Documentation of the Israeli abuse of power, mistreatment of humanity, and perpetration of the genocidal war on the Palestinian people in the  Gaza Strip.

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Hamas Announces Martyrdom of Al-Dhaif and Other Military Leaders, Rafa'h Crossing Opens, Fisherman Killed in Gaza and 3 in the West Bank, More Displacements in Toulkarm

January 31, 2025

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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 reliable data reported by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza:

By January 30, 2025, the initial death toll of Palestinians who have been killed by the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza Strip is 58,460+.   

This includes the accounted for deaths (47,460), those who are still missing under the rubble (an estimate of at least 11,000+). 

By January 30, 2025, the documented injuries exceeded 111,580.

By January 31, 2025, 883 Palestinians who were killed, 6,779 who were injured, and 11,050*, who were abducted by Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank, since October 7, 2023, including 310 women and 640 children (Some of the detainees have been released). 

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Hamas announced names of its military leaders who were martyred during the Al-Aqsa Flood battle, including the chief of staff, Muhammed Al-Dhaif, January 30, 2025.	A man waving a Lebanese flag near the rubble of his home in South Lebanon, which was destroyed by the Israeli occupation forces, January 31, 2025.
Israeli occupation forces continued to force Palestinian families to evacuate their homes in the Toulkarm refugee camp, amid an escalation of aggression in the city and its refugee camp, January 31, 2025.	The Gaza Municipality issued an urgent distress call to the international community and relief organizations, warning of an impending environmental and health catastrophe facing the city, January 31, 2025.
The plan to reopen the Rafa'h border crossing terminal between the Gaza Strip and Egypt begin today under the supervision of a multinational European force, January 31, 2025.	Egyptians came out in protests against any attempts aiming at the displacement of the Palestinian people, following a statement by the Egyptian President in rejection for such plans, January 31, 2025.
In violation to the ceasefire agreement, the Israeli occupation forces on gunboats shot and killed a Palestinian fisherman in the Gaza coastal waters, near Al-Nusayrat refugee camp, on January 31, 2025, file photo.	UK, French, and German Foreign Ministers say that the UNRWA cannot be replaced, above a UNRWA school in Gaza sheltering displaced Palestinian families, January 31, 2025 file photo
Palestinian Muslim worshippers performing the Friday prayer at Al-'Omari Mosque, one of the most ancient mosques in the world, which was destroyed by the Israeli genocidal air strikes on Gaza City, on January 31, 2025.	Displaced Palestinian families returning to their homes in Al-Rimal neighborhood, which was destroyed by the Israeli genocidal air strikes on Gaza city, January 31, 2025.

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بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

"مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَٰلِكَ كَتَبْنَا عَلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَنَّهُ مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا"  (الْمَائِدَةُ ، 5: 32).

"وَمَنْ يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُّتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا" (النِّسَاءُ ، 4: 93).

"إِنْ أَحْسَنتُمْ أَحْسَنتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ ۖ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا ۚ " (الإسْرَاءُ ، 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.

Killing and Injuring of Palestinians in Ghazza (Gaza) by Israeli Occupation Regime Forces

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Palestinian fisherman killed off Gaza’s coast

Friday 31-January-2025

GAZA, (PIC)

Israeli occupation forces on gunboats have shot and killed a Palestinian fisherman in Gaza’s coastal waters, near Al-Nusayrat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

Eyewitnesses confirmed that Israeli gunboats opened heavy fire on fishing boats in the area, killing one fisherman.

Israeli forces have repeatedly fired at Palestinians, including fishermen, in recent weeks despite the ongoing ceasefire.

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'Hamas declares martyrdom of its armed wing commander, Mu'hammed Al-Dhaif

Thursday 30-January-2025

GAZA, (PIC)

The spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of 'Hamas, Abu 'Obayda, officially announced the martyrdom of the Brigades’ Chief of Staff, Commander Mu'hammed Al-Dhaif, and a number of members of the Military Council.

“This is befitting of our leader Mu'hammed Al-Dhaif, who exhausted the enemy for more than 30 years,” Abu 'Obayda said.

“How, by God, could Mu'hammed Al-Dhaif be mentioned in history without the title ‘martyr’ and without the medal of martyrdom?” Abu 'Obayda asked.

Deif was one of the founders of the Al-Qassam Brigades in the 1990s and led the force for more than 20 years. He is reported to have planned attacks leading to the deaths of dozens of Israeli forces and illegal settlers. 'Obayda was also believed to have developed the Brigades’ network of tunnels and its bomb-making expertise.

On the morning of October 7, 2023, the Brigades issued a rare voice recording of 'Obayda announcing the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation in southern Israel was a response to Israeli raids at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third-holiest site.

Abu 'Obayda said deputy military commander Marwan 'Eisa was also killed and announced the martyrdom of a number of other commanders, including Ghazi Abu Tu'aima, the commander of weapons and combat services; Ra-id Thabit, commander of manpower and head of the supplies unit; and Rafei Salama, the commander of the Khan Yunis Brigade.

Following the announcement, the Youth Movement called for mass mobilization in the West Bank in support of the Palestinian resistance and to perform the funeral prayer in absentia for Al-Qassam Brigades Mu'hammed Al-Dhaif.

All of the mosques in historic Palestine will hold the funeral prayer in absentia following Friday prayers for the soul of Qassam Brigades leaders.

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Rafa'h Crossing reopens under EU supervision, Egyptians protest against Palestinian displacement

Friday 31-January-2025

RAFAH, (PIC)

The plan to reopen the Rafa'h border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt is set to begin on Friday under the supervision of a multinational European force to secure the crossing.

The ceasefire agreement between 'Hamas and Israel, which came into effect on January 19, stipulates that 600 trucks of humanitarian aid will enter the Gaza Strip daily and that the Rafa'h crossing will be opened seven days after the agreement takes effect.

According to the agreement, the European Security Mission (EUBAM) will manage the crossing alongside Palestinians from Gaza who are not affiliated with Hamas and are likely linked to the Palestinian Authority, but without direct official supervision from it. According to Palestinian sources, these Palestinians have received Israeli approval to oversee the operation of the crossing.

The agreement also allows members of Hamas’s military wing who were injured during the war to exit for medical treatment abroad, with permission to return to the Gaza Strip after completing their treatment.

According to the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, the European Union will send about 100 border officers to the crossing, along with trained dogs to assist in inspection operations, while enhancing security by deploying guards to protect the European officers.

On the Palestinian side, the Palestinian Authority will be responsible for providing officers to monitor the border. A senior European official confirmed that the European force will play a key role in implementing the first phase of the ceasefire, facilitating the passage of about 200 Palestinians daily from Gaza to Egypt, most of them being the injured and their companions.

On another note, there will be thorough security checks for travelers crossing the border, including identity verification and ensuring they are not carrying weapons.

The EUBAM was established in 2005 to support the Palestinian Authority in managing the crossing but ceased operations in 2007. Later, Israel requested the European Union to redeploy this force with the support of Egypt and the United States, which considers it a reliable entity to ensure the security of the crossing.

This step is part of international efforts to restore security and stability to Gaza, focusing on facilitating the movement of civilians, especially patients and injured individuals needing treatment outside the Strip.

In a related context, hundreds of Egyptian citizens demonstrated in front of the Rafa'h border crossing with the Gaza Strip in response to calls from political parties to express their rejection of attempts to displace Palestinians from their lands.

Various regions in Egypt saw buses transporting large numbers of participants towards North Sinai, where demonstrators raised slogans such as “No to the displacement of the Palestinian people” and “No to the liquidation of the Palestinian cause,” alongside flags of Egypt and Palestine.

Activists circulated images and videos on social media showing the large numbers heading to the Rafa'h crossing, in a step described as a widespread expression of public rejection of any attempts to displace Palestinians or violate their legitimate rights.

Fareed Zahran, the head of the Egyptian Democratic Social Party, confirmed that the demonstration aims to send a clear message of protest to the world against what he described as “unjust plans” that threaten the stability of the region and violate international law.

Zahran explained that this grassroots movement comes under a unified banner, free from the umbrella of parties or factions, emphasizing the raising of only Egyptian and Palestinian flags and signs supporting the Palestinian people.

Earlier, Egyptian President Abdul Fatta'h El-Sisi had affirmed Egypt’s firm rejection of any plans to displace Palestinians, stressing that such plans represent “injustice in which Cairo will not participate.” El-Sisi reiterated Egypt’s support for the two-state solution as the only way to achieve peace and stability.

This was preceded by statements from U.S. President Donald Trump last Sunday, saying that Jordan and Egypt should take in more Palestinians from Gaza, after the Israeli war on the Strip caused a humanitarian crisis. His statements received widespread Palestinian and international condemnation, as they align with Israeli plans and clash with the rights of the Palestinian people.

El-Sisi’s statements found broad support from Egyptian political parties and professional unions, which emphasized the necessity of preserving the rights of the Palestinian people and establishing their independent state.

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Gaza municipality launches an urgent international distress call

Friday 31-January-2025

GAZA, (PIC)

The Gaza Municipality issued an urgent distress call to the international community as well as relief and humanitarian organizations on Thursday, warning of an impending environmental and health catastrophe that threatens the city and its citizens.

According to the Gaza Municipality, the ongoing influx of people into the city that the Israeli war machine destroyed is putting a great deal of strain on the city’s deteriorating sewage systems, raising the possibility of their total collapse.

The city’s major sewage stations, particularly Baqqara stations No. “5”, Al-Samar “6A,” and Al-Zaytoun “7B,” which receive thousands of cubic meters of sewage water every day, have experienced significant damage to their equipment and infrastructure, making it impossible for them to function effectively, the municipality explained.

It noted that the stations are dependent on outdated and in poor condition generators, which raises the possibility that they will fail entirely due to the ongoing power outages.

The Municipality also warned of the possibility of sewage seeping into residential areas, which could pollute the environment and spread illnesses among locals, particularly the elderly and children.

It demanded immediate assistance in repairing the sewage stations’ damage and supplying the tools needed to run them, such as new generators, to guarantee their continuous operation in the face of frequent power outages. Additionally, it required that the damaged stations and equipment be maintained with the provision of spare parts.

The Municipality further noted that in addition to the destruction of the pumping lines on Rashid Street and Street No. 10, which further exacerbates the environmental catastrophe on the beach, there is extensive damage in the sewage stations west of the city, particularly Station No. 11, which receives 35,000 cubic meters of water every day.

The Gaza Municipality reiterated its appeal to the international community and relevant organizations to act right away to protect the city’s environment and public health and to offer the assistance required to repair the damaged infrastructure, such as treatment facilities and sewage networks.

It also warned that failing to act on this call would worsen the city’s humanitarian situation and cause the disaster to worsen.

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Killing, Injuring, and Abduction of Palestinians in the West Bank by Israeli Occupation Regime Forces 

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Despite the tight Israeli restrictions, about 40,000 Palestinian Muslim worshippers perform the Friday prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque

Friday 31-January-2025

Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem), (PIC)

Thousands of Palestinian worshipers performed the Friday prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque, in Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem) amidst tight Israeli restrictions.

The Islamic Endowment Authority affirmed that around 40,000 Muslims performed the Friday prayer at the holy shrine.

The Israeli occupation apartheid regime police forces also obstructed Muslim worshipers’ entry to the Aqsa Mosque through its gates, and brutally attacked them, in particular, many young men and checked their IDs.

Israeli forces impose strict restrictions on the entry of worshipers to Al-Aqsa Mosque, especially on Fridays, preventing thousands of citizens from the West Bank from reaching Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem) to perform prayers at the Mosque, as they require the issuance of special permits to cross IOFs military checkpoints surrounding the holy city. 

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Three Palestinian martyrs in IOFs aggression in Jineen, Nablus

Friday 31-January-2025

WEST BANK, (PIC)

Three Palestinian citizens were martyred in Israeli occupation forces’ (IOFs) attacks in Jineen and Nablus on Thursday.

The Ministry of Health announced on Thursday evening that two Palestinians were killed in IOFs attacks in Jineen refugee camp, adding that both of them were resistance fighters and were killed in IOFs shooting attacks.

It added that three other Palestinians were treated for shrapnel wounds and were delivered to the ministry’s ambulance crews at the Jalama military roadblock.

An Israeli warplane fired two missiles at a house in Jineen after the announcement of the killing of an IOFs soldier and the injury of another during clashes with resistance fighters in Jineen refugee camp.

The martyrdom of the two Palestinian young men brings the total number of Palestinians killed in the ongoing IOFs aggression on Jenin for the past ten days to 21 while dozens others were injured or arrested.

Meanwhile in Nablus, the ministry said that an IOFs special force assassinated 42-year-old Qasim 'Abboud and took away his body.

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Three Palestinian women injured in Israeli attack in Jineen

Friday 31-January-2025

WEST BANK, (PIC)

Three Palestinian women were injured on Thursday during the ongoing Israeli aggression on Jineen and its refugee camp, in the northern occupied West Bank for the 11th day in a row.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society affirmed that its crews received three women at the Jalama checkpoint, suffering from shrapnel injuries.

Earlier Thursday, an Israeli warplane fired two missiles at a building in Jineen refugee camp.

Also on Thursday evening, the Israeli occupation forces surrounded two houses in Toulkarm, amid heavy gunfire and intensive low-altitude reconnaissance flights.

The Israeli military has surrounded a house in the Engineers Housing Complex in the east of the city, before demanding via loudspeakers that those inside surrender.

Israeli special forces also surrounded another house in the southern neighborhood of the city, which led to the outbreak of violent clashes.

Israeli occupation forces also besieged the Thabit Thabit Governmental Hospital in Toulkarm.

On January 21, the Israeli occupation army launched a military operation in the Jineen governorate in the occupied West Bank, which has more recently been expanded to the Tulkarem governorate.

The Israeli occupation forces killed two more people in Jineen refugee camp a day after 10 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli genocidal air strike on Tammoun town, in the occupied West Bank. 

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Two pre-teens injured by Israeli gunfire northeast of Ramallah

RAMALLAH, January 31, 2025 (WAFA) -

Two Palestinian pre-teens were injured on Friday by Israeli gunfire in the village of Al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah, according to local sources.

Sources reported that Israeli military forces stormed the eastern part of the village and opened live fire on residents, resulting in the injury of two pre-teens, aged 11 and 12.

One child was shot in the abdomen, while the other was injured in the foot. They were transferred to a health center in the nearby town of Khirbet Abu Fala'h.

T.R.

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IOFs continue its aggression in Toulkarm, forcing residents to evacuate their homes

Friday 31-January-2025

Toulkarm, (PIC)

Israeli occupation forces (IOFs) continued on Friday to force citizens to evacuate their homes in the Toulkarm refugee camp amid unprecedented escalation of aggression in the city and its refugee camp.

The occupation forces have compelled families to leave their homes under gun threat, specifically in the neighborhoods of Al-Nadi and Al-Shuhada, causing panic and fear, especially among children and women.

These operations have been accompanied by the destruction of property and the demolition of several houses, as the IOFs used evacuation as a means to intimidate citizens and exert pressure on them, under the pretext of searching for wanted individuals.

This ongoing escalation has persisted for five days amid difficult humanitarian conditions in the camp, where residents are suffering from the interruption of essential services such as water, electricity, and communications due to the targeting of infrastructure by IOFs bulldozers, along with severe shortages of food, medical supplies, drinking water, and infant formula.

The IOFs maintained the siege on the government hospital of Martyr Thabit Thabit and the specialized Al-Israa hospital, seizing high-rise commercial buildings surrounding them and obstructing the work of ambulances and medical teams, subjecting them to inspection and field interrogation.

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Several suffocate as the Israeli occupation forces raid the southern West Bank town of 'Husan

Bait La'hm (Bethlehem), January 31, 2025 (WAFA) –

Several Palestinians Friday evening suffocated as Israeli occupation forces raided 'Husan village, west of the occupied West Bank city of Bait La'hm (Bethlehem), according to a local source.

Rami 'Hamamra, Head of Husan Village Council, said that the occupation forces barged their way into the village, deploying in the vicinity of the Council and local schools, in the downtown part of the city, and at the eastern entrance.

He added that the heavily armed soldiers fired volleys of teargas canisters and concussion grenades, causing several villagers to suffocate from excessive teargas inhalation.

In the course of the raid, the soldiers broke into the house of a villager who was recently released from Israeli imprisonment as part of the third batch under the Gaza ceasefire agreement, and threatened him along with his family with reprisals as a means to prevent any "public displays of joy”.

Israel’s 15-month genocidal aggression on Gaza killed at least 47,460 Palestinians and injured over 111,580 others.

The occupation forces frequently raid Palestinian houses almost daily across the West Bank on the pretext of searching for “wanted” Palestinians, triggering clashes with residents.

These raids are conducted without a search warrant whenever and wherever the military chooses, in keeping with its sweeping arbitrary powers.

Under Israeli military law army commanders have full executive, legislative, and judicial authority over 3 million Palestinians living in the West Bank. Palestinians have no say in how this authority is exercised.

K.F.

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Israeli occupation forces besiege two homes in Toulkarm

Toulkarm, January 31, 2025 (WAFA) –

Israeli occupation forces besieged two homes in the city of Toulkarm last night, opening heavy gunfire and deploying surveillance drones at low altitudes.

According to WAFA correspondent, Israeli forces surrounded a house in the Al-Muhandiseen Housing area east of the city, using loudspeakers to demand that those inside surrender. At the same time, a special Israeli military unit, supported by armored vehicles, besieged another house in the southern neighborhood of the city.

Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli forces fired live bullets and stun grenades toward both houses. Confrontations erupted in the area, though no injuries were reported.

Local sources confirmed that the Israeli forces detained two young men, 'Ammar and A'hmed Al-'Awfi, from the house under siege in the eastern part of the city.

Israeli forces also continued to surround the Thabit Thabit Governmental Hospital and Al-Israa Specialized Hospital in the city, occupying nearby high-rise commercial buildings. Ambulances and medical teams have faced severe restrictions, with paramedics subjected to searches and field interrogations.

Additionally, Israeli troops have been detonating homes inside the besieged Toulkarm refugee camp for the fifth consecutive day. Residents were forcibly evacuated at gunpoint before their homes were blown up. Explosions and fires continue to be heard intermittently throughout the camp.

M.N.

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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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Israeli occupation forces blow up houses in the Jineen refugee camp

Jineen, January 31, 2025 (WAFA) –

As the Israeli military offensive in the city and refugee camp of Jineen has entered its eleventh consecutive day, the occupation forces Friday continued to blow up Palestinians’ houses in the camp, according to local sources.

They said that sounds of explosions could be heard in the camp as the Israeli occupation forces blew up Palestinians’ houses, particularly at the Al-Damj, 'Abdullah 'Azzam and Al-Bishr neighborhoods.

Israeli military bulldozers plowed through infrastructure, including the road leading to Jenin Government Hospital, resulting in extensive destruction at a time when the gun-toting soldiers impeded the movement of ambulances into and out of the hospital.

Earlier, Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) crews evacuated a patient who was suffering from Dehydration for two days from the camp as a result of the ongoing siege and incursion.

Meanwhile, the occupation forces detained several youths from the Jineen city and its refugee camp.

The occupation forces have continued a massive onslaught on Jineen city and refugee camp for the eleventh consecutive day, killing 19 Palestinians, injuring dozens and rounding up scores.

The onslaught on Jenin comes as the occupation forces continue to launch large-scale aggression on the city and the refugee camp of Toulkarm, forcing over 1,000 Palestinians, including elderly, women, children, and people with disabilities, from their houses, deploying snipers, plowing through infrastructure and property, obstructing the movement of medical crews.

This comes as the occupation forces tightened military measures across the occupied West Bank hours after the release of 90 Palestinian prisoners as part of the Gaza ceasefire went into effect, dismembering and isolating cities and governorates one from the other using military gates, barriers and concrete blocks.

The Israeli military measures are in parallel with ongoing attacks by Israeli colonists across the West Bank with the aim of terrorizing Palestinians and displacing them from their lands to seize them and build illegal Jewish colonies that separate Palestinian communities.

Israeli severely restricts Palestinians’ freedom of movement within the occupied West Bank through a complex combination of approximately 898 fixed and flying checkpoints and gates, including 18 gates that have been installed since the start of 2025 and 146 others installed in the aftermath of October 7, 2023, settler-only roads, over 200 military bases, and various other physical obstructions.

Closures besides to other measures, taken under the guise of security, are intended to entrench Israel’s 58-year-old military occupation of the West Bank and its settler colonial project which it enforces with routine and frequently deadly violence against Palestinians.

K.F.

***

Israeli occupation forces continue forcible eviction of Palestinians from their homes in Toulkarm refugee camp, amid unprecedented escalation

TULKAREM, January 31, 2025 (WAFA) –

Israeli occupation forces continued on Friday the forcible eviction of Palestinian residents from their homes in the Toulkarm Refugee Camp, in the northern occupied West Bank, amid an unprecedented escalated onslaught on the city and its camp.

Eyewitnesses told WAFA that Israeli forces forced families to leave their homes at gunpoint, particularly in the neighborhoods of Al-Nadi and Shuhada, causing widespread panic, especially among women and children.

The witnesses further reported that these evictions were accompanied by the destruction of home contents and the detonation of several houses. The occupation forces use the evictions as a means of intimidation and pressure, under the pretext of searching for wanted individuals.

This ongoing escalation, now in its fifth consecutive day, is taking place amid dire humanitarian conditions in the camp, with residents suffering from the disruption of essential services such as water, electricity and telecommunications due to the targeting of infrastructure by Israeli bulldozers. There is also a severe shortage of food, medical supplies, drinking water and baby formula.

The Palestine Red Crescent (PRCS) teams in Tulkarem continued today to evacuate residents from the Al-Nadi area in the camp after receiving orders to leave their homes from the occupation forces.

PRCS reported that its medical teams have evacuated several patients, while its Disaster Management Team has helped evacuate 150 citizens.

Governor of Toulkarm, 'Abdullah Kmeel, stated that the Red Crescent teams, in an effort to alleviate the suffering of residents, began distributing food parcels, bread and essential supplies such as water and medicine in the Tulkarem Refugee Camp, which has been under Israeli onslaught for the fifth consecutive day.

In a press statement, Kmeel emphasized that the Tulkarem Governorate is facing a large-scale, systematic assault, which includes the deliberate destruction of infrastructure across multiple locations within the city, the further demolition of areas in the Tulkarem refugee camp that had previously been rehabilitated, and the forcible eviction of hundreds of families from their homes.

He further explained that the “Dignity and Relief Committee”, in cooperation with all local institutions, organizations and volunteers is working to support the displaced families. Additionally, the Health Emergency Committee and all field teams are making immense efforts on the ground.

Governor Kmeil reiterated his call to the international community and human rights organizations to halt this aggression.

He further urged citizens in other governorates and the 1948-occupied territories to stand in solidarity with Tulkarem, given the severe situation, and to help secure the needs of families affected by this military incursion.

T.R.

***

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News Related to the Israeli Genocidal War on the Palestinian People

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UK, Franch, and German Foreign Ministers: UNRWA cannot be replaced

An UNRWA school in Gaza transformed into a shelter for the displaced Palestinian families, during the Israeli genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.

CAPITALS, January 31, 2025 (WAFA)—

The foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany have reiterated their “grave concern regarding the Government of Israel’s implementation of legislation forbidding any contact between Israeli state entities, officials and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East [UNRWA]; and prohibiting any UNRWA presence within Israel and East Jerusalem.”

The ministers called on the Government of Israel to abide by its international obligations and live up to its responsibility to ensure full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance and the provision of basic services to the civilian population. “We urge the Government of Israel to work with international partners, including the UN, to ensure continuity of operations. No other entity or UN Agency currently has the capacity or infrastructure to replace UNRWA’s mandate and experience.”

The ministers reaffirmed their support for UNRWA’s UN-mandate to provide essential services and humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. They highlighted that UNRWA remains the primary service provider to Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and plays an integral role in the response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The ministers expressed their full endorsement of the ceasefire agreement. They welcomed the increase in humanitarian aid reaching Gaza since the ceasefire began and urged all parties to ensure its continued flow.

“We will play our full part in the coming days and weeks to seize the opportunity of this ceasefire and to ensure it leads to a credible pathway towards a two-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace,” the ministers concluded.

The two laws targeting the operations of UNRWA entered into effect on Thursday, meaning that tens of thousands of refugees will be deprived of services, including education and healthcare.

The first law prohibits UNRWA activities within "areas under Israeli sovereignty," including the operation of representative offices and the provision of services, while the second law bans any contact with the agency.

T.R.

***

UN chief calls for immediate evacuation of 2,500 children from Gaza for medical treatment

NEW YORK, January 31, 2025 (WAFA) –

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for the urgent evacuation of 2,500 children from Gaza to receive medical treatment abroad.

In a post on X, Guterres stated, "2,500 children must be immediately evacuated [from Gaza for treatment] with the guarantee that they will be able to return to their families and communities."

The UN chief expressed his deep concern after hearing testimonies from doctors who have worked in Gaza, praising their efforts and sacrifices in the face of immense challenges.

The plea comes in the wake of a ceasefire that took effect on January 19, following 15 months of Israeli genocide in Gaza. The prolonged assault resulted in 47,460 fatalities, 111,580 injuries, and thousands missing, alongside widespread destruction and a dire humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave.

M.N.

***

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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. 

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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)

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Person's names as pronounced in standard Arabic:

A'hmed, 'Hasan, Mu'hammed, Younus, Yousuf,  

'Hasan Mulai'hat,

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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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