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Days of Palestine
4 days ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Israeli Army Issues New Evacuation Orders in Southwest of Deir Al-Balah for First Time
DayofPal– The Israeli military issued new evacuation orders on Sunday morning targeting southwestern areas of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, escalating the ongoing displacement crisis in the besieged Palestinian enclave. The evacuation orders affect residential blocks numbered 130, 132 through 134, 136 through 139, and block 2351. The directive includes all civilians residing in homes or makeshift tents within these areas. Residents were instructed to evacuate immediately and head toward the coastal 'Al-Mawasi' zone in western Khan Younis, a designated 'humanitarian area' under repeated strain from overcrowding and limited resources. This latest wave of displacement comes amid growing concern from international organizations over the scale and impact of forced evacuations across Gaza. A recent report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) revealed that as of May 28, approximately 81% of Gaza's total land area has been designated as either closed military zones or under active evacuation orders. Since March 18 alone, the Israeli military has issued at least 31 evacuation orders, affecting nearly 229.4 square kilometers of land, territories still under enforced displacement mandates. Meanwhile, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reports that at least 1.9 million Palestinians, roughly 90% of Gaza's population, have been displaced since the war began. Many families have been uprooted multiple times, with some displaced ten times or more over the course of the conflict. The war, which began on October 7, 2023, continues with full U.S. backing, leaving Gaza in a state of unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. More than 195,000 Palestinians have been killed or injured, the vast majority of them women and children. The war has devastated the Strip's infrastructure, collapsed its health system, and left millions facing hunger and homelessness. Humanitarian agencies warn that without a ceasefire and a meaningful political solution, the situation will only deteriorate further. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Israel's 'Humanitarian City' Atop Rafah Ruins Increases Tension in Israel
DayofPal– Israel's planned 'humanitarian city' in Rafah is facing major challenges that could lead to a prolonged delay, amid growing tension between Israel's political and military leadership, Israeli newspaper Maariv revealed. During a meeting of the 'narrow cabinet' on Sunday evening, the security establishment presented new data showing that the project would take about a year or more to complete, at a cost of tens of billions of shekels, contrary to earlier estimates of five to six months. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the current plan, calling it unfeasible and unacceptable, and demanded a plan that could be implemented within a reasonable timeframe. Meanwhile, he reaffirmed his intention to move forward with a ceasefire deal but emphasized that Israel reserves the right to resume the war at a later stage. A military source present at the meeting said that evacuating the tens of thousands of residents, as the plan requires, would take several months at least. Tensions are expected to persist, with another narrow cabinet meeting scheduled for Tuesday, followed by a full meeting of the security-political cabinet on Wednesday to continue discussions on the plan's future. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says the 'humanitarian city' that the Israeli government wants to build on the ruins of Rafah would be a concentration camp. 'There is no other understanding.' 'It is a concentration camp. I am sorry,' he told the Guardian newspaper. 'If they [Palestinians] will be deported into the new 'humanitarian city', then you can say that this is part of an ethnic cleansing. It hasn't yet happened,' Olmert said. 'When they build a camp where they [plan to] 'clean' more than half of Gaza, then the inevitable understanding of the strategy of this [is that] it is not to save [Palestinians]. It is to deport them, to push them and to throw them away. There is no other understanding that I have at least,' he added. Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has also criticised the government's plan, saying if Palestinians are not allowed to leave, the plan amounts to creating a concentration camp. Israeli military also said Gaza 'Humanitarian City' could jeopardize hostage negotiations, outlining logistical, operational, and diplomatic challenges surrounding the proposal. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Palestinian Tribal Coalition Denounces US-Israeli GHF After Requesting Name Lists
DayofPal– The Palestinian National Gathering of Tribes and Clans has issued a stern warning to local leaders and mukhtars across Gaza, urging them not to cooperate with the US-Israeli Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The coalition's warning comes after the organization reportedly requested lists of names from several mukhtars, claiming it was part of efforts to coordinate aid distribution. In a strongly worded public statement, the tribal coalition accused GHF of functioning as a 'military and security proxy for the Israeli occupation army,' asserting that the group's activities serve Israeli military interests rather than humanitarian needs. 'We will not eat from the hand that helped kill us,' the statement read, squarely blaming the organization for the deaths of more than 800 Palestinians, over 5,252 injuries, and 42 missing persons near GHF-operated 'aid points.' These sites, the statement noted, have come to be referred to by many Gazans as 'death traps.' The coalition stressed that GHF 'cannot be trusted and should be treated as a hostile actor,' warning that any local leader cooperating with the organization would face 'national, legal, and tribal accountability.' In a significant escalation, the group declared that any mukhtar who engages with GHF would have their official seal revoked by governing authorities. The warning aligns with recent alerts from the Gaza Government Media Office, which confirmed a mounting death toll at GHF distribution sites and criticized the organization's role in exacerbating the already dire humanitarian crisis. Rejecting the notion of GHF as a neutral aid provider, the tribal coalition maintained that the foundation's operations are deeply entangled with Israeli strategic goals. Far from alleviating suffering, they argue, the organization's presence in Gaza contributes to worsening conditions amid a tightening Israeli blockade and the looming threat of famine. 'We will not be a tool against our own people,' the tribes declared. 'The Palestinian people will not accept aid tainted with blood or political agendas.' The growing backlash against GHF highlights the increasing mistrust surrounding international aid efforts in Gaza, as local leaders and civil society actors demand accountability and transparency in humanitarian interventions. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Euro-Med Demands Prosecution of Trump, Shutdown of GHF Over Aid Massacres
DayofPal– Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor is calling for the immediate closure of the Israeli-American Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and the prosecution of U.S. President Donald Trump, accusing both of complicity in acts of genocide in the Gaza Strip. In a sharply worded statement, the rights group accused Israel, the United States, and complicit governments of systematic war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly at aid distribution points that have become deadly zones for desperate Palestinian civilians. According to Euro-Med, these sites, managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation with the support of Israeli forces and American private security contractors, have been turned into 'arenas of mass slaughter.' The group said the foundation has replaced a United Nations-administered aid mechanism and now operates under Israeli military authority, which it says is illegitimate under international law. The organization insists these distribution points are no longer humanitarian spaces but 'deliberately designed' killing zones. Euro-Med cited a deadly incident in the Al-Shakoush area north of Rafah city, where on a recent Saturday morning, 30 civilians were killed and over 180 wounded near one such distribution point. This occurred after Israel reportedly shut down three other aid centres, forcing tens of thousands of starving people into a single area. The group says the event is part of a broader 'systematic starvation policy' by Israel. Field testimonies gathered by Euro-Med indicate that private American security personnel working for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation opened fire and launched tear gas at gathered civilians, acting in coordination with Israeli soldiers. Video footage reviewed by the organization shows foundation-affiliated guards throwing grenades directly at unarmed civilians. 'There is a large pit roughly 1,000 metres before the entrance to the aid point, which civilians use to hide before the gate opens. Today, we were surprised to see three sand mounds opposite the pit, but as usual, people entered the pit. Once it was full of civilians, we were shocked to see three tanks mount the mounds, each armed with machine guns and accompanied by around 30 heavily armed infantry soldiers and snipers,' a survivor described the events to Euro-Med investigators. He continued: 'They began by firing several stun grenades over the people in the pit. When people tried to flee, anyone who attempted to get out was shot at directly. Crowds poured out of the pit, and the tanks opened heavy fire directly at them. Some bullets passed through multiple people at once due to the density of the crowd and proximity of the tanks. All of this happened between 8:30 and 9:30 this morning.' Euro-Med states that in just under two months, Israeli forces and American private security operatives have killed at least 829 Palestinians and injured approximately 5,500 near these distribution points. The foundation, presented publicly as a humanitarian aid organization, is accused of acting as a front for policies of siege, starvation, and military control. The statement further accused President Trump, through direct support of this aid model and provision of military, financial, and political backing, is criminally complicit in the alleged genocide. Euro-Med is urging international and national courts to hold Trump and other involved U.S. and Israeli officials accountable. 'Even in cases where a threat is alleged,' the group noted, 'international law does not legally justify the use of lethal force. Security forces are bound by international legal standards to follow the principle of proportionality and gradual escalation in the use of force.' Euro-Med argues that Israel is using starvation as a method of warfare and that its control over humanitarian aid distribution is a violation of its obligations under international humanitarian law. The organization added that these violations rise to the level of war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute, and that they meet the legal definition of genocide under Article II of the Genocide Convention. 'Israel, which is using starvation as a central tool in carrying out the crime of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza… cannot, under any circumstance, be regarded as a legitimate party in any humanitarian operation,' the statement continued. The group is also calling for independent international investigations into the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, including potential prosecutions of its founders, directors, logistics coordinators, and contracted security firms. It called on countries with universal jurisdiction to launch immediate criminal investigations into individuals associated with the Foundation. Euro-Med further recommends civil litigation in national courts to secure compensation for victims and their families. 'This includes deaths, physical and psychological injuries, and the forced deprivation of the right to life, food, and dignity,' the statement said. The Monitor urged the international community to apply maximum diplomatic, economic, and military pressure on Israel to stop its military involvement in humanitarian aid distribution and to lift the blockade on Gaza. It also called for the implementation of International Criminal Court arrest warrants against Israeli leaders, a comprehensive weapons embargo, and the suspension of financial, trade, and security cooperation with Israeli entities and officials. In closing, the group demanded urgent international intervention to restore humanitarian access to Gaza under neutral, independent oversight, stressing the need for immediate protection of civilians and adherence to international legal standards. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Armed Settlers Kill Two Residents of Sinjil, One Is American
DayofPal– Armed Israeli settlers attacked the town of Sinjil, north of Ramallah, and killed two residents, one of them was born and raised in US Florida City. Young man Mohammad Al-Shalabi was killed on Friday evening near the town of Sinjil, and his body was discovered hours after he went missing during a brutal attack by settler militias on Khirbet Al-Tal in the Jabal Al-Batin area, south of the town. According to local sources, his body showed clear signs of direct and violent assault. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 23-year-old Mohammad Rizq Hussein Al-Shalabi succumbed to injuries sustained due to settler violence in Sinjil. He was shot in the chest with live ammunition on Friday and left to bleed for hours. He is the second martyr in the same area in less than 24 hours, following the killing of 23-year-old Saif Al-Din Kamel Abdul Karim Muslat earlier the same day. Muslat was severely beaten by settlers in Sinjil and succumbed to his injuries. The town and its surroundings witnessed fierce clashes as locals and activists attempted to dismantle a new illegal settler outpost established in Khirbet Al-Tal. These confrontations resulted in injuries to 10 Palestinians, including fractures. One activist was run over, and two ambulances were attacked. The Hamas movement condemned these attacks, carried out by settler militias with the support of the far-right Israeli government and under the direct protection of the Israeli army. Hamas stated that these crimes expose the fascist nature of the Zionist project in the West Bank and stressed that the blood of the martyrs will not be in vain but will haunt the occupiers and settlers. The movement called on the Palestinian people to escalate resistance and confront aggression throughout the West Bank. In a related development, Israeli occupation forces launched a wide-scale raid and arrest campaign across the West Bank last night and early Saturday, resulting in the arrest of 11 Palestinians. In Jenin city, Israeli forces stormed the eastern neighborhood and arrested three residents. Drones hovered overhead while heavy gunfire was reported. Soldiers raided homes belonging to the Al-Saadi, Abu Ghali, and Al-Qiqis families, vandalized their contents, and detained several individuals, including children, inside the Al-Saadi family gathering hall. Ground troops were also deployed in the area. The forces later withdrew from Jabal Abu Dhahir and Khillet Al-Souha toward Jenin refugee camp after raiding a house and reportedly stealing money and gold, according to local testimonies. In Tulkarm, where Nour Shams refugee camp has been under continuous assault for 154 days, Israeli occupation forces raided Faroun Street and arrested several young men. In Bethlehem governorate, four Palestinians were arrested in the Wadi Sa'ir area near the village of Al-Minya, southeast of the city, following home raids and searches. The town of Al-Khader, south of Bethlehem, was also stormed, with soldiers stationed in the Sabri and Dar Salah neighborhoods, firing toxic gas and sound bombs, no injuries were reported. The village of Tayasir, east of Tubas, was also raided, with Israeli forces firing toxic gas and sound bombs at civilians amid ongoing escalation across various areas of the West Bank. Shortlink for this post:
