocide-linked firms from the city-owned Brooklyn Navy Yard. CUNY students won a court order forcing disclosure of investments tied to Gaza, giving divestment campaigns concrete targets (Claudia Gohn, coverage). And inside nonprofits, staff are speaking up and even quitting in protest over punishment for their Gaza solidarity. Amena al-Ashkar argues it’s time to focus boycott energy where power sits today: Arab capital sustaining normalization.

David Reed, Publisher

Must read: Trump administration sanctions Palestinian human rights groups

Michael Arria: The State Department has imposed sanctions on three Palestinian human rights organizations for supporting the International Criminal Court’s Israel probe.

Secretary Marco Rubio meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Israel, February 16, 2025. (Official State Department photo by Freddie Everett)

Genocide in Gaza

 Tareq Hajjaj: Local authorities in Gaza have identified a “new strain” of respiratory virus in Gaza amid worsening conditions of famine and severe malnutrition, which threaten to cause even routine infections to turn deadly.

 Michael Arria: A leaked document details the Trump administration’s plan to forcibly relocate the population of Gaza. Included in a “relocation package” would be $5,000, four years of rent subsidies, and a year of food subsidies.

 Wesam Abo Marq: Midwives in Gaza are on the front lines fighting against extermination, trying to save this generation and the next, as the Israeli-imposed famine causes a birthing crisis in the Strip.

 Tareq Hajjaj: Israel is “managing” the famine in Gaza by targeting aid shipments while allowing some goods to reach local markets only if merchants pay the military an exorbitant fee. The system accomplishes two goals: engineering starvation and creating chaos.

Catch-up

 Qassam Muaddi: Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich released a map proposing to annex over 80% of the West Bank. He’s not far off from the rest of the Israeli political establishment — even the “pragmatic” opposition.

 Joseph Mogul: Most New Yorkers are not aware that companies contributing to the Gaza genocide operate in their backyard, but at least two are housed in the city-operated Brooklyn Navy Yard. Now, activists and local residents are banding together to get them evicted.

 Mitchell Plitnick: The cancellation of visas for Palestinian officials is part of a wider effort by Israel and the U.S. to prevent international recognition of a Palestinian state, and to further Trump’s grandiose plans for Gaza and Israel’s plans for the West Bank.

 Michael Arria: Former employees at the Americans United for Separation of Church and State say they were pushed out of the organization for expressing solidarity with Palestinians. The battle at AU highlights a growing tension within nonprofits over Gaza.

 Claudia Gohn: In a landmark victory for student activists, the Supreme Court of New York ruled that CUNY must disclose the school’s financial portfolio, specifically contracts with businesses connected to the genocide in Gaza.

 Amena al-Ashkar: The tools of boycott and public protest are inherited from the colonial period. We need to adapt these methods to focus on where power is concentrated today in our region: Arab capital.

1749.

 7 september 2025

Today's headlines

Activists and residents are banding together to force companies complicit in the Gaza genocide out of the Brooklyn Navy Yard

Joseph Mogul

Most New Yorkers are not aware companies contributing to the Gaza genocide operate in their backyard, but at least two are housed in the city-operated Brooklyn Navy Yard. Now, activists and local residents are banding together to get them evicted.

1748.

6 september 2025

Today's headlines

Trump administration sanctions Palestinian human rights groups

Michael Arria

The State Department has imposed sanctions on three Palestinian human rights organizations for supporting the ICC’s Israel probe.

The U.S. visa cancellations for Palestinians marks another step towards West Bank annexation

Mitchell Plitnick

The cancellation of visas for Palestinian officials is part of a a wider effort by Israel and the U.S. to prevent international recognition of a Palestinian state, and to further Trump's grandiose plans for Gaza and Israel's plans for the West Bank.

1747.

5 september 2025

We have Exciting news!

This October, Eyewitness Palestine is leading a brigade of delegates into the West Bank to support farmers on their land during the Olive Harvest season. Delegates will stay with farmers leading up to and during the olive harvest-- a time when Palestinians experience increased violence from Israeli settlers seeking to destroy their livelihoods.  We are also aiming to be able to support these farmers long-term by donating handheld olive harvesting machines to four communities across the region.

For generations, the olive harvest has been a symbol of resilience in Palestine—but it’s becoming harder every year, especially in the current climate. Farmers face increasing obstacles, from land theft, uprooting of crops and trees to military and settler violence. Together, by equipping four key farming communities with modern harvesting tools, we can make a real lasting difference.

1746.

5 september 2025

Op 27 augustus stierf in Gaza het 15 maanden jonge meisje Jud Awad aan leukemie.

Een huisarts uit Leerdam wilde haar naar Nederland halen voor behandeling. Maar het kabinet hield de grens gesloten.

Doodzieke of zwaargewonde Palestijnse kinderen kunnen beter ‘in de regio’ worden geholpen, vindt demissionair minister Brekelmans (VVD). Volgens hem is ‘daar ook nog capaciteit’.

Jud Awad (2024 – 2025). Een huisarts uit Leerdam probeerde het meisje tevergeefs naar Nederland te halen.

Dat laat de Tweede Kamer niet gebeuren, zou je denken.

Maar op de dag waarop Jud Awad stierf, verwierp de Kamer een motie van de PvdD en SP om kinderen in doodsnood uit Gaza naar Nederland te halen. De PVV, VVD, BBB, FvD, SGP en JA21 stemden tegen.

Dat terwijl Nederlandse ziekenhuizen en artsen in de startblokken staan om Palestijnse evacués te behandelen.

Het rechtse gebrek aan menselijkheid is stuitend.

Volgens Wereldgezondheidsorganistie WHO wachten in Gaza ruim 15.600 patiënten op acute evacuatie. Eerder werden er al meer dan 7.600 geëvacueerd. Van hen ging bijna 97 procent naar vijf landen in het Midden-Oosten. Elf EU-landen vingen samen 288 patiënten op.

Met Brekelmans’ opvang ‘in de regio’ zit het dus wel goed. Daar zijn echter maar weinig patiënten mee geholpen. Zo kwamen bijna 4.000 van hen in Egypte terecht, waar de benodigde behandelingen niet bestaan en capaciteit ontbreekt. Een schijnoplossing die vooral nieuwe problemen geeft. En die wordt veroorzaakt door de politieke onwil van landen als Nederland.

 Lees het uitgebreide artikel over deze schandelijke zaak

NIEUWE DOCUMENTAIRE OVER CHRISTEN-ZIONISME

SGP en ChristenUnie vallen op door hun felle anti-Palestijnse houding. Waar komt die vandaan? Wij zochten het uit.

We stuitten op een netwerk van extremisten die de verdrijving van Palestijnen zien als heilige strijd, steun aan Israël als religieuze plicht en het internationaal recht als vijand van het geloof. Binnenkort online!

 Bekijk de trailer

ACTIE
Rode Lijn bij VVD-congres op 6 september

Morgenochtend wordt in Den Bosch geprotesteerd tegen het beleid van de VVD. Moties om de Palestijnen te beschermen tegen de Israëlische genocide werden door die partij keer op keer weggestemd. Daar wordt de VVD op afgerekend, ook morgen tijdens haar congres.

 Meer informatie

Journalisten moeten in Gaza hun werk kunnen doen

Op maandag 1 september gingen ruim 200 media in meer dan 50 landen ‘op zwart’. Aanleiding voor de internationale actie zijn de zeker 220 Palestijnse journalisten die sinds 7 oktober 2023 door Israël in Gaza zijn gedood. Door de pers te vermoorden hoopt Israël zijn genocide voor de buitenwereld verborgen te houden. Met datzelfde doel worden de internationale media door Israël al bijna twee jaar uit de Gazastrook geweerd.

Al-Jazeera-journalist  Anas al-Sharif werd vorige maand door Israël vermoord. © AFP / AFPTV via APN

Israëls strijd tegen de media
Het vermoorden en gevangen zetten van journalisten vormt al jaren een vast onderdeel van Israëls bezetting en onderdrukking. Voorbeelden daarvan zijn er te over. De moord op de Palestijns-Amerikaanse journaliste Shireen Abu Akleh in mei 2022 schokte de wereld. En volgens het Committee tot Protect Journalists zitten 90 journalisten in Israëlische gevangenissen.
 
Het beeld is nog groter. Complete media zijn verboden, en hun kantoren gesloten, met Al-Jazeera als markant voorbeeld. En in Israël zelf staan de media bloot aan genadeloze censuur. In 2024 werden 7.890 artikelen geheel of deels gecensureerd, gemiddeld ruim 21 per dag. De desinformatie is enorm. Zo worden de gevolgen van de genocide in Gaza amper getoond.
 
Nederlandse media
Er zijn ook nog heel andere cijfers. In 2021 trokken 3.250 journalisten in de VS, Canada en Australië een rode lijn. Onder de noemer ‘Onze berichtgeving over Palestina deugt niet’ beschreven zij processen binnen hun mediaorganisaties die voorkwamen dat de waarheid kon worden verteld of opgeschreven.
 
Er is sprake van decennia aan ondermaatse berichtgeving of regelrechte misleiding, ook door Nederlandse media. De impact daarvan was dermate groot dat een kritische terugblik – ‘Waarom hebben we ons zo gedragen?’ – onvermijdelijk is. Dat zelfonderzoek laat in Nederland nog op zich wachten.

 Lees het hele artikel

Genocideonderzoekers bevestigen: Israël pleegt genocide in Gaza

Maandag nam de International Association of Genocide Scholars een resolutie aan waarin wordt vastgesteld dat het planmatige geweld van Israël in de Gazastrook voldoet aan de juridische definitie van genocide in artikel 2 van het Genocideverdrag. Nederland is als partij bij het Genocideverdrag verplicht om genocide te voorkomen, maar laat dit na.

Deze maand zal een groot aantal westerse landen de staat Palestina erkennen en/of nationale sancties opleggen aan Israël.

Deze week maakte ook België maatregelen bekend. Het Nederlandse kabinet zegt op zoek te zijn naar een Europese ‘kopgroep’ om tot gezamenlijke sancties te komen. Die kopgroep bestaat al, schrijven wij. Het is nu een kwestie van aanhaken.

Palestijnen kamperen tussen de ruïnes van Gaza-stad. Zij betalen de prijs voor de passiviteit van landen zoals Nederland. © Majority World CIC / Mohammed Zaanoun / Alamy

Bezoek het Nomadisch Monument voor Gaza

Midden in de foyer van Theater aan het Spui stap je een verstilde ruimte binnen. Dit is het Nomadisch Monument voor Gaza, een reizende kunstinstallatie om stil te staan bij de slachtoffers in Gaza.
 
Het monument is vrij toegankelijk en dagelijks te bezoeken: maandag 8 september van 13.00 tot 17.00 uur; dinsdag 9 en woensdag 10 september van 13.00 tot 19.00 uur. Elke dag vindt een ‘ritueel van herdenking’ plaats: maandag om 15.30 uur, dinsdag en woensdag om 13.00 uur.

Dinsdagavond 9 september: opening
De avond wordt geopend door Younis Al-Khatib, voorzitter van de Palestijnse Rode Halve Maan. Sprekers zijn onder meer acteur en schrijver Ramsey Nasr en architecten Nurhan Abujidi en Eric Vreedenburgh. Chris Keulemans leidt de avond.
 
Woensdagavond 10 september: Palestijnse literatuur
Amer Almassri uit Gaza presenteert zijn verhalenbundel ‘De man die achteromkeek’. Met optredens van oud-politicus Jan Pronk, vertaalster Arabische literatuur Djûke Poppinga, de Palestijns-Nederlandse oprichter van het literair tijdschirft FIKRA Magazine Aisja Hamed, beeldend kunstenaar Ingrid Rollema en de Palestijnse musicus Ahmed Hawwash. De avond wordt gepresenteerd door Hassnae Bouazza en Dario Goldbach.

Cultuur / Actueel Palestijns theater

DEADLIFT (Al-Hammalun) is een Palestijns-Nederlandse visuele theatervoorstelling die de last invoelbaar maakt die Palestijnse vluchtelingen meedragen. Met een geheel Palestijnse cast en regie, geïnspireerd op het beroemde schilderij Jamal al-Mahamil – ‘Kameel (drager) van Ontberingen’ – van de Palestijnse kunstenaar Sulayman Mansur.

DEADLIFT is van 13 tot 28 september te zien in 11 Nederlandse steden. Zie onze Agenda voor de details.

Uit onze agenda
zaterdag 6 september t/m zaterdag 13 september
DEMONSTRATIES EN WAKES
• Doorlopende 24-uurs stiltewake bij het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, Rijnstraat 8, Den Haag
• Wake van Vrouwen in het Zwart in Maastricht op zaterdag 6 september, aan de Markt, bij het standbeeld van J.P. Minckelers, aan de kant van de Boschstraat (16.00 uur).
• Rode lijn tegen het Gaza-beleid van de VVD in Den Bosch op zaterdag 6 september (Brabanthallen, 09.00 uur; verzamelen om 08.30 uur aan achterzijde station).
• Wake van Vrouwen in het Zwart op de Grote Markt in Haarlem op zondag 7 september (14.00 uur).
• Trek de Rode lijn voor Gaza: landelijke demonstratie op zondag 7 september in Brussel (station Brussel-Noord, 14.00 uur).
• Stilteprotest voor Palestina in Utrecht op maandag 8 september en elke doordeweekse ochtend (Neude, langs het fietspad, 08.30 uur).
• Sit-in van Rijksambtenaren op donderdag 11 september in Den Haag, Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, Rijnstraat 8 (12.00 uur).
• Wekelijks lawaaiprotest op donderdag 11 september op circa 25 treinstations door heel Nederland (18.00 uur). Deelnemende stations in de agenda.
• Wekelijks protest tegen genocide en voor menselijkheid op vrijdag 12 september voor het gemeentehuis in Doetinchem (10.00 uur).
• Wekelijks stilteprotest tegen genocide op vrijdag 12 september in Amersfoort. Verzamelen op de Vakensmarkt voor een wandeling naar de Hof (09.00 uur).
• Tweewekelijkse wake van Vrouwen in het Zwart op het Waagplein in Groningen (13.00 uur).


GETUIGEN VAN GAZA
• Getuigen van Gaza in Leeuwarden. Van woensdag 3 september (09.00 uur) tot zondagavond 7 september (22.00 uur) lezen burgers in Leeuwarden de namen voor van hen die in Gaza zijn omgekomen. Op het grasveld naast De Waag.
• Getuigen van Gaza in Utrecht. Burgers lezen in september en oktober de namen voor van hen die in Gaza zijn omgekomen. Elke maandag en donderdag van 16.00 tot 20.00 uur. Maandag op het Moskeeplein (Lombok, achter CS). Donderdag op de Stadhuisbrug (Centrum).
• Getuigen van Gaza in Amsterdam. Van woensdag 10 september (08.00 uur) t/m zondag 14 september (20.00 uur) lezen burgers bij de Stopera dag en nacht de namen voor van de 69.000 slachtoffers van de genocide in Gaza. Daarnaast worden elke dag ook in andere stadsdelen namen voorgelezen (08.00 tot 20.00 uur): woensdag in Noord (Mosveld); donderdag in Zuidoost (Bijlmerplein); vrijdag in Oost (Weesperzijde 1046-A); zaterdag in West (Bos en Lommerplein).


CULTURELE EN ANDERE EVENEMENTEN
• Nomadisch monument voor Gaza in Den Haag, Theater aan het Spui, 8 t/m 10 september vanaf 13.00 uur. Cultureel avondprogramma op 9 en 10 september.
• Theatervoorstelling The Horse of Jenin van de Palestijnse acteur Alaa Shehada op woensdag 10 en donderdag 11 september in Theater Bellevue in Amsterdam (20.30 uur).
• Filmvertoning From Ground Zero en nagesprek op donderdag 11 september in Lantaren Venster, Rotterdam (19.00 uur).
• Palestijns-Nederlandse theatervoorstelling DEADLIFT op zaterdag 13 september in het Bijlmer Parktheater, Amsterdam (20.00 uur).


Onze agenda wordt doorlopend aangevuld.

 Dinsdag 9 september voetbalt Jong Oranje in stadion De Koel in Venlo tegen Jong Israël (17.00 uur). Uit angst voor protesten heeft de KNVB besloten geen publiek toe te laten.

1745.

5 september 2025

The Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy draws its steadfastness from our people and all the organizations determined to defend our fundamental rights and liberation. Yesterday, three of Palestine’s most prominent human rights organisations; Al Haq, Al Mezan, and the Palestinian Center for Human Rights were sanctioned by the United States Administration, primarily due to their work to bring justice to the Palestinians at the International Criminal Court (ICC). These organizations’ teams have born witness to the ongoing genocide and its atrocities in Gaza and the rest of Palestine. They have been displaced, bombed and targeted, yet they  continue to document in order to bring our reality to the world and justice to our people.

Yesterday’s designations for sanctions come three months after the designation of another Palestinian human rights organization, Addameer in defense of Palestinian political prisoners, as a “terrorist organisation” and a month after the sanctions against Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. It also comes on the backdrop of political persecution and arrests in the U.S. against Palestinians and their allies. This is not only a legal assault – it is a moral disgrace that seeks to criminalize those who defend life, dignity, and rights.

Such developments are not surprising. The subsequent U.S Administrations have chosen to be the enemy of the Palestinian people and of justice, deliberately sponsoring, supporting and covering up genocide, occupation, and settler colonialism. By choosing hegemony, bullying, the rule of force and the undermining of any form of fair multilateral order and international law, it is accelerating the annihilation of our people and land, while continuing to be complicit in the exploitation of people and resources across the world.

The attempt to directly prevent human rights organizations from operating is a desperate and futile attempt to silence and demobilize Palestinians who have, despite relentless attempts of erasure, continued to resist and defend their dignity against colonial brutality. These actions shall not deter our civil movement in Palestine and abroad from standing together united against states that at their core are in a constant mission to destroy, control, dominate and displace.

Countries around the world must step up and choose between remaining complicit or upholding their legal, moral and political obligations to support Palestinians fundamental right to self determination and resistance to oppression. Specifically, we must continue to emphasize the need to take immediate diplomatic and economic sanctions on Israel, including full arms and energy embargoes and excluding it from all multilateral institutions and forums. With regards to the sanctions against Palestinian organizations and their allies, the EU has a particular responsibility to immediately invoke and enforce the Blocking Statute to counter U.S. sanctions.

We shall continue to fight for justice until the full liberation of Palestine.

1744.

5 september 2025

Today's headlines

The new Israeli map proposing to annex 80% of the West Bank, explained

Qassam Muaddi

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich released a map proposing to annex over 80% of the West Bank. He's not far off from the rest of the Israeli political establishment — even the "pragmatic" opposition.

Former Americans United employee says she was ousted over Gaza solidarity

Michael Arria

Former employees at the Americans United for Separation of Church and State say they were pushed out of the organization for expressing solidarity with Palestinians. The battle at AU highlights a growing tension within nonprofits over Gaza.

1743.

4 september 2025

Humanitarian Situation Update #320
West Bank

4 September 2025

A medic with the Palestine Red Crescent Society rushing to treat wounded people in Nablus city during an Israeli operation, 27 August 2025. Photo by Abdullah Bahash

Key Highlights

• Over 2,780 Palestinians have been injured by Israeli forces or settlers across the West Bank since January 2025, including nearly 500 by Israeli settlers -- a 39 per cent increase in overall injuries and a two-fold increase in injuries by settlers compared with the same period in 2024.
• More than 23,100 dunums (5,700 acres) of land owned by Palestinians has been requisitioned by the Israeli army in the past three months in Qalqiliya and Nablus, threatening the livelihoods of Palestinian farmers.
• Israeli settlers have again disrupted the water supply of about 100,000 Palestinians across 20 villages in Ramallah by damaging water infrastructure.
• Israeli settler violence displaced three families from the East Tayba Bedouin community near Ramallah.
• In Hebron city, Israeli forces have imposed additional movement restrictions and raided 20 schools, confiscating books, pictures and other educational materials.

Humanitarian Developments

• Between 26 August and 1 September, no fatalities were recorded in the West Bank. At least 210 Palestinians, including 53 children, were injured, the majority (198) by Israeli forces and 12 by Israeli settlers. Out of the 198 Palestinians injured by Israeli forces, 117, including 47 children, were injured on 27 August in Nablus city (see below). In Ramallah city, on 26 August, Israeli forces carried out a three-hour operation in which they raided a money exchange shop, arrested eight Palestinians, confiscated money, and fired live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets and tear gas cannisters at Palestinians, and Palestinians threw stones at the forces. All access to the city centre was blocked during the operation. In total, 58 people (including two children) were injured by Israeli forces; eight with live ammunition, five with shrapnel, 14 with rubber-coated bullets, and 31 due to tear gas inhalation.
• Between 1 January and 1 September 2025, at least 2,787 Palestinians, including 122 women and 541 children, were injured in the West Bank, the majority (2,287) by Israeli forces, 494 by settlers, and six where it remains unknown if they were injured by Israeli forces or settlers. Nablus governorate saw the highest number of injuries caused by Israeli forces (882), followed by Ramallah governorate (446). This represents a 39-per-cent increase in overall injuries and a two-fold increase in injuries by Israeli settlers compared with the same period in 2024, when 2,001 Palestinians were injured by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank, including 1,759 by Israeli forces, 233 by Israeli settlers and nine where it remains unknown if they were injured by Israeli forces or settlers.
• Between 26 August and 1 September, the Israeli military issued two requisition orders for lands owned by Palestinians in Qalqiliya and Nablus governorates, in what appears to be attempts to facilitate settlement expansion and further restrict farmers’ access to their lands. Over the past three months, other requisition orders were issued for lands in the same areas.
  • On 28 August, Israeli forces issued a requisition order in Jinsafut village, east of Qalqilya city, for 16 dunums (3.95 acres) of land between Immanuel and Karnei Shomron settlements. According to the village council, the land belongs to approximately 65 Palestinian farmers who will now have their access to agricultural lands and livelihoods further restricted. This is the second requisition order issued in Jinsafut since 21 July, when Israeli forces issued an order for 7,737 dunums (1,911 acres), citing “military purposes.” These lands mostly contain olive trees and are an important livelihood source for the farmers of the village.
  • On 2 September, Israeli forces issued a requisition order for some 456 dunums (112 acres) of land surrounding the Israeli settlement outpost of Gilad Farm that belongs to Palestinians from three villages: Far’ata and Jit (in Qalqiliya governorate) and Tell (in Nablus governorate). In the past, Palestinian farmers in the area have faced numerous access restrictions in these lands due to the presence of Israeli settlers. Earlier on 27 May 2025, the Israeli military issued a requisition order for 14,917 dunums (3,686 acres) of land, also around the Gilad Farm settlement outpost, belonging to Palestinians from Far’ata, Tell, and Immatin villages.
• Between 1 January and 1 September, OCHA documented the demolition of 1,151 structures across the West Bank for lacking Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible to obtain. These included 274 inhabited homes, 60 uninhabited residential structures, 607 agricultural or livelihood structures, 138 water and sanitation structures, and 70 other structures. Eighty-five per cent of demolished structures were in Area C, 14 per cent in East Jerusalem, and one per cent (mainly water wells) in Areas A or B. In total, nearly 1,300 Palestinians were displaced and more than 37,000 were otherwise affected. Compared with the corresponding period in 2024, this marks a 44 per cent increase in demolished structures (797 vs. 1,151) and a 31 per cent increase in displacement (991 vs. 1,298).
• On 28 August, in the early morning, Israeli forces raided 20 schools in Hebron city, including 11 in the H2 area and nine in the H1 area of the city. They confiscated teaching books, pictures, and other education materials. Separately, on 31 August, Israeli forces closed a road gate that was installed on 13 July in Jabal Ar Rahmeh neighbourhood, on the boundary between the H1 and H2 areas of Hebron city. The closure of the gate affects the access of about 100 people to their homes and the surrounding areas and is expected to hinder the access of some 641 schoolgirls and 35 teachers and staff to the nearby school at the start of the academic year. On 30 August, the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education postponed the start of the 2025-2026 school year in the West Bank to 8 September, citing financial constraints.

Ongoing Operations in the Northern West Bank

• Between 31 August and 1 September, Israeli authorities provided maps to the Palestinian District Coordination Liaison (DCL) outlining the boundaries of a newly designated military zone, which encompasses parts of Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps and areas within the surrounding neighbourhoods. On 1 September, following the release of updated maps, Israeli forces went door to door to order about 15 Palestinian families to evacuate their homes in the Al Hadayda and Rabay’a neighbourhoods, located on the northern edge of Tulkarm Camp and within the new military zone. These same families had returned to their homes after temporarily evacuating due to ongoing operations by Israeli forces over the past three months. As of 4 September, the families have not left. Also on 1 September, in Nur Shams Camp, Israeli forces ordered about 21 Palestinian families in the Jabal an Naser neighbourhood to evacuate; the families have become displaced again, just one month after they were allowed to return by Israeli authorities on 28 July. Repeated evacuation and return orders in the areas surrounding the refugee camps have placed dozens of families in a state of uncertainty and heightened vulnerability.
• According to the Palestinian DCL, the maps issued by Israeli authorities suggest that some residential buildings and shops on the camps' edges may lie outside the military area and residents may be able to return to them. Tulkarm municipality has begun clearing debris and reopening roads previously blocked by Israeli forces to prepare for this potential return.
• Israeli operations continue across cities, towns and villages in the northern West Bank. On 27 August, Israeli forces raided the Old City of Nablus, evacuated approximately 15 households, took over some houses and turned them into military observation points. During this operation, Palestinians threw stones and Israeli forces who shot tear gas canisters and live ammunition, injuring at least 117 Palestinians, including 47 children, were injured. Of the 70 injured adults, one was physically assaulted, one was hit by a rubber-coated metal bullet, and 68 suffered from tear gas inhalation. Of the injured children, two were hit by live ammunition, five by rubber-coated metal bullets, and 40 suffered from tear gas inhalation. Emergency medical response was provided by the Palestine Red Crescent Society (see picture above).
• On 1 September, undercover Israeli forces shot and injured six people in Tammun town, in Tubas governorate. According to local sources, Israeli forces raided the town and opened fire at people in the streets, injuring four members of a Palestinian family in their car by live ammunition and shrapnel, including a 15-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy. In addition, the children’s nine-year-old brother, who was also in the car, required medical treatment due to a panic attack. During the raid, one man was seen shot by the forces as he was walking in the street and another was shot with live ammunition while forces were surrounding a house. According to the Israeli military, they attempted to detain a man, who tried to escape, and they shot, injured and detained him. Medical teams reported that Israeli forces hindered their access and fired at them, causing damage to one ambulance. A second ambulance was also shot at and was prevented from reaching the injured.

Ongoing Israeli Settler Attacks

• Between 26 August and 1 September, OCHA documented at least 24 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians that resulted in casualties, property damage, or both in 20 communities across the West Bank. These attacks led to the displacement of three Palestinian Bedouin families, comprising 17 people, including nine children, and the injury of 12 Palestinians, including one woman, all by Israeli settlers.
• In East Tayba Bedouin community, in Ramallah governorate, three Palestinian households comprising 17 people, including nine children, were forcibly displaced on 27 August, following a series of settler attacks on the area since 3 June 2024, when a new settlement outpost was established nearby. The families, who had lived in the area for over 20 years, relocated to areas further into Area B and away from the outpost, which has become a source of sustained settler intimidation, with Palestinian residents reporting settlers regularly grazing livestock around homes, invading the area at night, throwing stones at houses, and attacking the nearby At Tayba town. In October 2023, six other families from the same community were displaced due to settler violence and, according to the community, one of the structures that belonged to them was set up in the new settlement outpost.
• The latest incident in East Tayba Bedouin community occurred on 26 August, when an armed Israeli settler broke into the yard of one of the homes with his livestock and, after a verbal altercation, dozens of settlers holding firearms and clubs raided the community. Amid the confrontations and following settler claims that they had been attacked by Palestinian residents, Israeli forces arrived at the scene and dispersed the settlers. Later that night, armed settlers returned and threatened three families with violence if they did not leave within hours. The families were thus forced to flee the following day (see above), leaving behind their homes, some of which are made of concrete, and most of their belongings. Settlers reportedly pursued them with vehicles when they attempted to retrieve items, and some belongings were reported stolen by the settlers.
• In southern Hebron, Israeli settlers carried out three attacks that resulted in casualties and property damage:
  • On 26 August, armed settlers raided Qawawis community, threw stones at homes, broke into one house, damaging windows and belongings, and destroyed 16 solar panels and six surveillance cameras. They also physically assaulted and pepper-sprayed residents, injuring three Palestinians and three foreign activists.
  • On 31 August, Israeli settlers raided Khallet Athaba’ herding community in large numbers and attempted to break into a residential cave; when the owner did not let them enter, the settlers physically assaulted and injured him and his wife. The settlers also vandalized property, destroyed two school surveillance cameras, and stole about 100 kilograms of animal fodder. Israeli forces later arrived and detained three Palestinians for 12 hours before releasing them.
  • On 1 September, a group of armed settlers threw stones at a Palestinian home in Susiya village, smashed windows, and destroyed the house’s surveillance cameras. The homeowner and his daughter sustained minor injuries from stones and sticks and did not seek medical treatment.
• In Ein Samiya, in Ramallah governorate, where a Bedouin community was fully displaced due to settler violence in May 2024, settlers damaged critical water infrastructure on two occasions this week, disrupting supply to some 100,000 Palestinians in 20 villages. On 28 August, settlers raided the Ein Samiya Spring area, cut pumps and mechanical systems, destroyed surveillance cameras, and stole equipment belonging to the Jerusalem Water Undertaking. A maintenance team managed to restore the connection after several hours, but settlers punctured the tires of their vehicle during the repair. On 31 August, settlers destroyed pumps on one of the wells and broke faucets on the line, flooding the ground, again severing the water supply for several hours before repairs were made. According to the Jerusalem Water Undertaking, repeated assaults have significantly increased operational risks for staff and further undermined the ability to provide water services to affected communities.
• In Kafr Malik village, in Ramallah governorate, Israeli settlers carried out two consecutive attacks against herders and farmers, injuring one herder, stealing livestock, and causing extensive damage to agricultural land and property. On 28 August, on the eastern outskirts of the village, settlers, some of them armed, threw stones and physically assaulted two Palestinian herders grazing their flocks. They beat one of them with clubs and rifles, causing bruises and fractures, while the other managed to flee. They stole dozens of livestock and moved them toward settlement outposts east of Road 458 (Allon Road). As Palestinians from the village began to gather, the settlers fled the area with the stolen animals. The following day, on 29 August, settlers broke into Palestinian-owned farms on the southern outskirts of Kafr Malik, grazing livestock and damaging agricultural property belonging to three families. Palestinian farmers reported the destruction of dozens of saplings and trees, as well as damage to stone walls, water tanks, metal fences, and doors. Several agricultural tools were also reported stolen.
• In Mikhmas Bedouin community, in Jerusalem governorate, settlers carried out two separate attacks that injured one foreign activist and caused property damage. On 28 August, a group of settlers armed with rifles, sticks, and pepper spray broke into the yard of one home, where a woman was alone, and grazed sheep, damaging three trees. Settlers then broke into the house, verbally harassed the woman, and took photographs of her before fleeing back to a nearby outpost. Three days later, on 31 August, at midnight, masked settlers armed with knives and pistols raided the community, broke into several homes, shattering windows, and damaged other property. Israeli and foreign activists who were present in the area stood in between the settlers and Palestinians and took pictures, after which settlers stoned them, injuring one activist in the head. They also punctured the tires of one car, damaged a water tank, and circled the community in jeeps.
• For key figures and additional breakdowns of casualties, displacement and settler violence between January 2005 and July 2025, please refer to the West Bank Monthly Snapshot on Casualties, Property Damage and Displacement, covering July 2025.

Funding

• As of 3 September 2025, Member States have disbursed approximately US$968 million out of the $4 billion (24 per cent) requested to meet the most critical humanitarian needs of three million out of 3.3 million people identified as requiring assistance in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in 2025, under the 2025 Flash Appeal for the OPT. During August 2025, the oPt Humanitarian Fund managed 104 ongoing projects, totalling $62.3 million, to address urgent needs in the Gaza Strip (87 per cent) and the West Bank (13 per cent). Of these projects, 48 are being implemented by international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), 42 by national NGOs and 14 by UN agencies. Notably, 35 out of the 62 projects implemented by INGOs or the UN are being implemented in collaboration with national NGOs. For more information, please see OCHA’s Financial Tracking Servicewebpage and the oPt HF webpage.

1742.

4 september 2025

Today's headlines

Amid ‘unprecedented’ rise in respiratory disease in Gaza, famine is making routine infections life-threatening

Tareq S. Hajjaj

Local authorities in Gaza have identified a "new strain" of respiratory virus in Gaza amid worsening conditions of famine and severe malnutrition, which threaten to cause even routine infections to turn deadly.

Leaked documents detail Trump’s ethnic cleansing plan for Gaza

Michael Arria

A leaked document details the Trump administration’s plan to forcibly relocate the population of Gaza. Included in a "relocation package" would be $5,000, four years of rent subsidies, and a year of food subsidies.

1741.

AVAAZ

4 september 2025

Israël hongert 470.000 Palestijnen uit en stuurt grondtroepen om Gaza-Stad te bezetten… maar de FIFA rolt de rode loper uit voor Israël en het land mag gewoon meedoen aan het WK voetbal. Een groep moedige Italiaanse voetbaltrainers leidt het groeiende verzet tegen Israëls deelname. Sluit je aan en roep de FIFA op om Israël uit te sluiten van het WK -- vóór de wedstrijd tegen Italië op 8 september!

1741.

4 september 2025

Humanitarian Situation Update #319
Gaza Strip

4 September 2025

More than two million people face dire conditions amid famine and ongoing war. Credit: OCHA/Olga Cherevko

Key Highlights

• Across the Gaza Strip, casualties due to strikes on tents, schools, residential buildings, health facilities and people seeking aid continue to be reported.
• Amid famine and growing displacement, humanitarian organizations highlight deplorable conditions at displacement sites.
• The International Committee of the Red Cross warns that a mass evacuation of Gaza city cannot be done in a safe and dignified manner under the current conditions.
• Since January, about 44,000 admissions of children for the treatment of acute malnutrition have been reported, according to the Nutrition Cluster.
• Ongoing hostilities are depriving over 700,000 children of their right to education, including more than 658,000 children who already lost two academic years.

Humanitarian Developments

• Over the past week, Israeli forces have continued to carry out heavy bombardment from the air, land and sea across the Gaza Strip. Fighting between Palestinian armed groups and Israeli forces has taken place. Military ground operations continue to be especially intensive in Gaza city as well as in Jabalya and surrounding neighbourhoods in North Gaza, driving additional waves of displacement. According to the Site Management Cluster (SMC), 83 per cent of displacement movements between 27 and 31 August were from parts of Gaza city, primarily to western Gaza city and also southwards to Deir al Balah and Khan Younis. Field reports also suggest that since coastal areas in Gaza city are already extremely crowded with tents, some people have been forced to flee Gaza city to the northwest, coastal areas near Zikim crossing that are under displacement orders. Overall, since the reescalation of hostilities on 18 March, more than 856,000 displacement movements have been recorded across the Gaza Strip, SMC reported; these figures may count the same person more than once if they have been displaced multiple times.
• According to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, between 27 August and 3 September, 571 Palestinians were killed, and 2,318 were injured. This brings the casualty toll among Palestinians since 7 October 2023, as reported by MoH, to 63,746 fatalities and 161,245 injuries. According to MoH, the total number includes 280 fatalities who were retroactively added on 30 August 2025 after their identification details were approved by a ministerial committee. MoH further noted that the number of casualties among people trying to access aid supplies has increased to 2,339 fatalities and more than 17,070 injuries since 27 May 2025.
• According to the Israeli military, between 27 August and 3 September, as of noon, one Israeli soldier was killed in Gaza. This brings the casualty toll among Israeli soldiers since the beginning of the Israeli ground operation in October 2023 to 456 fatalities and 2,888 injuries, according to the Israeli military. According to Israeli forces and official Israeli sources cited in the media, more than 1,656 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed, the majority on 7 October 2023 and its immediate aftermath. On 29 August, the Israeli military announced that it had recovered the body of one hostage who was killed on 7 October 2023 and that the remains of another hostage were being identified. On 30 August, the Israeli military confirmed the recovery of the second identified hostage. As of 3 September, it is estimated that 48 Israelis and foreign nationals remain captive in Gaza, including hostages who have been declared dead and whose bodies are being withheld.
• As of September 2025, according to data provided by the Israel Prison Service (IPS) to Hamoked, an Israeli human rights NGO, there are 11,040 Palestinians in Israeli custody, including 1,540 sentenced prisoners, 3,351 remand detainees, 3,577 administrative detainees held without trial, and 2,662 people held as “unlawful combatants.” These figures do not include Palestinians from Gaza who have been detained by the Israeli military since 7 October 2023.
• Delays and impediments of humanitarian movements continue. Recently, fewer humanitarian movements have been denied outright by Israeli authorities. However, missions that are approved still take hours to complete and teams have been compelled to wait on roads that are often dangerous, congested or impassable. Between 27 August and 2 September, out of 86 attempts to coordinate planned movements with Israeli authorities across the Gaza Strip, 50 were facilitated (58 per cent), 22 were initially approved but then impeded on the ground (26 per cent), five (six per cent) were denied and nine (10 per cent) had to be withdrawn by the organizers for logistical, operational, or security reasons. Facilitated movements included missions to transfer fuel, collection of medical, nutrition and WASH supplies, staff movements and rotations. Denied movements included missions aiming to retrieve nutrition supplies, to inspect a dumpsite to expand solid waste operations, as well as missions to repair roads to ensure safe passage of trucks along routes. Among the 22 impeded missions, five were fully accomplished despite the impediments, including missions to collect supplies from Kerem Shalom and Zikim crossings and medically evacuate patients through Kerem Shalom crossing. The remaining 17 missions were partially accomplished, including missions to pick up food, fuel, and other supplies from Kerem Shalom and Zikim crossings. Overall, eight out of the 86 movements involved fuel collection and transfer, 24 involved the collection of other supplies from Gaza’s crossings, 19 were staff movements and rotations, and 35 aimed to support other ongoing humanitarian operations.
• On 29 August, the United Arab Emirates inaugurated a 6.7-kilometre pipeline to deliver desalinated water from the UAE-funded desalination plant in Egypt, which was established in early 2024, to Khan Younis in southern Gaza. The installation of the new trunkline was completed by the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU) and Khan Younis Municipality and has the capacity of providing up to 10,000 cubic metres of clean water to over one million people daily. The system is under a trial operation and is not yet delivering at full capacity. According to the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Cluster, the plan is to distribute water to displaced households in Al Mawasi through 50 water tanks of five cubic metres each across sites hosting internally displaced people (IDPs), to install three water trucking filling stations, and to connect the trunkline with the water network in Khan Younis. However, the pipeline sustained damage on 31 August and was repaired within a day, underscoring its vulnerability in the future.

Strikes on Tents, Schools, Buildings, Health Facilities and People Seeking Aid

• Incidents of detonation and demolition of residential buildings, including through the use of explosive robots, continue to be reported, alongside strikes on schools, tents, residential buildings, and on people trying to access food supplies. According to records of the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), since the establishment of a militarized distribution system in the Gaza Strip on 27 May and as of 2 September, at least 2,146 people seeking aid – mostly young men and boys – were killed in Gaza – 1,135 near militarized distribution sites and 1,011 along convoy supply routes.
• Between 31 August and 2 September, two Palestinian journalists were killed in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS). On 31 August, a journalist was killed with her husband and children in an Israeli airstrike that hit their apartment in Gaza city. On 2 September, a photojournalist was killed in an Israeli strike near Al Jala’ square in Gaza city. In total, since the escalation of hostilities in October 2023, 247 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza, PJS reported.
• On 1 September, a tent on the roof of the outpatient clinic building at Al Aqsa Hospital, in Deir al Balah, was hit, injuring at least two people, one of whom reportedly succumbed to his wounds on 2 September, and causing structural damage. According to the hospital, this marked the 14th time the hospital has been hit and it caused significant damage to the Ear, Nose, and Throat Department and its equipment, rendering the department out of service. This department was serving more than 70 patients daily for essential examinations and treatments, in addition to providing care for injured people, the hospital added, noting that efforts are ongoing to reactivate the department despite the critical shortage of resources.
• Casualties among IDPs sheltering in tents or schools continue to be reported, including the following incidents:
  • On 28 August, at about 11:45, a woman and her son were reportedly killed when IDP tents were hit in Asdaa area, northwest of Khan Younis.
  • On 28 August, at about 16:00, five people were reportedly killed and others injured when the gate of a school used as a shelter for IDPs was hit in Jabalya An Nazla, in North Gaza.
  • On 28 August, at about 18:50, four people, including two children, were reportedly killed when an IDP tent was hit at the entrance to Al Bureij Camp, in Deir al Balah.
  • On 29 August, at about 1:00, a young couple and a man were reportedly killed when an IDP tent was hit south of Al Mawasi area, in western Khan Younis.
  • On 1 September, at about midday, two people were reportedly killed and others injured while setting up IDP tents around Ash Shuja’iyyeh junction, in northeastern Gaza city.
• Other incidents resulting in fatalities over the past week included the following, the majority in relation to people seeking aid near militarized distribution sites or along routes of humanitarian aid convoys, and some while tending to their livelihoods:
  • On 28 August, between 0:45 and the early morning, at least seven people were reportedly killed and others injured near a militarized distribution site in Wadi Gaza area, north of Deir al Balah.
  • On 29 August, at about 8:14, three men were reportedly killed, and one was injured, when farmers were hit on Abu Hosni Street, in Deir al Balah.
  • On 29 August, at about 18:45, a Palestinian fisher was reportedly killed when a fishing boat was hit off the coast of Al Qarara, northwest of Khan Younis.
  • On 29 August, nine people seeking aid were reportedly killed and others injured in the Zikim crossing area, in North Gaza.
  • On 29 August, at about 23:30, eight Palestinians, including at least one woman and two girls, were reportedly killed when a residential building was hit south of An Nuseirat Camp, in Deir al Balah.
  • On 30 August, at about noon, at least 12 Palestinians, including five children, were reportedly killed and others injured when a bakery surrounded by IDP tents was hit on An Naser Street, northwest of Gaza city.
  • On 30 August, at about 20:00, five people, including a woman, were reportedly killed when a café was hit in Ash Shati’ (Beach) Camp, northwest of Gaza city.
  • On 31 August, in the early morning, seven people were reportedly killed and 10 others were injured near a militarized distribution site in Wadi Gaza, north of Deir al Balah.
  • On 31 August, between 12:15 and 16:30, 14 people were reportedly killed while waiting for aid near the Morag axis, south of Khan Younis.
  • On 31 August, at about 13:45, seven people, including four females, were reportedly killed when a residential building was hit in Jabalya, in North Gaza.
  • On 31 August, at about 17:15, seven people were reportedly killed while seeking aid in As Sudaniya area, west of Beit Lahiya, in North Gaza.
  • On 31 August, at about 18:45, eight people were reportedly killed when a residential apartment near As Sahaba Medical Complex was hit, in Gaza city.
  • On 1 September, at about 13:00, at least three people including one boy were reportedly killed and others injured when a donkey cart was hit in a crowded market on An Naser Street, in Gaza city.
  • On 2 September, in the morning, ten people were reportedly killed and at least 10 others injured near a militarized distribution site in Wadi Gaza, north of Deir al Balah.
  • On 2 September, at about 2:20, at least seven people were reportedly killed including a married couple and their three children, when two residential buildings were hit near Ash Sheikh Radwan Bridge, in Gaza city.
  • On 2 September, at about noon, at least ten people were reportedly killed near a militarized distribution site southwest of Khan Younis.
  • On 2 September, at about 13:30, at least nine Palestinians, including six children (three girls, including two sisters, and three boys) and three men, were reportedly killed and several others injured in multiple airstrikes on a group of people collecting water in the Al Attar area, in Al Mawasi, west of Khan Younis.

Escalating Israeli Military Activity and Forced Displacement from Gaza City

• On 29 August, the Israeli military announced that the 10-hour tactical pauses in military activity, declared to facilitate the distribution of humanitarian aid, would no longer apply to Gaza city, describing the area as a “dangerous combat zone.” On 2 September, the Israeli military additionally announced that, in preparation for the expansion of military activity in Gaza city, Al Mawasi area, in Khan Younis, “will witness the provision of better humanitarian services, particularly those related to health care, water, and food,” warning people not to approach or return to previously declared combat zones or areas where Israeli forces are operating.
• On 30 August, the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric, warned that a mass evacuation of Gaza city cannot be done in a safe and dignified manner under the current conditions. Describing such an event as unfeasible and incomprehensible, she stated: “Such an evacuation would trigger a massive population movement that no area in the Gaza Strip can absorb, given the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and the extreme shortages of food, water, shelter and medical care. The order would be imposed on civilians who are already traumatised by months of fighting and terrified by what could come next. Many are unable to comply with evacuation orders because they are starving, sick, injured or suffering from physical disabilities. All civilians are protected by international humanitarian law (IHL), whether they leave or stay behind, and must be allowed to return home.”
• For several months, the WASH Cluster has reported that due to ongoing displacement, limited fuel supplies needed to operate water and sanitation facilities, massive destruction or inaccessibility to water and sanitation infrastructure, and the inability to carry out needed repairs, most people in Gaza have been receiving less than the emergency standard of 15 litres per person per day. A further deterioration in the situation in the northern Gaza Strip, especially in Gaza city, could endanger the operation of the few remaining water and sanitation facilities serving nearly one million people. Ongoing displacement has further compounded the crisis, placing additional pressure on already overstretched water services. Many displacement sites are reporting severe gaps in water supply, underscoring the urgent need for increased response capacity.
• On 2 September, the Gaza Municipality warned that intensified military operations and associated security threats have prevented municipal crews from accessing and operating critical infrastructure in Al Manara area and around Ash Sheikh Radwan rainwater basin in the northwestern part of Gaza city. The Municipality said that its inability to access and operate two wastewater pumping stations east of the Az Zaytoun neighbourhood, in southern Gaza city, may lead to sewage overflow and flooding of homes. According to the WASH Cluster, access to Sheikh Radwan pond is critical as it is Gaza city’s largest rainwater collection pond and is now contaminated with untreated sewage. Limited fuel supplies have hampered efforts to pump water into the sea, causing the pond to reach critical levels several times and increasing the risk of overflow. Without sustained access to the site and reliable operation of the pumping stations that empty it, even limited rainfall could trigger overflow, potentially flooding surrounding neighbourhoods and significantly increasing the risk of waterborne disease outbreaks and groundwater contamination, the WASH Cluster warns.
• In a statement on 3 September, the Site Management Cluster expressed grave concern at the intensifying humanitarian catastrophe unfolding across the Gaza Strip, and reported 82,000 new displacement movements since 14 August, including 29,700 movements observed from northern to southern Gaza between 14 and 31 August. The cluster noted deplorable conditions at displacement sites, including severe overcrowding, unsanitary conditions and lack of water, and highlighted concerns that land in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis is already sheltering thousands of displaced families and cannot adequately accommodate displaced people from Gaza city.
• While Israeli authorities had announced that they would lift the ban on the entry of shelter supplies into Gaza as of 17 August, the number of tents approved for entry by the Israeli authorities through UN coordination has so far been limited. According to the Shelter Cluster, as of 30 August, more than 86,000 tents, over one million tarpaulins and sealing-off kits, and some five million non-food items are currently in the Shelter Cluster pipeline awaiting clearance and entry into Gaza. Humanitarian organizations are reiterating their call for shelter materials and other supplies to be allowed into all parts of Gaza, including through the northern crossings and to Gaza city, emphasizing their commitment to serve people wherever they are.
• In a positive development, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) announced the opening of the Cardiac Catheterization Department at Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza city on 30 August 2025, as part of its plan to expand medical services in the hospital. Dr. Haider Al-Qidra, PRCS’s Executive Director, emphasized that engineering and technical teams managed to rehabilitate the cardiac catheterization device which has enabled the medical teams to perform numerous vital medical interventions and decrease the pressure caused by long patient waiting lists.

Right to Learning under Grave Threat

• The official beginning of the school year in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) this week also marks the start of the third, consecutive academic year in which children in Gaza will be deprived of their right to education, with lasting consequences for an entire generation, the Education Cluster warns. Over 700,000 students should be starting the new school year this week, including about 56,000 six-year-olds who should enter school for the first time and more than 658,000 who have already lost two consecutive academic years. Of the total, some 71,000 students in Gaza cannot transition to higher education because they have been unable to sit for the General Secondary Education Examinations (Tawjihi) in the past two years. Only 1,730 students from the 2022-2023 cohort were able to take the Tawjihi exams organized by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoE) in July 2025, of whom roughly 94 per cent passed, and there are plans underway to hold additional exams for the 2023-2024 cohort in the coming two weeks. According to the Education Cluster, only about 38 per cent of school-aged children (250,000 out of 658,000) have been able to access some form of learning organized or supported by cluster partners in the past two years through temporary learning spaces (TLS), which have offered a combination of psychosocial support, social-emotional learning, recreational activities, and some continuity of education. In other words, over 60 per cent of school-aged children have had no access to any form of learning or support in nearly two years.
• According to the Education Cluster, partners continue to face immense challenges in expanding learning outreach to children across the Gaza Strip amid continued hostilities, bombardment, destruction, displacement, access impediments and funding constraints. Over 86 per cent of Gaza are within Israeli-militarized zones or fall within areas placed under displacement orders, with 166 TLS forced to pause their activities due to insecurity and displacement orders since the start of 2025. During the same period, 239 additional TLS have been either destroyed or closed due to funding constraints. Limited internet access hinders online learning, including classes organized by UNRWA and MoE. Basic supplies, such as tents, notebooks, pens, backpacks and paper, have largely not yet been approved for entry into Gaza by Israeli authorities, with only limited quantities of tents and stationary allowed entry during the ceasefire in early 2025. These restrictions likewise apply to about 10,000 tablets needed to administer the Tawjihi exams that are available to be sent to Gaza from the West Bank. Attacks on education and educational infrastructure also continue, including airstrikes and shelling by the Israeli military on schools providing shelter to internally displaced people, with a total of 394 incidents recorded by the Education Cluster since October 2023, of which 117 incidents were documented between January and August 2025. These attacks not only kill and injure civilians, but also fuel fear among parents, children and teachers, undermining participation in emergency education activities. With winter approaching, the Education Cluster reports that all 295 TLS that remain operational lack insulation and heating – as of 2 September, these include six TLS in North Gaza, 89 in Gaza governorate, 100 in Deir al Balah, and 100 in Khan Younis – and children lack adequate winter clothing, which would make safe and dignified learning nearly impossible.

Famine, Food Insecurity and the Malnutrition Crisis

• The Food Security Sector (FSS) reports that increases in the entry of commercial and humanitarian supplies into the Gaza Strip in August have led to a decrease in the prices of some key food staples, such as wheat flour, and allowed humanitarian partners to produce a larger number of daily meals at community kitchens across Gaza. According to monitoring data by the UN 2720 mechanism, over 33,000 metric tons (MT) of humanitarian food supplies were collected from the crossings in August, which is roughly the same amount that was collected from the crossings between the resumption of limited aid entry on 19 May and 30 July 2025. In other words, the daily average of food supplies collected by the UN and humanitarian partners has generally more than doubled from about 445 MT in July to 1,100 MT in August. Yet, the majority of these supplies have been taken by crowds of hungry people en route or, in some cases, looted by armed criminal groups. According to FSS, the daily average volume of collected supplies through UN coordination remains far less than the 2,000 MT required daily across the Strip to meet basic food needs. As of 2 September, 20 FSS partners prepared 517,000 individual meals every day at 104 community kitchens across Gaza, including about 175,000 meals in the north and 342,000 meals in southern and central Gaza – this is compared with 453,000 daily meals at 99 community kitchens a week earlier. Yet, limited purchasing power, supply shortages, extremely expensive prices of some high demand items such as potatoes and dry onions, and persistently high liquidity fees (at 35-37 per cent) continue to limit the ability of most families to obtain needed supplies of nutritious food.
• On 26 August, after a five-month pause, the World Food Programme (WFP) resumed the cash assistance programme, so far reaching about 22,500 people (4,500 households) across Gaza out of a total target of 66,000 people. According to WFP, the decision followed improved market supply and aims to expand support for vulnerable groups with limited access to in-kind food and are most at risk of severe malnutrition, including families with malnourished children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, persons with disability, the elderly and female-headed households. WFP emphasized, however, that the “previous ceasefire has proven that famine-like conditions can be reversed if access and safety are guaranteed to reach people in need,” and that “[o]nly a ceasefire will ensure the necessary conditions to allow a massive, large-scale response to prevent famine from spreading further.”
• Since the entry of animal feed into Gaza resumed on 25 August, for the first time in more than five months, the UN and its partners have brought into Gaza about 60 MT of concentrated fodder and distributed it to about 600 livestock owners in Deir al Balah governorate, each receiving two 50-kilogramme sacks, FSS reports. The distribution of animal feed is a critical form of support to livestock-keeping households; it helps sustain surviving animals, contributes to water and solid waste transportation, and supports the local production of fresh, nutritious food – such as meat and dairy products – that are essential for a healthy diet, and currently scarce in Gaza. During the ceasefire, more than 3,000 livestock holders in Deir al Balah, Khan Younis, and Gaza city received over 1,000 MT of animal feed. Such support remains vital amid widespread damage of cropland, agricultural wells, fishing assets, greenhouses and other assets required for food production as well as continued restrictions on the entry of most emergency agricultural and livelihood inputs, such as seed kits and organic fertilizers; according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Famine Review Committee, the destruction of domestic food production systems has been one of the key compounding factors for the catastrophic shortage of food availability inside the Gaza Strip, which prior to October 2023 was largely self-sufficient in nutritious food.
• The lack of dietary diversity in Gaza compromises nutritional intake, increasing the risk of acute malnutrition and related health complications, particularly among children. According to the Nutrition Cluster, all children under five years in Gaza, or about 320,000 children (of whom 290,000 are between six months and five years of age) are at risk of becoming acutely malnourished. With most food items essential for dietary diversity either non-existent or prohibitively expensive, malnutrition cases among children continue to be identified. Nutrition Cluster partners continue to screen children for the early detection and treatment of acute malnutrition cases. Since January 2025 and while data for August is not yet complete, there have been about 44,000 admissions of children across Gaza for acute malnutrition treatment, including more than 8,000 cases suffering from severe acute malnutrition. In one of the cases described by UNICEF’s spokesperson, Tess Ingram, a mother who already had a daughter die of malnutrition has a second daughter who recently relapsed into severe acute malnutrition after being diagnosed with severe malnutrition 15 months earlier and receiving eight months of treatment. The girl is currently hospitalized and urgently requires medical evacuation outside of Gaza to survive. In response to the rising number of malnourished children, Nutrition Cluster partners have distributed between 17 and 30 August over 2,270 cartons of ready-to-use therapeutic food sufficient to treat more than 3,000 children suffering from moderate or severe acute malnutrition for approximately six weeks. Additionally, partners are working to expand the number of stabilization centres in the Gaza Strip from five to eight, which would increase bed capacity and enhance the provision of adequate and timely treatment to a high number of severely malnourished people.
• According to MoH in Gaza, as of 3 September, 367 malnutrition-related deaths, including 131 children, were documented since October 2023. Updated data breakdowns published by MoH on 27 August indicate that of the total, four malnutrition-related deaths were documented in 2023, 49 deaths in 2024, and 260 in between January and 27 August 2025.

Funding

• As of 3 September 2025, Member States have disbursed approximately US$968 million out of the $4 billion (24 per cent) requested to meet the most critical humanitarian needs of three million out of 3.3 million people identified as requiring assistance in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in 2025, under the 2025 Flash Appeal for the OPT. Nearly 88 per cent of the requested funds are for humanitarian response in Gaza, with just over 12 per cent for the West Bank. Moreover, during August 2025, the oPt Humanitarian Fund managed 104 ongoing projects, totalling $62.3 million, to address urgent needs in the Gaza Strip (87 per cent) and the West Bank (13 per cent). Of these projects, 48 are being implemented by INGOs, 42 by national NGOs and 14 by UN agencies. Notably, 35 out of the 62 projects implemented by INGOs or the UN are being implemented in collaboration with national NGOs. For more information, please see OCHA’s Financial Tracking Service webpage and the oPt HF webpage.

1740.

3 september 2025

Gaza Humanitarian Response Update

17 - 30 August 2025

Preparing meals for people in Gaza city, where famine has been confirmed. As of 30 August, 99 kitchens supported by 19 partners were preparing and distributing 468,000 meals daily across the Gaza Strip. Photo by OCHA/Olga Cherevko.

Food Security

Response

• Between 17 and 30 August, partners continued daily convoys to uplift humanitarian food aid from the Kerem Shalom and Zikim crossings, bringing more than 6,900 metric tons (MT) of wheat flour, food parcels, and bulk food supplies into Gaza through the UN-coordinated aid mechanism. Nearly all of this aid was offloaded by hungry crowds or looted by armed gangs along convoy routes, preventing targeted household distributions and delivery to partner warehouses.
• Approximately 60 MT of concentrated fodder entered Gaza for the first time in over five months and was distributed to 600 livestock holders in Deir al Balah, who received two 50-kg sacks of fodder each. More fodder is expected to enter in the coming days to support livestock-keeping households to protect the surviving animals, promote local production of fresh nutritious food, and contribute to water and solid waste transportation.
• As of 30 August, 99 kitchens supported by 19 partners were preparing and distributing 468,000 meals daily across the Gaza Strip – 155,000 in the north and 313,000 in central and southern Gaza. Partners relied on the two per cent of food aid that safely reached warehouses, coupled with resources secured locally from markets. While representing an 80 per cent increase compared to the 260,000 daily meals prepared in early August, this remains far below the over one million meals produced in April with the humanitarian and commercial food stocks and cooking gas entered during the ceasefire.
• Jointly with the Nutrition, WASH and Health clusters, FSS partners continue integrated Famine response efforts. These include: 
  • scaling up cooked meal provision, including for patients and health workers in medical facilities; enhancing water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) conditions in community kitchens, and expanding nutrition service referral mechanisms;
  • promoting small-scale home gardening and community oven initiatives, and expanding cash and voucher assistance - depending on market conditions - to address severe cooking energy gaps and diversify households’ diets; and
  • strengthening real-time monitoring and analysis systems. 
• In parallel, intense advocacy continues with the Israeli authorities to increase the volume of humanitarian and commercial goods approved for entry, with a focus on fresh produce and fortified food, nutrition, health, WASH supplies, and cooking gas.  

Challenges

• Since 20 July, when regular food cargo uplifts from Gaza’s crossings resumed, less than 40 per cent of the 2,000 MT of food supplies required daily to meet basic humanitarian food assistance needs could enter the Strip. 
• Daily, civilians continue to be killed and injured by military forces or due to violence erupting among desperate crowds while trying to access aid, including in the militarized zone near checkpoints waiting for aid convoys and at non-humanitarian militarized distribution sites.
• Despite sustained advocacy, cooking gas has not entered Gaza for more than five months and is no longer available in markets; firewood has also become increasingly unaffordable. Many people are reduced to using waste and scrap wood as alternative cooking sources, exacerbating health and environmental risks. 

Nutrition

Response

• During the reporting period, UNICEF dispatched the following to implementing partners: 
  • over 2,270 cartons of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) sufficient to treat more than 3,000 children suffering from moderate or severe acute malnutrition for approximately six weeks;
  • more than 1,440 packs of ready-to-use complementary food (RUCF) to support more than 1,400 infants and young children for a minimum of two weeks;
  • 2,300 boxes of High-Energy Biscuits (HEBs) for 4,600 pregnant and breastfeeding women (PBW) for two weeks. 
• During the past week, UNICEF safely collected another 14 trucks of nutrition supplies, including 164,926 packs of complementary food, 3,087 cartons of therapeutic food, 4,452 boxes of Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements-Small Quantity (LNS-SQ), and 4,606 boxes of High-Energy Biscuits. The Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements will be distributed to over 150,000 children in northern Gaza over a two-week period to prevent a further deterioration of malnutrition rates. Ongoing population movement from north to south, however, poses a significant risk to planned distribution efforts. Ready-to-use complementary food will be distributed to partners across the Gaza Strip, aiming to support more than 50,000 children over a two-week period.
• Nutrition Cluster partners continue to actively screen children for early detection and treatment of acute malnutrition. During the first two weeks of August, according to preliminary data, a total of 58,617 children were screened, of whom 5,894 were diagnosed with acute malnutrition, including 1,840 in the most severe form. Since January, a total of 42,306 children has been diagnosed with acute malnutrition, including 8,141 with severe forms.
• In response to the rising number of severely malnourished children presenting with medical complications, Health and Nutrition cluster partners are working to expand the number of Stabilization Centres from four to eight, to ensure timely and adequate treatment. Between 22 and 30 August, the Ministry of Health reported 65 mortalities linked to malnutrition, including 12 children, 11 of whom were under age 5.   

Challenges

• WFP’s Blanket and Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programmes remain on hold due to the lack of Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements, leaving approximately 150,000 PBW and 290,000 children without essential nutrition support.  
• The ongoing intensified Israeli military operations in Gaza city risk to completely disrupt nutrition service delivery across the governorate. In North Gaza, all 12 nutrition sites have already closed.  

Health

Response

• UNDP has donated 10 hemodialysis machines and beds to the recently rehabilitated Hind Al-Daghma Specialized Kidney Centre at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis. With 35 machines currently operational, the patient-to-machine ratio has improved from 9:1, to approximately 7:1, reducing overcrowding and allowing more patients to be treated in line with international standards—three dialysis sessions per week, each lasting at least three hours. 
• Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has operationalized a Cardiac Catheterization Department at its Al Quds Hospital in Gaza city. With the catheterization centres at the Al Shifa and European Gaza hospitals damaged and non-operational, this facility restores access to cardiac interventions, including central and peripheral vessel catheterizations, enabling timely diagnosis and treatment of acute cardiac conditions. 
• UNICEF has distributed 16,000 packs of diapers to Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), maternity wards and partners. Another 20,000 packs have been collected from the crossings and will soon be distributed. Caffeine citrate to treat respiratory illnesses in premature babies was also collected, and coordination is ongoing to dispatch it to health facilities. 
• In response to the critical lack of blood supplies, UNRWA launched a second-round blood donation campaign across five health facilities in Khan Younis.   
• WHO facilitated the medical evacuation of 82 critical patients, of whom 55 children, to the UAE, Jordan, and the UK, alongside their 154 companions. 
• UNFPA distributed to UNRWA and Ministry of Health clinics six types of inter-agency reproductive health (IARH) kits to support an estimated 2,500 PBW, newborns and women and girls of reproductive age, alongside contraceptive pills for approximately 9,000 women. UNFPA also continues monitoring daily deliveries across health facilities; during the last week, 845 deliveries were recorded, including 209 cesarean sections. 
• UNFPA, jointly with WHO, the Ministry of Health and the local NGO Juzoor conducted a three-day training on the Clinical Management of Rape, while the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS) launched the first cycle of a family planning training in Gaza city, with two additional cycles planned. The training collectively reached 50 NGO and MoH personnel.  
• As of 30 August, 86 Health Cluster partners were active in Gaza, with 55 directly supporting 229 of the 236 still partially functioning health facilities across the Strip, including 18 hospitals, 10 field hospitals, 68 primary healthcare centres, and 117 medical points.   

Challenges

• UNRWA health facilities continue to serve around 132,000 patients with non-communicable diseases despite facing dire shortages of medical supplies. Insulin stocks will be exhausted within one to two weeks, leaving at least 16,000 diabetic patients without an essential part of their treatment. 
• Acute Watery Diarrhea remains the second most reported health condition, accounting for 37 per cent of total reported morbidity. Shortages and restrictions in the entry of chlorination supplies, including chlorine tablets, continue to undermine household-level water treatment and system-level disinfection (wells, trucking, desalination), directly compromising drinking water safety and contributing to the continuing surge in diarrheal infections. 
• Due to displacement orders in Jabalya, the local NGO Juzoor closed the last two medical points in North Gaza and is relocating to western parts of Gaza city. Presently, only one hospital, one ambulance center, and one medical point remain partially functional in the North Gaza governorate.
• Despite continued advocacy for the protection of health facilities, attacks on healthcare continue. On 25 August, the Nasser Medical Complex’s main surgical and emergency response building was struck; 20 fatalities were reported, including journalists, civil defense, and health workers. Operating theatres and sterilization departments sustained damage which is currently under assessment. On 30 August, an airstrike also hit the out-patient compound of the Al Aqsa Hospital in Deir al Balah, with two people reported injured. As of 6 August, WHO had recorded 772 health attacks in Gaza since October 2023, resulting in 929 fatalities and 1,000 injuries.  

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

Response

• As of 30 August, 38 WASH Cluster partners continued to truck approximately 15,303 cubic metres (m3) of drinking water per day to 1,615 water collection points across the Gaza Strip. This represents a 13 per cent increase in drinking water distribution compared to the previous two weeks. The trucking operation remains the most versatile means of water supply; it can rapidly adapt to population movements and changes in water production, but its continuity and expansion hinges on securing sufficient funding for fuel and the entry of critical spare parts and consumables for generators, treatment systems and vehicles.  
• During the reporting period, a desalination plant able to generate eight m³ of drinking water per day was installed and commenced operations in the Mawasi area of Khan Younis; two domestic water wells with a capacity of 13.5 m³/day were also rehabilitated in two separate neighborhoods of the same governorate.  
• WASH Cluster partners distributed household-level hygiene kits to 6,124 families (approximately 30,000 people) across 37 displacement sites in the North Gaza, Gaza, Deir al Balah and Khan Younis governorates, as well as specialized hygiene kits for 381 children and newborns. Partners also disseminated Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials to raise awareness of water, sanitation and hygiene issues across three municipalities of Khan Younis. 
• Between July and August, approximately 1,500 communal latrines were installed or rehabilitated in 28 sites across seven municipalities of the Gaza Strip; these include shelters, schools, and other locations hosting displaced households.  
• Limited solid waste management operations continued in the Gaza, Deir al Balah and Khan Younis governorates, with primary waste collection ongoing in 30 neighborhoods, and secondary collection taking place in eight municipalities. As access to official landfills remains restricted, partners are utilizing seven temporary dumping sites, four of which are in Deir al Balah, two in Gaza and one in Rafah.  
• In partnership with the United Arab Emirates, the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU) completed the installation of a 6.7-kilometre main water trunkline connecting the UAE-funded seawater desalination plant on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing to southern Gaza. The system is currently under trial operation and is not yet delivering at full capacity. The plan is to distribute water to displaced households through 50 water tanks of five m3 each, positioned across IDP locations, to install three water trucking filling stations and to supply the water network in Khan Younis.

Challenges

• Only one of the three Mekorot water lines supplying Gaza from Israel remains operational - the Al Muntar line in Gaza city. The Bani Saeed line in Deir al Balah has been out of service since it was damaged on 22 January, though repairs have been approved and are currently underway. The Bani Suhaila line in Khan Younis was damaged on 13 August, and repair work has yet to be approved. Seawater and brackish desalination plants, along with groundwater wells, remain operational, but restricted access to key facilities and lack of spare parts and consumables are reducing water production and distribution capacity.  
• The displacement order issued in Gaza city on 26 August undermined access to seven critical WASH facilities: three water wells, three wastewater pumping stations, and the Sheikh Radwan Pond, which served as Gaza city’s main rainwater-collection basin. The Pond has reached critical levels several times due to limited fuel for pumping and is now contaminated with untreated sewage. Without sustained access to the site and reliable operation of the pumping stations that empty it, even limited rainfall could trigger overflow, potentially flooding surrounding neighborhoods and significantly increasing the risk of waterborne disease outbreaks and groundwater contamination.  
• Due to lack of fuel, infrastructural damage and restricted access, all wastewater treatment plants in Gaza have been out of service since October 2023, forcing partners to divert sewage into stormwater basins and the sea. Over 130,000 metres of pipelines are damaged, most pumping stations are non-functional, and untreated sewage continues to flow into streets, shelters, and residential areas, posing significant public health risks. 
• Restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities on the entry of reverse osmosis membranes and spare parts – including generators, pipes, fittings, and other essential components – continue to severely hinder WASH partners’ ability to repair and maintain critical WASH services.

Protection

Response

• Mine Action – Mine Action partners participated in six inter-agency missions and conducted six explosive hazard assessments to support the safety of humanitarian operations and reduce explosive-ordnance (EO) related risks for communities. Partners also reached 38,123 people, including 2,813 children, through 1,428 Explosive Ordnance Risk Education & Conflict Preparedness and Protection (EORE-CPP) sessions in Gaza, Deir al Balah, and Khan Younis governorates. Since October 2023, a total of 119 EO-related incidents have been documented, resulting in 46 fatalities and 228 injuries. 
• Child Protection (CP) – In response to large scale population displacement from Gaza city due to the ongoing intensified Israeli military offensive, CP partners are establishing safe spaces in Mawasi for displaced children arriving from the north, distributing ID bracelets, and deploying trained volunteers to help prevent family separation and enable rapid reunification efforts. Two-way referral mechanisms with Health and Nutrition partners are active, ensuring children with malnutrition, distress, or neglect receive specialized follow-up.
• CP actors continued to provide case management services for an average of 45-50 highly vulnerable children a day, including child survivors of violence and GBV, unaccompanied and separated children (UASC), and children with conflict-related injuries; delivered Psychological First Aid and structured psychosocial support to 6,500 children and caregivers, and reached around 200 caregivers daily with awareness sessions on child protection and caregiving in crisis. 
• In August alone, 73 children, of whom 34 girls, were reunified with their families and caregivers through partners’ efforts. 
• To further strengthen frontline response capacity, CP actors trained 132 Health Cluster partners on safe identification of children with protection concerns and referral pathways, 57 CP staff on Remote Case Management to improve service delivery in hard-to-reach areas, and 31 call center operators, of whom 28 females, on child safeguarding, child-sensitive communication, and safe referrals. 
• Gender-based violence (GBV) – In response to the military escalation in Gaza city, partners successfully relocated GBV survivors from a safe shelter in Gaza city to the south to prevent high-risk cases from being caught in the hostilities. They are working with the Shelter Cluster and other partners to request tents and secure food distributions for vulnerable protection cases.
• Operating through 14 Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSSs) and mobile teams across Gaza, GBV partners provided: 
  • psychosocial support to 1,570 women and girls, including 23 persons with disabilities
  • case management to 38 GBV survivors 
  • legal awareness, mediation, and counselling services to more than 1,075 people, of whom 905 women and girls, alongside individual legal consultations for 24 GBV survivors, and follow up to 11 custody cases.
  • Psychological First Aid and mental health awareness sessions to 480 women and girls, and community awareness workshops for an additional 218 participants
  • jointly with UNFPA, hygiene and dignity kits were also distributed to 189 women and girls to address the most urgent needs in overcrowded settings
• The GBV Area of Responsibility (AoR) trained 22 frontline responders from 11 organizations on GBV Case Management in Deir al Balah, focusing on strategies to adapt service delivery amidst repeated displacement, limited services, and insecurity. This was the first face-to-face GBV case management training since October 2023
• Legal Task Force (LTF) – In light of the intensified military operation in Gaza city and the potential forced displacement of its population, the LTF has been prioritizing contingency planning to sustain operations despite rapidly changing conditions: 
  • collaboration with document preparers and lawyers to provide provisional documentation and attestations, building on simplified procedures used during previous escalations;
  • prioritizing urgent cases related to loss or destruction of civil/legal documents;
  • adaptive service delivery combining remote modalities, flexible staffing, and partner coordination to ensure continuity of services both in Gaza city and in receiving locations should displacement occur.

Challenges

• Connectivity disruptions, overcrowding, and lack of safe spaces in displacement sites.
• Shortages of supplies, fuel, and funding limit case management and threaten the continuity of lifesaving child protection and GBV services. The restricted entry of essential items like tents limits safe accommodation for displaced women and girls.
• High transport costs and lack of dedicated storage space in the south hinder relocation of services and supplies.
• Staff are exhausted, themselves affected by displacement, and there is a shortage of trained case workers, trauma counsellors, and protection professionals.

Shelter

Response

• Only 208 tents have reached Gaza since 16 August when Israeli authorities lifted the ban on the entry of shelter items. These arrived on 30 August via Kerem Shalom. Shelter Cluster partners are ready to receive shelter items and NFIs, and have the capacity to distribute them as soon as materials flow in. Most partners have already identified existing sites and beneficiaries along the Strip. 
• To ensure an effective response amid massive needs, the Cluster: 
  • published a Targeting and Prioritization Guidance Note to support partners in identifying the most vulnerable households in existing displacement sites;
  • activated a joint Information Management Cell with the Site Management Cluster to enhance coordination and fast-track the response; 
  • set up a Rapid Reporting Tool for partners to report immediately on any response activities or materials received;
  • worked with the Protection Cluster to expand its internal referral system and ensure that cases in urgent need of shelter assistance are directly referred to the Shelter Cluster. 
• Over the past two weeks, Shelter partners distributed clothing vouchers to 1,450 targeted households in Gaza city, and 1,200 households in central and southern Gaza. 

Challenges

• More than 86,000 tents, over 1 million tarpaulins and sealing-off kits, and some 5 million non-food items are currently in the Shelter Cluster pipeline awaiting clearance and entry into Gaza.

Multi-purpose Cash Assistance

Response

• Between 17 and 30 August, partners distributed Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) to 6,800 households, prioritizing newly displaced families or those identified as being highly vulnerable through existing programme databases. Each household received 1,000 NIS (approximately US$295), delivered via payment codes or direct transfers to their digital wallets. Since the beginning of August, thanks to the entry of limited commercial supplies, digital payment acceptance partially increased across the supply chain.

Challenges

• Persistent liquidity shortages, coupled with lack of transportation due to exorbitant fuel prices and movement restrictions, continued to hinder MPCA recipients’ access to the scant goods available within the Gaza Strip.  
• Market prices remain highly volatile and purchasing power is severely compromised, leaving most families unable to afford even basic necessities. While the price of flour decreased to between 7 and 14 NIS per kilogram, vegetables remain inaccessible to most. Diapers and tomatoes remain among the most expensive items, with prices recorded at 170 to 300 NIS per pack and 50 to 130 NIS per kilogram, respectively. Prices continue to fluctuate daily due to instability in market supply, largely driven by ongoing access constraints. Sustained, large-scale deliveries of humanitarian and commercial goods are urgently required to stabilize availability, pricing, and affordability of essential items.  Cash withdrawal fees remained elevated at 33 per cent.

Site Management

Response

• Following the Israeli-announced intensified military operations in northern Gaza, the Site Management Cluster conducted a rapid intention survey among already displaced communities in Gaza city to identify key risks and priority needs for different population groups, and has set up population flow monitoring points in strategic locations to collect real-time data on displacement movements and inform operational planning and contingency preparedness. 
• A total of six reception points have also been established, one of which is currently operational on Ar Rasheed Road, to provide immediate support to people on the move. Jointly with the WASH and Protection Cluster, water tanks and handwashing stations have been installed and a Protection Desk has been set up at these locations to assist separated and unaccompanied children at risk. 

Challenges

• Rodents and insects continue to spread in and around displacement sites due to the accumulation of rubble and high temperatures. Rodents, including rats, have contaminated food supplies belonging to displaced families, posing serious health and safety risks.

Education

Response

• As of 30 August, 295 out of 626 Temporary Learning Spaces (TLSs) were operational, of which 102 are in Khan Younis, 99 in Deir al Balah, 88 in the Gaza governorate, and six in North Gaza. The Education Cluster has now identified 37 locations for the establishment of new TLSs.  Of these, seven sites with the capacity to support 14,000 school-aged children have already been set up in Gaza city and are ready to begin students’ enrolment.
• An initial allocation of 6,000 litres of diesel has been secured for Education Cluster members, with the distribution split between north and south. While weekly allocations will depend on quantities received, the current provision will enable partners’ mobility, limited printing of teaching materials needed for the new academic year, and the transportation of any available supplies for the reopening of learning spaces.  

Challenges

• During the reporting period, at least two schools serving as shelters for internally displaced people were hit by airstrikes in Gaza city. These incidents further compound the widespread destruction of education infrastructure, undermining what remains of the education system and carrying grave implications for the humanitarian response.
• As of 26 August, according to the Ministry of Education, at least 739 education personnel and 17,085 students had been killed, while 3,091 education personnel and 25,213 students had been injured since October 2023.
• Ongoing restrictions on the entry of educational supplies, such as notebooks, pens, pencils and play items, are critically limiting children’s ability to learn. 
• While the Ministry of Education has progressed with plans to administer the Tawjihi (secondary school completion) exams, serious barriers remain. While to date, 25,000 out of 35,000 students from the academic year 2023/24 have registered, many lack the necessary devices, internet access, or electricity to take the exams online. Partners have secured some tablets to support candidates, but these remain blocked in the West Bank.

Logistics

Response

• Between 17 and 28 August, the Logistics Cluster collected 8,675 pallets of aid into Gaza from the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem and Erez West (Zikim) crossings on behalf of four partners.
• The Logistics Cluster’s Back-to-Back (B2B) transport facilitation service from Amman at no-cost to users, was extended until 30 September 2025. 
• During the reporting period, the Logistics Cluster facilitated access to three Government-to-Government (G2G) convoys from Jordan for a total of 13 trucks on behalf of one partner; of the 13, only 10 offloaded food items at Erez West (Zikim), following repeated rejections. In addition, one Back-to-Back (B2B) convoy was facilitated on behalf of one partner for a total of eight trucks carrying shelter items, which all offloaded at the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem platform.

Challenges

• The worsening security conditions inside Gaza continue to heavily impact humanitarian logistics operations, with all Logistics Cluster convoys facing looting and security incidents.
• Since the limited aid resumption 19 May, only ten organisations have been authorized by the Israeli authorities to manifest their trucks. This remains the fundamental impediment for partners to mobilize aid to Gaza. 
• In Egypt, the number of trucks returned daily remains high. No clear explanation is provided except for the congestion at the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing. The scanning capacity in Ashdod continues to be severely affected by the Israeli authorities’ requirement to physically inspect all aid cargo containers, with only very limited quantities of aid cleared daily. 
• The previous suspension of the B2B convoy from Jordan and subsequent restrictions on aid types on this modality by the Israeli authorities, has reduced the number of B2B convoys facilitated by the Logistics Cluster to only one during the month of August.  
• The West Bank route remains highly restricted. As of 28 August, three organisations had been able to send 59 trucks of food and health items to Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem. Organizations’ bilateral coordination with Israeli authorities is required.

Emergency Telecommunications (ETC)

Response

• Secure Very High Frequency (VHF) radio communications between Deir Al Balah and Jerusalem, previously disrupted by technical delays and escalation of hostilities, have been re-established. ETC, UNDSS, and partners are refining the system and preparing user training to enhance the safety and security of humanitarians in Gaza. 
• The ETC’s US$1.2 million fuel support for the telecommunications sector in Gaza, which was initiated in July, was entirely depleted as of 29 August. ETC is working with partners to source the urgent funding needed for fuel to sustain critical telecom services.

Challenges

• Continued hostilities have caused significant damage to telecommunications infrastructure in Gaza, resulting in severe disruption of connectivity services. Access impediments and restrictions on importing vital ICT equipment further impede recovery efforts, limiting the ETC's capacity to implement its planned services in support of humanitarian operations. 

Protection against sexual abuse and exploitation (PSEA) remains a cross-cutting priority for all clusters. Aid distribution must be delivered with dignity and respect. Any wrongdoing can be reported through SAWA’s toll-free number 164. SAWA will assist and provide services free of charge and with the utmost confidentiality.

To promote accountability to affected people, the online Humanitarian Service Directory provides information on aid services, helplines, and key messages, and is available via hyperlink and QR code.

1739.

3 september 2025

Today's headlines

What it’s like to be a midwife in Gaza during Israel’s genocide

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Midwives in Gaza are on the front lines fighting against extermination, trying to save this generation and the next, as the Israeli-imposed famine causes a birthing crisis in the Strip.

How Israel is ‘managing’ the famine in Gaza by using local merchants

Tareq S. Hajjaj

Israel is “managing” the famine in Gaza by targeting aid shipments while allowing some goods to reach local markets only if merchants pay the military an exorbitant fee. The system accomplishes two goals: engineering starvation and creating chaos.

1738.

3 september 2025

Beste BDS-er,

BDS Nederland is een nieuwe campagne gestart om Kamer en regering nog eens extra duidelijk te maken dat juist Nederland moet stoppen met Israël te steunen. Nooit meer is echt nü.

Met een paar simpele stappen kun je zorgen dat ze niet meer om ons heen kunnen.

Een strijdbare groet van het docP team; blijf BDS-en!

Eis onmiddellijke actie onder internationaal rechtHoud de macht ter verantwoording. Mail de Nederlandse regering!

De genocide in Gaza móet stoppen – Nederland kan en mag niet wegkijken. BDS Nederland is een nieuwe campagne gestart waarmee  je onze bestuurders direct ter verantwoording kan roepen.

Nederland is niet zomaar een van Israëls investeerders: het is Israëls grootste financiële steunpilaar binnen de EU. Geen enkel ander land ter wereld investeert meer in Israël, concludeerde de Nederlandse onderzoeksorganisatie SOMO in haar rapport eind juli. Elke euro die wordt verhandeld of geïnvesteerd, bindt Nederland dieper aan Israëls economie van genocide.

Het internationaal recht is helder. Bestuurders zijn verantwoordelijk voor hun keuzes - en voor hun zwijgen en gebrek aan daadkracht. Samen kunnen burgers hen ter verantwoording roepen.

Op end-dutch-complicity.nl, onze nieuwe campagnesite, vind je de middelen (zoals e-mailadressen en juridische onderbouwing), om onmiddellijk actie te eisen in overeenstemming met het internationaal recht.

1737.

3 september 2025

AJP Action urges DOJ to investigate AIPAC and ADL for potential FARA registration

Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action) calls out the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for its glaring hypocrisy in its lack of response to President Donald Trump’s recent admission about the overwhelming influence of the pro-Israel lobby in Washington.

In an interview with the Daily Caller, Trump declared:

“If you go back 20 years... Israel had the strongest lobby in Congress of anything or body, or of any company or corporation or state that I’ve ever seen. Israel was the strongest… There was a time where you couldn’t speak bad, if you wanted to be a politician, you couldn’t speak badly [of Israel].”

For decades now, the ADL has weaponized accusations of antisemitism to silence Palestinians, advocates, and members of Congress who have exposed the influence of AIPAC and the broader Israel lobby on our government. By its own logic, Trump’s remarks should be denounced as antisemitic. Yet the ADL, which has repeatedly shielded Trump and his allies, remains silent—revealing its manipulative and bad-faith outrage.

“This is not about antisemitism,” said Dr. Osama Abu Irshaid, Executive Director of AJP Action. “It is about protecting Israel and its genocidal policies at all costs. The ADL has smeared anyone who dares to criticize the Zionist lobby as antisemitic, but when Trump repeats the same analysis, they stay quiet. Their double standard exposes them as political actors, not protectors of human rights.”

Trump’s comments confirm what Palestinians and the majority of the American public have long argued: that AIPAC, the ADL, and similar organizations function as proxies for a foreign government, routinely placing Israeli interests above American ones. These groups demand that pro-Palestinian activists be labeled as foreign agents, while their own relentless advocacy for Israel escapes scrutiny.

The hypocrisy is now undeniable. By refusing to apply its so-called standards equally, the ADL has shown that its real mission is not combating antisemitism but defending Israel’s war crimes and silencing dissent in the United States.

AJP Action calls on Congress and the Justice Department to investigate whether organizations like AIPAC and the ADL should be registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). American democracy must not be held hostage by groups whose loyalty lies with Israel’s apartheid and genocidal policies.

Trump himself admitted what millions already know: the pro-Israel lobby has distorted U.S. policy for decades, advocates for Palestine have always been right, and real change must come down to protect American democracy from Israel.

In solidarity,
Americans for Justice in Palestine Action

1736.

3 september 2025

1735.

2 september 2025

Today's headlines

CUNY students win landmark legal case demanding the school disclose investments linked to Gaza genocide

Claudia Gohn

In a landmark victory for student activists, the Supreme Court of New York ruled that CUNY must disclose the school's financial portfolio, specifically contracts with businesses connected to the genocide in Gaza.

1734.

1 september 2025

CAF is deeply implicated in maintaining and expanding Israel’s so-called Jerusalem Light Rail’s Red Line and is constructing the new Green Line. These lines link illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank with West Jerusalem. These settlements involve the illegal occupation of Palestinian land and the forcible displacement of Palestinians, war crimes under international law.

Last week, a petition was filed before the Belgian Council of State demanding the exclusion of the Spanish/Basque company CAF from a €3 billion contract with the National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS/SNCB). The case was initiated by Al Haq Europe, Intal, Vrede and 11.11.11, represented by Progress Lawyers Network.

Join our social media storm ahead of tomorrow's hearing. Use the sample social posts or create your own to message/tweet at NMBS/SNCB, reply to their posts, and make clear that CAF must be dropped because of its complicity in apartheid, illegal occupation and ethnic cleansing.

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Click here for sample social media posts.

Belgian taxpayer money should never contribute, in any way, to gross human rights violations. The National Railway Company has a legal obligation to have a human rights procurement policy that prevents investment in, or contracts with, companies complicit in grave human rights violations anywhere, including in Palestine.

If CAF doesn’t face serious consequences for its criminal complicity, other corporations will follow. If we win, we set a precedent for accountability — in Belgium and beyond.

1733.

1 september 2025

Today's headlines

In Israel, ‘animals in human form’ may be killed

Tamir Sorek

Polls consistently show that Jewish Israelis view Palestinians as less than human. This deep-seated racism is rooted in the Zionist colonial project and helps explain the broad support for the Gaza genocide.

Why Arab campaigns to boycott Israel aren’t working

Amena al-Ashkar

The tools of boycott and public protest are inherited from the period of direct colonial rule. We need to adapt these tools to target where the centers of power lie today in our region: Arab capital.

How I became an antisemite

G. Thomas Couser

All my life, I have felt a strong affinity with Jewish people, but now that my employer, Columbia University, has adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism, I suddenly find myself labeled an "antisemite" because I oppose Palestinian oppression.

1732.

CARE

1 september 2025

De hongerdood is in Gaza geen dreiging meer, maar dagelijkse realiteit. Het is onvoorstelbaar dat vooral moeders en kinderen een langzame en pijnlijke dood door honger tegemoet gaan.

“Wij zien baby’s van een paar maanden oud die nog maar 2 kilo wegen. Er komen steeds meer uitgehongerde kinderen bij. Dit is mensonterend,” zegt Deniz Dönmez, persvoorlichter van CARE Nederland.

Door geweld en blokkades is er nauwelijks toegang meer tot voedsel en water. Toch voeren we dagelijks hulpacties uit en geven medische zorg aan moeders en baby's in onze kliniek. Het is te weinig voor deze vreselijke situatie, maar samen doen we wat mogelijk is en schalen we op wanneer dat kan.

1731.