Palestinians

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has publicly called for war in the occupied West Bank, according to Al Jazeera. The remarks from a senior figure in Israel's government have drawn attention amid already heightened tensions and ongoing military operations in the Palestinian territory. Critics are likely to view the statement as an escalation of rhetoric from within the cabinet regarding Israel's conduct in the occupied territories.

Israel's finance minister has called for the military to wage a Gaza-style war in the occupied West Bank, drawing attention to growing Israeli debate over expanding the campaign beyond Gaza. The remarks come as violence in the West Bank intensifies and critics warn such a campaign would worsen the humanitarian situation and further inflame tensions with the Palestinian population.

Gaza health authorities report the Palestinian death toll in the Gaza war has risen above 74,000 since the conflict began in October 2023. The figure comes as fighting continues and humanitarian conditions in the territory worsen, and it features in a roundup of Middle East developments alongside other regional news.

Gaza's Health Ministry says the Palestinian death toll from the war in Gaza has passed 74,000. The figure, released as the conflict continues, marks another grim milestone in one of the deadliest wars in recent memory. The ministry's count does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, and officials have warned the true toll is likely higher, with many bodies still under rubble.

An Israeli victim of terrorism has sharply criticised French President Emmanuel Macron after he made a claim about Hamas, saying his comment was comparable to denying the sun will come up. The remark has drawn attention amid ongoing debate over France's stance on Hamas and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Several Palestinians were wounded in shelling attributed to Israeli forces on the Gaza Strip, according to a Fana News report. No details were given on the victims' conditions or the exact location of the strikes. The incident comes amid continuing violence in Gaza, which remains the focus of regional and international attention.

Israeli forces carried out a strike on the Gaza Strip, killing one Palestinian and wounding another, according to regional news reports. The strike is the latest deadly incident in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian groups in Gaza, where military operations and cross-border violence have continued to claim civilian casualties.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for carrying out in the occupied West Bank what Israel has done in Gaza, a remark that has drawn sharp attention amid the ongoing war. His comments are being read as a call for intensified military action against Palestinians in the West Bank, where violence and settlement expansion have already surged, and have sparked criticism of the Israeli government's far-right leadership.

Reuters reports that Israeli bulldozers have destroyed Palestinian olive trees in the West Bank shortly before the annual olive harvest, a season that is economically and culturally vital to Palestinian communities. The destruction adds to tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, with the harvest often marked by disputes over land access and settler violence.

Palestinians displaced from Tulkarem and other West Bank cities are facing severe economic hardship, with many forced deeper into debt and poverty amid ongoing conflict and displacement. The report highlights how families who fled their homes are struggling to cover basic living costs, borrowing to survive, and facing a worsening financial situation with no clear path back home or to stable incomes.

Hamas has criticised the Board of Peace, the body overseeing arrangements for Gaza, after it refused to cooperate with UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. The dispute centres on who will deliver aid and services in the territory. Hamas says sidelining UNRWA undermines international legitimacy and Palestinian rights, while the Board of Peace's stance highlights ongoing tensions over the agency's future role.

Displaced Palestinians in Gaza describe empty hands and dwindling means of survival, saying they lack food, shelter and the basics to keep their families going. Al Jazeera's reporting captures people uprooted repeatedly by the war, now unable to provide for themselves amid severe shortages and halted aid. The testimonies highlight the daily struggle of hundreds of thousands living in tents and overcrowded shelters.

A surprise report alleges the Board of Peace has "functioned to further entrench Israel's unlawful presence" in Gaza. It questions why the mandate given to the Board by the UN Security Council "is being used to violate the most fundamental rights of the Palestinians." The findings have drawn attention as critics say the body set up to stabilize Gaza may instead be undermining Palestinian rights there.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for military conflict in the occupied West Bank, telling Ynet News that Israel needs to 'go to war in Judea and Samaria' and replicate the operations conducted in Gaza. His remarks have drawn sharp criticism from Palestinians and international observers, who warn such a campaign would escalate violence across the territory and worsen the humanitarian situation there.

Israeli soldiers posed with an elderly Palestinian woman, saying they were evacuating her from a dangerous area. An investigation later found that the same unit shot her in the back of the head shortly after the photo was taken. The case is drawing outrage online, with renewed criticism of the conduct of Israeli forces toward Palestinian civilians during the war and calls for accountability.

Palestinians displaced from Tulkarem and other West Bank cities describe being unable to meet basic needs, with one telling Al Jazeera 'my hands are empty'. The report highlights how forced displacement has left families without income, homes or possessions. Readers are sharing the accounts to draw attention to worsening conditions across the occupied West Bank alongside the war in Gaza.

The Jerusalem Post reports on a forgotten Sbarro exhibit that, according to the paper, exposed what it calls a culture of Palestinian violence. The Sbarro pizzeria in Jerusalem was the site of a deadly 2001 suicide bombing, and the exhibit reportedly revisits that attack and its context. Coverage frames the exhibit as a reminder of the attack and debate over how Palestinian violence is portrayed.