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Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses. |
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Israeli Violations of Ceasefire Agreements in Gaza and Lebanon, by Delaying Withdrawal, 22 Lebanese Civilians Killed for Attempting to Return to the South
January 26, 2025
***
Editor's Notes:
Here are
some initial
(not final) statistics, which show the Israeli war
crimes against humanity, during the current Israeli genocidal war on the
Gaza Strip, based on the
By
January 26, 2025, the
initial death toll of Palestinians who have been killed by the Israeli
genocidal war on Gaza
Strip is 58,306+.
This includes the accounted for deaths (47,306), those who are still missing under the rubble (an estimate of at least 11,000+).
***
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ÈöÓúãö Çááåö ÇáÑøóÍúãóÜٰäö ÇáÑøóÍöíãö
"ãöäú ÃóÌúáö Ðóٰáößó ßóÊóÈúäóÇ Úóáóìٰ Èóäöí ÅöÓúÑóÇÆöíáó Ãóäøóåõ ãóäú ÞóÊóáó äóÝúÓðÇ ÈöÛóíúÑö äóÝúÓò Ãóæú ÝóÓóÇÏò Ýöí ÇáúÃóÑúÖö ÝóßóÃóäøóãóÇ ÞóÊóáó ÇáäøóÇÓó ÌóãöíÚðÇ" (ÇáúãóÇÆöÏóÉõ ¡ 5: 32).
"æóãóäú íóÞúÊõáú ãõÄúãöäðÇ ãøõÊóÚóãøöÏðÇ ÝóÌóÒóÇÄõåõ Ìóåóäøóãõ ÎóÇáöÏðÇ ÝöíåóÇ æóÛóÖöÈó Çááøóåõ Úóáóíúåö æóáóÚóäóåõ æóÃóÚóÏøó áóåõ ÚóÐóÇÈðÇ ÚóÙöíãðÇ" (ÇáäøöÓóÇÁõ ¡ 4: 93).
"Åöäú ÃóÍúÓóäÊõãú ÃóÍúÓóäÊõãú áöÃóäÝõÓößõãú ۖ æóÅöäú ÃóÓóÃúÊõãú ÝóáóåóÇ ۚ " (ÇáÅÓúÑóÇÁõ ¡ 17: 7).
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
"Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul, unless for a soul, or for corruption in the land, it is as if he had killed humankind entirely" (The Holy Quran, Al-Ma-ida, 5: 32).
"And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally, and Allah has become angry with him, and has cursed him, and has prepared for him a great torment" (Al-Nisa, 4: 93).
"If you do good, you do good for yourselves; and if you do evil, (you do it) to yourselves" (Al-Isra, 17: 7).
***
While brutal force has been used to create Zionist Israel and sustain it thus far, Zionist claims to Palestine are false. Actually, from the five thousand years of known written human history, there has been a continuous Palestinian-Canaanite presence in the Holy Land. Despite the Zionist false claims, the ancient Israelites ruled part of the land for only 85 years (during the reign of Prophets David and Solomon , peace be upon them, and Solomon's son).
After that, the Egyptians conquered Palestine-Canaan in 925 BC, followed by Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, before the Arab Muslim rule, starting from 636 AD.
By the Time Jesus, peace be upon him, started his mission, the three population groups of Canaanites, Palestinians, and Israelites were melted together in religion and language. Most of them became Christians when Constantine converted in 313 AD. Then, most of them became Muslims in the 7th and 8th centuries AD.
So, Palestinian Muslims, Christians, and Jews are the ones who have the right to claim descent from ancient Israelites, Palestinians, and Canaanites, not Zionists from other continents.
No matter what the Zionists and their supporters do, they cannot change the will of God, Who promised the Holy Land to Abraham and his descendants, basically the Palestinian Muslims and Christians.
No matter how much persecution and aggression the Zionists and their supporters inflict upon the Palestinian people, they will never be able to force them out of the Holy Land, which Allah, praise to Him, promised for them, and kept His promise ever since.
This is a necessary brief background to understand the US-Backed Zionist Israeli continuous wars against the Arab nation generally, and the Palestinian people in particular, which included the wars of 1948, 1956, 1967, 1978, 1982, the brutal crushing of the two Uprisings (1987-1993 and 2000-2004), 2009, 2012, 2014, 2021, and the current genocidal war on Gaza (Since October 7, 2023), which has culminated a blockade of Gaza since 2007. In addition, the Israeli occupation and apartheid regime launched so many covert operations, raids, and air strikes on many Arab states since 1948.
The following news stories are just examples, not a systematic record, of the Israeli occupation government abuse, mistreatment, and violations of Palestinian human rights, on daily basis.
http://english.wafa.ps/, https://english.palinfo.com/, https://imemc.org/, https://paltoday.ps/ar/
***
Southern Lebanese return with Hezbollah flags sparks fear in 'Israel'
By Al-Mayadeen English
January 26, 2025
Israeli news outlet Walla said that Lebanese civilians are now encroaching upon the positions of Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.
Israeli media reflected the state of confusion and fear within "Israel" as southern Lebanese residents returned to their border villages, carrying resistance flags, despite Israeli threats and the continued presence of Israeli invading units in several villages in violation of the agreement.
Uri Keisht, a correspondent for Israel News 24, expressed concern over the images coming from Lebanon, stating that they are causing anxiety among northern settlers. He noted that the scenes are fueling fears of "Hezbollah's resurgence", which he described as a direct challenge to Israeli security and a potential threat to Israeli forces.
Keisht added that the Lebanese attempted to breach dirt barriers and military checkpoints while chanting slogans in support of martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, effectively confronting the Israeli forces stationed in the area.
Israeli Media: Lebanese returns test security limits
Yair Kraus, reporting for Yedioth Ahronoth, pointed out that after 15 months of war, these very images—the return of southern Lebanese residents to their border villages carrying Hezbollah flags—are the ones feared most in the North.
Israeli news outlet Walla underlined that Lebanese civilians are now encroaching upon the positions of Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, reaching what they described as "zero distance."
Hadashut Bazman, an Israeli website, stated that these images of returning Lebanese residents signify yet another instance where "Israel's" attempt to achieve a 'total victory' will be undermined as it withdraws from southern Lebanon
Military analyst Amos Harel of Haaretz warned of an escalating situation, citing criticisms from reserve forces regarding the Israeli army’s insistence on staying within Lebanese territory without clear necessity.
Israeli media outlets raised pointed questions about the broader implications of the return of southern Lebanese residents, asking, "In southern Lebanon, they are returning to their villages. But the real question remains: how will Israelis return to the North?"
These developments unfolded as the 60-day deadline for the full Israeli withdrawal from all Lebanese territories, as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement, expired today, Sunday.
Thousands of Southerners gathered at the entrances of their hometowns, preparing to enter after the 60-day deadline expired. The occupying Israeli units responded by firing machine gun bursts and shells at civilians walking toward the towns of Houla and Mays al-Jabal, resulting in one martyr and nine injuries among the residents of Kafr Kila and Aitaroun. According to the latest toll from the Lebanese Health Ministry, "Israel" has killed 15 civilians and injured at least 83 others.
A flashback
Despite the failure to adhere to the withdrawal and ongoing violations in southern villages, "Israel"—under US backing—confirmed through Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office that its forces would not fully withdraw from southern Lebanon after the expiration of the deadline.
Hezbollah responded late Thursday, declaring that "any violation of the 60-day deadline is a blatant breach of the agreement and an escalation of the assault on Lebanese sovereignty." The Resistance movement emphasized that the Israeli occupation had entered a new phase that should be confronted by the Lebanese state using all available methods guaranteed by international law to reclaim and liberate the land.
***
Lebanese officials salute Southern resilience, urge IOFs withdrawal
By Al-Mayadeen English
January 26, 2025
Lebanese leaders hailed the unwavering dedication of their people to the nation, highlighting their embodiment of genuine patriotism.
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabeeh Berri honored the resilience of the people in southern Lebanon on Sunday, as they defied threats and returned to their border villages after the expiration of the 60-day deadline for the Israeli occupation forces’ withdrawal, in line with the ceasefire agreement.
Berri's message celebrated the unwavering commitment of the people to their homeland, emphasizing their embodiment of true patriotism and the enduring strength of Lebanon’s sovereignty in the face of occupation.
In a heartfelt statement to the people of the South, Berri declared, "Your actions today stand as a testament to the embodiment of true patriotism, to your unwavering loyalty to Lebanon, its message, and the pursuit of freedom."
He further emphasized, "Your courage and resilience have proven that a homeland fortified by determination as resolute as yours, with a strength burning like embers, cannot be subdued. This is a homeland destined to triumph, no matter the challenges it faces."
Berri went on to highlight how the people of southern Lebanon are showcasing their profound national pride, demonstrating that the land, like honor, is worth any sacrifice, and underscoring that true sovereignty is a tangible action, not merely an empty slogan.
He emphasized that the bloodshed witnessed today, with more martyrs and casualties, serves as undeniable evidence of "Israel’s" ongoing violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty.
Berri concluded, "We continue to mourn martyr after martyr across the South, Biqaa', the southern suburbs, and all of Lebanon... Blessed are the mothers, blessed are you, people of the south, guardians of our land, sovereignty, and independence."
Lebanese PM salutes the steadfast people of the South
Commenting on the developments in the South and the Israeli violations of the ceasefire, Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam expressed full confidence in the army's role in protecting Lebanon's sovereignty and ensuring the safe return of people in the South. Salam also spoke with President Joseph Aoun to follow up on the developments in the South.
In a statement from the Prime Minister's office, Salam said: "On this day, when the people of the wounded South expressed their attachment to their land and identity despite Israeli threats, we extend our salute to our steadfast people in the South or those who were forced to flee because of the aggression, especially those who decided to return today and face the aggression with courage."
"Your patriotism has become an example and a testimony written in blood that no right is lost for those who continue to demand it."
Salam further emphasized the need for the countries that brokered the ceasefire agreement to uphold their responsibilities in preventing further aggression and compelling "Israel" to withdraw from the occupied territories. He made it clear to the relevant parties that any deviation from the commitments outlined in the ceasefire or the failure to enforce Resolution 1701 would lead to serious consequences.
Descendants of Al-Sayyid 'Hasan Nasrullah cannot be defeated: La'houd
In the same context, former President Emile La'houd highlighted that "Israel" is once again attempting to deceive through agreements and falsehoods, with the support of its Western allies.
This strategy, as per the former Lebanese president, aims to achieve what it was unable to secure during the brutal war it waged against Lebanon.
Lahoud said in a statement: "The result of the war was clear, despite the media distortion, as evidenced by the fact that the enemy was unable to return settlers to the northern occupied territories. Instead, they resorted to violating the ceasefire daily, destroying and assassinating, but all this did not prevent the repetition of the scene we witnessed in 2000, when we were part of it."
"The people returned to their villages despite the Israeli threats because their strength lies not only in their weapons but in the extraordinary determination that drives them to head to their towns, even if they are still occupied, to confront the enemy's tanks and soldiers with their bodies," he stressed.
La'houd emphasized that the people of Lebanon, "descendants of the hero martyr Al-Sayyid 'Hasan Nasrullah", cannot be defeated, no matter how many forces are mobilized against them.
He pointed out that with each martyr who falls, countless new resistance fighters rise to continue the struggle. According to Lahoud, the unwavering equation that ensures Lebanon's protection is the unity of the army, the people, and the Resistance, a principle grounded in a deep, unshakable belief that transcends mere rhetoric.
This comes as thousands of Southerners gathered at the entrances of their villages, preparing to enter after the 60-day deadline expired. The occupying Israeli units responded by firing machine gun bursts and shells at civilians walking toward the towns of Al-Hoala and Mays al-Jabal, resulting in one martyr and nine injuries among the residents of Kafr Kila and 'Aytaroun. According to the latest toll from the Lebanese Health Ministry, "Israel" has killed three civilians and injured at least 44 others.
***
The Israeli occupation apartheid regime violates agreement with Lebanon: No withdrawal, 10 martyrs, 83 injured among returnees
Sunday 26-January-2025
BEIRUT, (PIC)
22 Lebanese citizens were martyred and 83 others were injured on Sunday morning while trying to enter their towns still occupied by Israeli occupation forces, violating the 60-day deadline for withdrawal under the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon (initial number of the martyrs was 10, then updated by Al-Mayadeen TV to 22).The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that Israeli aggressions against citizens attempting to enter their still-occupied towns resulted in an initial toll of ten martyrs and 83 injuries in a preliminary count of casualties.
It earlier announced that one martyr was reported in Hula along with nine injuries, who were transferred to Tibneen Government Hospital for treatment. Additionally, eight people were injured in Kafr Kila and were taken to Marji'youn Government Hospital for treatment.
Lebanese media sources had earlier reported that the number of martyrs had risen to three, with more than 30 others injured, including one soldier. Reports indicated that there were injuries due to Israeli gunfire among the residents of Kafr Kila as they attempted to return to their southern town.
Residents of the town of Al-Khiyam organized car rallies to return home despite Israeli warnings. Ten Lebanese were injured by Israeli gunfire in the towns of Burj Al-Mulouk, Kafr Kila, Hula, and Wadi al-Saluki, while Israeli forces arrested two Lebanese in the town of 'Hoala, southern Lebanon.
Earlier, hundreds of southerners gathered at the entrances to their villages in preparation to enter them as the 60-day deadline for the withdrawal of occupation forces from the south expired.
Israel announced that its army remains deployed in various locations in southern Lebanon. It declared a prohibition on the return of Lebanese citizens to 62 towns in southern Lebanon, as it has not withdrawn from those areas despite the deadline for its presence there having passed at dawn today.
The Israeli occupation army stated in a statement that it prohibits the return of residents to their homes in dozens of villages along the border with Israel, adding that all those approaching them “put themselves in danger.”
Local Lebanese platforms broadcast videos of displaced Lebanese attempting to return to the town of Mais Al-Jabal in southern Lebanon after the deadline for the occupation forces’ presence in the south expired.
The Lebanese army, in a statement marking the end of the 60-day deadline following the ceasefire, urged residents to exercise caution when heading towards the southern border areas, “due to the presence of mines and suspicious objects left by the Israeli enemy.”
It emphasized the importance of citizens being responsible and adhering to the directives of the army leadership and the guidance of the deployed military units to ensure their safety.
The army stated that military units are continuously working on conducting engineering surveys, opening roads, and addressing unexploded ordnance, while closely monitoring the operational situation, particularly regarding ongoing violations of the agreement and attacks on Lebanon’s sovereignty, in addition to the destruction of infrastructure and the demolition and burning of homes in border villages by the Israeli enemy.
It also announced the continuation of implementing a plan to enhance deployment in the area south of the Litani River, as mandated by the Cabinet, from the first day the ceasefire agreement came into effect, according to successive and specific phases, in coordination with the five-member committee overseeing the implementation of the agreement (Mechanism) and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon – UNIFIL.
It confirmed delays in several phases due to the Israeli procrastination in withdrawal, complicating the army’s deployment mission, while noting that it remains ready to complete its deployment as soon as the Israeli army withdraws.
For its part, the Syrian Social Nationalist Party called on all residents of the southern villages to head there to inspect and return to their homes, stressing that 'Hizbullah is fully prepared to defend the land, protect it, and liberate it.
In a statement, it said, “As the 60-day deadline of the ceasefire and the withdrawal of the enemy’s army from southern Lebanon has passed, the party emphasizes that the enemy was indeed unable to enter Lebanese towns except with the commencement of the implementation of the agreement, as it failed during its ground war to enter and establish itself due to the valor of the resistance fighters, their high combat will, and their precise and effective plan that thwarted the enemy’s plans and prevented it from achieving its declared and latent objectives.”
It continued, “With the deadline having passed, the party calls on our people from the residents of all southern villages to head there to inspect and return to their homes, heads held high, proud like victors, as they were intended to remain displaced far from their land, and now it is calling for them to restore glory and life to it and remove the filth of the occupier from the pure blood of the martyrs and the wounded among their heroic sons who fought valiantly until the last breath.”
The party called on the Lebanese government to urge the sponsors of the agreement to oversee the immediate withdrawal of the enemy from southern Lebanon and to protect the citizens’ natural right to return safely to their villages and homes in preparation for their reconstruction and the removal of all traces of the aggression.
It added, “The resistance is fully prepared to defend the land, protect it, and liberate it, and warns the enemy that if it decides to persist in not fully implementing the ceasefire agreement, the resistance, along with the Lebanese army and the residents of the villages, have the full right and legitimacy to defend Lebanon.”
The party, in conclusion, saluted the families of the martyrs, the wounded, and the resistance fighters.
***
Lebanese soldier killed, another injured by Israeli gunfire in southern Lebanon
BEIRUT, January 26, 2025 (WAFA) –
A Lebanese soldier was killed and another injured by Israeli gunfire on Sunday in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese Army reported.
In a statement on X, the Lebanese military confirmed that the two soldiers were targeted by Israeli forces. One soldier was killed on the Marwahin-Dhayra road in the Soor (Tyre) region, while the other was injured in the village of Mays al-Jabal in the Marji'youn district.
The statement described the attack as part of the ongoing Israeli assaults on Lebanese citizens and military personnel in the southern border regions.
The attack comes amid continuing tensions along the Lebanese-Israeli border, where Israeli forces have been violating the ceasefire agreement. Despite the November 2024 truce brokered by the United Nations, which set a 60-day deadline for Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, the Israeli military has continued to maintain a presence in some areas, in clear violation of the ceasefire terms.
Earlier today, the United Nations expressed concern over the lack of progress regarding the safe return of civilians to their villages along the Blue Line. The UN emphasized that the conditions for a safe return have not been met, despite the deadline for Israeli withdrawal passing at midnight.
M.N.
***
******
Gaza death toll reaches 47,306 since onset of the Israeli genocidal war on the Gaza Strip
GAZA, January 26, 2025 (WAFA) –
The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported on Sunday that the death toll in the Gaza Strip has reached 47,306, with the overwhelming majority being women and children, since the onset of the Israeli genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, on October 7, 2023.
According to the Ministry, the number of injuries has risen to 111,483.
In the past 72 hours, 23 bodies were brought to Gaza’s hospitals, including 14 civilians whose bodies were recovered, five others who succumbed to their injuries, and four new victims of the ongoing Israeli assault. Additionally, 11 civilians were hospitalized with injuries sustained during the continued aggression.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health further indicated that thousands of victims remain buried under debris or scattered along the roads, as emergency medical and civil defense teams continue to face insurmountable challenges in reaching the affected areas.
T.R.
***
Palestinian killed, others injured by Israeli occupation forces in central Gaza
GAZA, January 26, 2025 (WAFA) –
A displaced Palestinian was killed and several others injured by the Israeli occupation forces gunfire on the coastal Al-Rasheed Road in the central Gaza Strip on Sunday, as they awaited permission to return to northern Gaza.
According to medical sources, the victim was shot dead in the area of Tabbat Al-Nuwairi, west of the Nuseirat refugee camp, as Israeli forces opened fire on a gathering of civilians who were waiting to return to the northern part of the Gaza Strip. Several others were injured in the attack, with some reported to be in critical condition.
Eyewitnesses and medical sources confirmed that the Israeli occupation forces fired live ammunition at the group, causing multiple injuries among civilians. Many of those affected were part of the large crowd of displaced Palestinians who have been waiting to return home, following Israel's expected withdrawal from the so-called Netzarim Corridor.
The return to northern Gaza, initially scheduled for Saturday, has been delayed by Israeli occupation forces, preventing thousands of displaced Palestinians from reuniting with their families or returning to their homes.
As a result, the situation has become increasingly tense, with families enduring prolonged waits in hazardous conditions, many of them uncertain whether their homes remain standing or have been destroyed in the conflict.
M.N.
***
Palestinian killed by IOFs gunfire in Rafah, south of Gaza Strip
Sunday 26-January-2025
GAZA, (PIC)
A Palestinian citizen was martyred on Sunday morning when the Israeli occupation forces (IOFs) opened fire at him in Rafa'h, south of the Gaza Strip.
According to local sources, a citizen was shot dead by Israeli sniper fire near ash-Shuhada plaza in Rafa'h.
On Saturday, the IOFs opened fire at hundreds of Palestinian citizens as they were in the east of Al-Nusayrat refugee camp waiting for a chance to return to their neighborhoods in northern Gaza.
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Four Palestinians injured by Israeli gunfire west of Nuseirat refugee camp
GAZA, January 26, 2025 (WAFA) –
Four Palestinians were injured this morning by the Israeli occupation forces gunfire, west of Al-Nusayrat refugee camp, in the central Gaza Strip.
According to reports, the incident occurred when Israeli forces opened fire on a gathering of civilians in the Tabbat Al-Nuwari area. The victims were waiting to return to the northern Gaza Strip as per the ceasefire agreement.
However, their return has been significantly delayed by the Israeli occupation, with the Israeli army targeting anyone trying to reach the so-called Netzarim Corridor, which splits the Gaza Strip into two halves, until this moment.
M.N.
***
'Hamas holds Israel responsible for any violation affecting the ceasefire deal
Sunday 26-January-2025
GAZA, (PIC)
The Palestinian Resistance Movement, 'Hamas, held the Israeli occupation apartheid regime responsible for any disruption that may affect the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and its remaining stages.
“The (Israeli occupation regime) is still stalling the implementation of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement through persisting in blocking al-Rashid street and preventing the return of displaced people who try to go by foot from the south to the north,” Hamas said in a statement on Saturday.
A citizen was martyred on Saturday afternoon when the Israeli occupation forces opened fire at a gathering of citizens who were in the east of Al-Nusayrat refugee camp waiting for a chance to return to their homes in northern and central Gaza.
In a related incident, the Israeli occupation forces (IOFs) continued to open fire at thousands of displaced civilians who were gathering in the streets of Salahuddeen and A-Rasheed in the east of Gaza and injured at least five of them, including a child on Sunday morning.
Those citizens were waiting to be allowed to return to their homes in northern and central Gaza after al-Qassam Brigades of 'Hamas handed over a new group of Israeli captives in Gaza City yesterday.
Palestinian officials in Gaza also accused today the IOFs of continuing to violate the ceasefire agreement through closing the so-called Netzarim corridor area and barring displaced citizens from returning to their homes.
***
'Hamas delegation receives exiled Palestinian prisoners in Cairo
Sunday 26-January-2025
CAIRO, (PIC)
A group of 70 of freed Palestinian political prisoners, who were released as a part of the Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire agreement in Gaza Strip, on Saturday, have been banished by the Israeli occupation apartheid regime to Egypt, where they were received by senior Hamas officials.
Earlier, the 'Hamas Movement announced on Saturday that a senior delegation from the group, led by the Chairman of its Shoura Council, Mu'hammed Darweesh, left for Cairo for an official visit.
The released prisoners will spend several days in Cairo before arrangements are made for their travel to other countries.
The 'Hamas delegation will also meet with Egyptian officials during its stay in Cairo.
A second group of 200 Palestinian prisoners was released Saturday under a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between 'Hamas and Israel after Al-Qassam Brigades of 'Hamas handed over four Israeli female-soldier captives to a Red Cross crew.
Televised footage showed the arrival of 114 prisoners in the West Bank city of Ramallah from the Ofer military jail aboard three Red Cross buses.
16 prisoners, accompanied by Red Cross representatives, also arrived at the European Hospital in Khan Younus in the southern Gaza Strip, while two buses carrying 70 freed Palestinian prisoners arrived in Egypt on the same day.
***
Thousands of displaced Palestinians await return to northern Gaza amidst ongoing Israeli blockade, in violation of the ceasefire agreement
GAZA, January 26, 2025 (WAFA) –
Thousands of displaced Palestinians are enduring severe hardships as they wait for the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the so-called Netzarim Corridor, which splits the Gaza Strip into two halves, to return to their homes in Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip.
For days, they have been gathering on Rashid and Salahuddeen Streets in the heart of the Gaza Strip, after being forced out of their homes by Israeli forces during the ongoing genocidal war.
Many of these displaced individuals spent the night out in the open, braving the harsh cold along the coast of the Mediterranean, waiting to return to their cities and villages after being pushed south by the Israeli occupation.
The situation remains dire as Israel continues to block their return to the northern regions, violating terms agreed upon in a ceasefire deal that entered into effect last Sunday.
WAFA correspondent reported that tens of thousands of displaced people, many of them families with young children, are anxiously awaiting the chance to go back to their homes. For many, this return would require a grueling 7-kilometer walk through rubble and destruction.
Despite knowing that their homes may have been destroyed in the Israeli onslaught, some displaced individuals are holding onto hope, bringing tents with them that they will set up over the remains of their houses.
One displaced woman, who spoke with WAFA, described how she and her family had been forced to burn wooden pieces they had used to build makeshift shelters just to stay warm through the night. With no other means of heating, they rely on these small fires for survival as they wait in uncertainty.
Many of the displaced have transported what little they can carry—blankets, clothing, and personal belongings—on vehicles and carts, all in preparation for the moment when they are finally allowed to return home. Some are determined to rebuild their lives and homes, while others are still searching for lost family members beneath the rubble of what once were their neighborhoods.
One displaced man, Mu'hammed A-Ka'hlout, 46, shared his concern for the safety of his family as they wait to return to the northern Gaza Strip. “We want to go home, but we fear the Israeli occupation will target us again. There are no guarantees of safety on this journey.”
Another displaced man, Isma'eel Al-Shanbari from Bait Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, expressed his resolve to return despite the devastating losses he had endured.
“My home was destroyed at the beginning of the war,” he said. “We’re tired of this humiliation and displacement. We will return no matter the cost—even if we are killed. Whether it’s in the north or the south, we will return to our land, even if we have to set up tents on the rubble of our homes.”
A woman named Sara Baker, who is seven months pregnant, added, “I have no idea what happened to my home in Gaza, but I will go back—even if I have to walk the entire way.”
Since the beginning of the Israeli genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, in October 2023, the situation has grown increasingly dire. By January 2025, the aggression had resulted in the killing and injuries of more than 158,000 Palestinians, with most victims being women and children. More than 14,000 people remain missing, and over 1.93 million Palestinians—85% of Gaza’s population—have been displaced due to the destruction of their homes.
The scale of the devastation is unimaginable, with more than 80% of Gaza’s infrastructure left in ruins. Around 1.6 million displaced individuals are currently sheltering in overcrowded camps and tents, struggling to survive amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
M.N.
***
Widespread Palestinian condemnation of Trump’s statements on forced Palestinian displacement to Jordan and Egypt
Sunday 26-January-2025
GAZA, (PIC)
Palestinian factions condemned the US President Donald Trump’s statements, in which he discussed the possibility of displacing the residents of the Gaza Strip to Jordan and Egypt, pledging to thwart plans for displacement.
The Palestinian Resistance Movement, 'Hamas: Our people will foil displacement plans
Basim Na'eem, a leader in Hamas, told AFP, “Our people, as they have thwarted for decades all plans for displacement and alternative homelands, will also fail such projects,” referring to Trump’s proposal.
Jihad: Aligning with right-wing agendas
For its part, the Islamic Jihad Movement strongly condemned “President Donald Trump’s statements regarding the expulsion of our people in the Gaza Strip from their land.” It noted that Trump’s condemned and outrageous statements align with the worst of the extremist Zionist right’s agenda and continue the policy of denying the existence, will, and rights of the Palestinian people. “It also falls within the framework of encouraging committing war crimes and crimes against humanity by forcing our people to leave their land,” Jihad underlined.
It called on all countries to reject Trump’s plan, especially the Egyptian and Jordanian governments, affirming that the Palestinian people, with their steadfastness and resistance, will thwart this scheme as they have many previous plans.
Resistance committees: Aggressive statements
The leadership of the Resistance Committees in Palestine strongly condemned Trump’s statements calling for the displacement of the Palestinian people under the guise of transferring parts of the Gaza population to Egypt and Jordan. In a statement on Sunday, the Committees described these statements as aggressive and fascist, aligning with the schemes of the Zionist criminals in the extremist Israeli government and executing their myths and Talmudic fables.
It urged the sisterly governments of Egypt and Jordan to reject Trump’s malicious statements and to confront the plans for displacement and uprooting targeting the Palestinian people and cause. It affirmed that the Zionist-American failure to displace the Palestinian people through thousands of tons of bombs and missiles will never succeed in imposing any criminal decisions on them.
It emphasized that “our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and everywhere in our blessed Palestinian land are steadfast, rooted, and attached to their land despite the destruction caused by Zionist-American missiles and the tens of thousands of martyrs among children, women, and youth. The slogan of our people is that the people of the land remain, and the hopes, dreams, and delusions of the Zionists will come to an end.”
Mujahideen Movement: Our people are attached to their land
For its part, the Mujahideen Movement strongly condemned Trump’s statements calling for the displacement of the Palestinian people under the guise of transferring them to Egypt and Jordan, which adopt the plans of religious Zionism and its criminal leaders in the Israeli government.
It said that these statements reflect the determination of the new U.S. administration to continue its aggression against the Palestinian people and the plans for displacement that encompass all Palestinian lands and aim to liquidate the Palestinian cause.
The Movement affirmed that “what the previous U.S. administration failed to do—supporting the genocide and ethnic cleansing of our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip—this administration will also fail in, as our people are attached to their land and will thwart their plans.”
It stressed that the Palestinian people have paid a heavy price in their commitment to their land and in thwarting Zionist plans for displacement, resisting the most heinous killing and extermination machine launched against them by the Nazi Netanyahu government and the criminal Biden administration.
The Movement finally called for a clearcut Arab and Islamic rejection of those statements, which represent an assault on the Palestinian people and the Arab countries, and called for Palestinian unity and solidarity to confront those schemes targeting the Palestine cause.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he spoke with Jordanian King, Abdullah II, about the possibility of building houses and relocating more than a million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to neighboring countries.
Trump added—in statements reported by CNN—that he asked the Jordanian king, in a phone call on Saturday, to welcome more Palestinians, telling reporters aboard Air Force One, “I told him I would like you to take more because I look at the Gaza Strip as a whole now, and I see it in chaos; it’s real chaos.”
He continued that he would like both Jordan and Egypt to host the people, and that he would talk to Egyptian President Abdul Fatta'h El-Sisi about this matter.
***
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Killing, Injuring, and Abduction of Palestinians in the West Bank by Israeli Occupation Regime Forces
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Funeral held in a West Bank village for a Palestinian toddler killed by an Israeli sniper
Sunday 26-January-2025
Jineen, (PIC)
Scores of Palestinian citizens marched on Sunday afternoon in the funeral procession of two-and a half-year-old Layla Al-Khateeb, who was shot dead last night by the Israeli occupation army during her presence in her grandfather’s house in Muthallath Al-Shuhada village, south of Jineen.
The girl was her mother’s only child. Her father died about two years ago in a workplace incident.
In a statement, the Palestinian health ministry said Layla Al-Khateeb (two and a half years old) died of “critical wounds” after being shot in the head on Saturday night by the Israeli occupation forces sniper fire in Muthallath ash-Shuhada village.
The mourners performed the funeral prayer for the toddler at a local mosque before she was laid to rest at the village cemetery, according to local sources.
The toddler’s grandmother said that Israeli soldiers killed her in cold blood as she was eating dinner with her mother and aunts in the house.
Israeli forces also stormed the house following the shooting incident at the pretext of looking for gunmen, although only the child’s mother, aunts and grandparents were indoors.
The child’s mother and one of her aunts suffered minor injuries in the shooting attack.
In a separate incident, a Palestinian young man was martyred on Sunday morning after he succumbed to serious injuries he sustained a few days ago when the Israeli occupation forces (IOFs) opened fire at him in Jenin, north of the West Bank.
Local sources said that 26-year-old Abdul-Jawwad al-Ghoul was injured by IOFs gunfire in Jineen last Tuesday, adding that he was pronounced dead by doctors today.
Meanwhile, the IOFs sent more reinforcements to Jineen City and its refugee camp, amid widespread detonation of homes and destruction of infrastructure.
***
Palestinian injured by IOFs gunfire in Nablus proclaimed dead
Sunday 26-January-2025
NABLUS, (PIC)
A Palestinian young man was pronounced dead on Saturday evening after he succumbed to serious injuries he sustained when the Israeli occupation forces (IOFs) opened fire at him earlier on the same day in Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus.
According to local sources, 42-year-old A'hmed Al-'Hashash was seriously injured when the Israeli occupation forces opened fire at him and others during a raid in the Balata refugee camp.
Al-'Hashash was rushed to a hospital in Nablus City, where doctors tried to save his life before they announced his martyrdom later.
A large number of Israeli troops stormed some streets in Balata camp and embarked on opening fire at local residents from rooftops of buildings and showering them with tear gas.
***
Israeli occupation forces continue to destroy, demolish and set fire to homes in the Jineen refugee camp
Jineen refugee camp, January 26, 2025 (WAFA) –
Israeli occupation forces continued on Sunday to destroy, demolish and set fire to Palestinian residents’ homes in the Jineen refugee camp, in the northern occupied West Bank.
WAFA correspondent said that Israeli occupation forces have destroyed large sections of the Al-Damaj and Al-Bashar neighborhoods. The destruction continued in the 'Abdullah 'Azzam neighborhood and the Talat al-Ghabz area. According to the correspondent, thick clouds of smoke rose from numerous homes set on fire, alongside the ongoing demolitions.
The Israeli military continued to deploy reinforcements, including bulldozers, into Jenin city. Military vehicles were positioned in front of the Jenin Governmental Hospital, while warplanes and drones were actively flying over the city and the camp.
Jineen Governor, Kamil Abul-Rub, stated this morning that the occupation forces have so far detonated 20 homes in the camp and are working to divide the camp into four parts by destroying streets and demolishing and burning homes.
The governor expressed concern about the potential presence of slain Palestinians and wounded in the camp, as rescue teams have been unable to access the area. Additionally, journalists have been barred from entering the camp.
He confirmed the arrival of six aid trucks from the Ministries of Social Development and Local Government, which will be distributed to families in the Jineen refugee camp.
The death toll in Jineen Governorate has risen to 16 since the onset of the unprecedented Israeli onslaught. Dozens of others have been wounded.
T.R.
***
The Israeli occupation forces storm the Palestinian town of Al-Ram, orth of Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem), suffocation cases reported
Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem), January 26, 2025 (WAFA) –
A large Israeli occupation regime force stormed on Sunday evening the town of Al-Ram, north of Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem), firing tear gas canisters and sound grenades at Palestinian residents' homes and commercial shops, according to local sources.
Sources reported that Israeli forces stormed the area near the separation barrier, assaulted residents and attacked them with tear gas canisters, causing several people to suffocate.
T.R.
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Aggression and Attacks by Illegal Israeli Settlers and Soldiers
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Note: Despite the Trump administration support for the Israeli occupation apartheid regime, the U.S. official policy is still considering the Israeli settlement activities in the Palestinian territories as illegal.
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Dozens of the illegal Israeli Jewish settlers defile Al-Aqsa Mosque
Sunday 26-January-2025
Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem), (PIC)
Dozens of the illegal Israeli extremist Jewish settlers desecrated the Aqsa Mosque in Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem) on Sunday morning.
According to local sources, at least 271 settlers entered the Mosque in groups through its Maghariba Gate and toured its courtyards under tight police protection.
A number of settlers escorted by police officers also gathered in the eastern area of the Mosque and embarked on performing Talmudic prayers.
Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation police imposed movement and entry restrictions on Muslim worshipers at the Aqsa Mosque’s entrances and gates.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is exposed to daily desecration by Jewish settlers and police forces in the morning and the afternoon except on Fridays and Saturdays.
***
IOFs demolish Palestinian house in Nablus village
Sunday 26-January-2025
NABLUS, (PIC)
Israeli occupation forces (IOFs) demolished a Palestinian house in Furoush Bait Dajan village, to the east of Nablus in the West Bank on Sunday morning.
'Aazim Haj Mu'hammed, the village’s mayor, said that IOFs raided the village and unleashed three bulldozers on the 120-meter house, razing it to the ground and rendering its inhabitants homeless.
He added that the Israeli occupation soldiers also destroyed an agricultural room and two man-made ponds used to irrigate cultivated lands.
The IOFs unit also notified the owner of another house in the village that it would be demolished.
***
Illegal Israeli settlers steal 50 sheep owned by a Palestinian resident, west of Salfeet
Salfeet, January 26, 2025 (WAFA) –
A group of the illegal Israeli settlers stole on Sunday evening around 50 sheep owned by a Palestinian resident in the village of Qarawat Bani 'Hasan, west of Salfeet, according to local sources.
Sources informed WAFA that the illegal Israeli extremist settlers stole 50 sheep belonging to a local resident north of the village.
The settler violence against Palestinians and their properties has dramatically increased since the onset of Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people on October 7th, 2023.
The indiscriminate violence by the illegal Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians, including the destruction of homes and properties, has been widely condemned.
Several countries have imposed sanctions against Israeli colonists accused of committing acts of violence against the Palestinian people in the West Bank.
T.R.
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Illegal Israeli settlers attack elderly man in Sebastya, northern West Bank
NABLUS, January 26, 2025 (WAFA) –
A group of the illegal Israeli settlers attacked a 71-year-old Palestinian man, beating him with sticks while he was working on his land in the village of Sebastya, located northwest of Nablus, on Sunday.
Mu'hammad 'Azzam, the head of the Sebastya village council, confirmed the attack, stating that the colonists assaulted Jawad Ghazal while he was working in his fields in the village's plains. The colonists targeted him with wooden sticks, causing injuries and bruises. Ghazal was subsequently transferred to hospital for medical treatment.
This attack is part of a disturbing pattern of violence carried out by the illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, where Palestinians are often subjected to physical assaults, harassment, and intimidation.
These attacks are particularly common in rural areas near illegal Israeli settlements, where settlers, often with the protection of Israeli occupation forces, aim to forcibly displace Palestinians from their land.
M.N
***
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News Related to the Israeli Genocidal War on the Palestinian People
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UNRWA: The humanitarian situation in northern West Bank has deteriorated seriously
Sunday 26-January-2025
RAMALLAH, (PIC)
The director of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the occupied West Bank Adam Bouloukos confirmed that the humanitarian and security situation in northern West Bank has seriously deteriorated in recent weeks. He pointed out that the ongoing aggression in the region has forced Palestinian citizens to be displaced almost entirely from the Jenin camp.
He added that the escalation of Israeli military actions and the worsening security situation have led to mass displacement of families, which has directly impacted daily life.
In this context, Bouloukos explained that the suspension of educational activities in UNRWA schools in the area was unavoidable due to the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Jenin camp. He also stated that this has led to the suspension of health services in the northern West Bank refugee camps due to the difficulty of accessing them under the current circumstances.
The UNRWA director called on the international community to urgently act to provide humanitarian support and to pressure the parties involved to reduce the escalation and ensure the protection of civilians in the area.
The Israeli occupation forces continue their aggression on the city of Jenin and its camp for the sixth consecutive day, resulting in the martyrdom of 15 citizens, with dozens injured and arrested, in addition to widespread destruction of citizens’ property, public and private facilities, and infrastructure, including water and electricity networks.
***
The forgotten victims: Gaza's disabled Palestinians in the face of Israel's brutal war
File photo
By Ali Al-Farra
GAZA, January 26, 2025 (WAFA) –
Since the onset of the Israeli genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, in October 2023, those with physical and mental disabilities have been among the most vulnerable, enduring unimaginable hardship.
The devastating toll of the Israeli onslaught on civilians has been indiscriminate, with disabled individuals facing additional challenges in fleeing their homes and seeking refuge.
Even their impairments offered no protection from the brutal violence, torture, and cold-blooded executions carried out by Israeli occupation forces in blatant violation of international law.
As the ceasefire came into effect on January 19, 2025, people from the outskirts of Khan Younus in the southern Gaza Strip began returning to their homes, searching for missing loved ones and assessing the destruction.
Among those returning was a painful discovery: the body of 30-year-old Basim Abu Haleeb, a man who had long suffered from a mental disability after being tortured by Israeli forces during the 2014 Gaza war.
Basim's brother, 'Hazim Abu Haleeb, described how, despite his brother’s suffering, the family had never given up hope. Basim had been detained by Israeli special forces in 2014, brutally beaten near their home, and left for dead.
It wasn't until emergency medical teams managed to resuscitate him that they realized Basim had survived, though the physical and psychological scars left him with a permanent mental disability.
“He couldn’t hurt anyone. He couldn’t even understand what was happening around him,” Hazim explained. “He became unable to speak in full sentences, and his movements were erratic.”
After the Israeli military declared parts of the area around their village, including the western part of Khan Younus, a "humanitarian zone" in December 2024, the family had returned to their home.
But soon after, they were forced to evacuate once more, and Basim went missing. A few weeks into the new year, word spread that a voice—likely Basim’s—had been heard walking towards the western side of the village, but he was never seen again.
When the ceasefire took hold, 'Hazim and other villagers found his brother's body in the fields east of Khan Younus. The wounds were clear: Basim had been shot multiple times in the head and chest at close range. His killing appeared to be an execution, cold-blooded and deliberate.
Basim’s story is tragically not unique. In another instance, 64-year-old Hassan Jareer, a man with a mental disability and speech impairment, was found dead under the rubble of his home, which had been demolished by Israeli bulldozers. Hassan’s brother, Yasser Jareer, recounted the confusion and devastation the family had faced when Hassan disappeared, with relatives last seeing him heading north toward the areas near the Gaza-Israel border, a zone declared dangerous by the Israeli military.
Yasir said, "We searched everywhere for Hassan. We had no idea where he had gone, but the news from the people around the border was grim. They had seen him, but he didn’t respond. Later, we learned he had been trapped under the rubble when the Israeli bulldozers destroyed the house.”
The brutalization of disabled individuals during the Israeli aggression extends beyond these two cases. The story of Abdul-Jabbar, a local figure known for his distinctive voice, echoes similar tales of vulnerability.
Abd al-Jabbar, who was known to refuse shelter or assistance, went missing when the Israeli military ordered evacuations from Khan Younus. Later, residents found his mutilated body hanging from a pole in the town, suggesting he had been tortured and hanged by Israeli forces.
Another victim, Handa, a 50-year-old woman from the village of Al-Qarara, had long been known in the area for her daily wandering, asking for food but never money.
She was mute and isolated, with no family to speak of. When the ceasefire was declared, a neighbor found Henda’s lifeless body among trees uprooted by Israeli bulldozers. Authorities believe she had been shot and possibly buried alive while still breathing.
These accounts of disabled Palestinians being targeted during Israel’s latest offensive on Gaza highlight not only the horrifying reality of war but also the particular vulnerability of disabled people in such times of crisis.
International conventions protecting civilians in armed conflict seem to have been disregarded as Israel continued its deadly assault, indiscriminately murdering children, the elderly, and the disabled alike.
In the streets of Gaza, the images of these innocent lives lost will forever haunt the memories of those left behind. The bloodshed and suffering continue to stir outrage and raise profound questions about the true cost of this war, which has left entire families decimated, homes destroyed, and communities scattered in the wake of unspeakable violence.
The international community’s failure to address such blatant violations of human rights and international law only deepens the despair of those who have lived through this nightmare.
Yet, for the families of Basim, 'Hasan, Abdul-Jabbar, and Handa, the pain is not only in their loss but in the injustice of a war that spared no one—especially not those who were most vulnerable.
M.N.
***
===============================================================================================================================
Editorial
Notes about terms
& names of
people and places:
1. Names of people and places have been standardized to
match standard Arabic grammatical rules.
2. Underlined
letters and letters preceded by an apostrophe are
references to Arabic letter sounds, which does not exist in the English
alphabet.
3. The English letter i is
equivalent to the Arabic short vowel known as kasra,
as in Ibraheem
and Qasim
as well as in the English words sit and bit. So, it is incorrect to use
it as a long vowel for such Arabic names as Jameel and Jibreel.
4. The English letter e is
equivalent to the Arabi short vowel known as fat'ha,
as in A'hmed
and Mu'hammed.
5. It is more accurate to refer to the
land-grabbing Israelis,
who establish illegal settlements in the Palestinian territory of the
West Bank, as illegal
Israeli settlers, than referring to them as colonists.
The term colony is
a reference to a large entity or a country, such as American states before
independence. It was also a reference to Egypt, and India,
when they were British colonies.
In addition, the term "colony"
represents a positive
nostalgic theme, in the minds of native speakers of
English, particularly in America and Britain.
6. It is more
accurate to use the verbs "abduct"
and "kidnap"
than the verbs "detain"
and "arrest,"
in reference to taking Palestinian citizens by force to prisons and
interrogation centers, by Israeli occupation regime soldiers. This is
because the presence of the Israeli occupation regime forces is illegal
in the Palestinian territories, and they have no jurisdiction over the
Palestinian people.
Click here for more about using the apostrophe and the underlining of
letters in the transliteration of Arabic names.
***
Names of some of the Palestinian cities, as pronounced in standard Arabic, and their foreign names in parentheses:
Al-Khaleel (Hebron)
Al-Nusayrat
Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem)
Aree'ha (Jericho)
Al-Zaytoun (al-Zeitoun)
Bait (Beit)
Bait La'hm (Bethlehem)
Dair El-Bala'h
Jineen (Jenin)
Khan Younus (Khan Younis)
***
Person's names as pronounced in standard Arabic:
A'hmed, 'Hasan, Mu'hammed, Younus, Yousuf,
'Hasan Mulai'hat,
***
Conflict terminology
The Israeli occupation apartheid regime (the Israeli government)
Illegal Israeli settlers (instead of settlers, colonists)
A group of the illegal Israeli settlers
***
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