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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Israeli-Imposed Starvation Intensified in Gaza, 85 Palestinians Massacred, 133 Injured in the Resumed Israeli Air Strikes, Bringing the Death Toll of the Israeli Genocidal War on the Gaza Strip to 49,617 and the Injuries to 112,950

March 20, 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 March 20, 2025, the initial death toll of Palestinians who have been killed by the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza Strip is 63,155+.   

This includes the accounted for deaths (49,617), those who are still missing under the rubble (an estimate of at least 13,538+). 

By March 20, 2025, the documented injuries exceeded 112,950.

By March 20, 2025, 935 Palestinians who were killed, 6,917 who were injured, and 11,628*, who were abducted by Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank, since October 7, 2023, including 310 women and 640 children.  

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(The Palestine Information Center reported that there were 925 deaths and 14,500 kidnappings but without mentioning how many were released, by February 27, 2025).  

Note About the Missing Palestinians in the Gaza Strip:

On February 26, 2025, the Palestinian Center for Political and Development Studies announced that the number of the missing in the Gaza Strip has exceeded 14,000 people, including 2,000-3,000 held in Israeli occupation prisons, without releasing any information on their fate.

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Dozens of displaced Palestinians, mostly children, women, and elderly, were killed and injured, a result of the continued Israeli genocidal air strikes and artillery shelling of various areas of the Gaza Strip, March 19, 2025.	14 Palestinians were killed and 30 others were injured in an Israeli genocidal drone attack targeting a funeral tent in Bait Lahya, north of the Gaza Strip, on March 19, 2025.
A Palestinian elderly woman sitting in a Jineen refugee camp street, where most of the houses and streets have been destroyed and residents forced out at gunpoint, by the Israeli occupation forces, March 20, 2025.	A 'Hamas leader, Sami Abu Zuhri, said that the Israeli ground operation towards the Wadi Ghazza, Netzarim, axis, cutting off the Gaza Strip, will completely destroy the ceasefire agreement, March 19, 2025 pic
Complete Palestinian neighborhood were destroyed by the Israeli genocidal air strikes and shelling, on 'Abasan, east of Khan Younus, southern Gaza Strip, March 20, 2025.	Grieving the death of family members, who were martyred by the Israeli genocidal air strikes and shelling, on Bait Lahya, north of Gaza Strip, March 20, 2025.
Site of the Abu Al-Nasr family, which was destroyed by the Israeli genocidal air strike, over the heads of the family members, in Bait Lahya, north of Gaza Strip, March 20, 2025.	Grieving the death of family members, who were martyred by the Israeli genocidal air strikes and shelling, on Khan Younus, southern Gaza Strip, March 20, 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 ۚ فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الْآخِرَةِ لِيَسُوءُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَلِيَدْخُلُوا الْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَلِيُتَبِّرُوا مَا عَلَوْا تَتْبِيراً ‎(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. Then, when the latter (final) promise came, they (your enemies) will sadden your faces, and to enter the Masjid (in Jerusalem), as they entered it the first time, and will destroy what they had taken over with (total) destruction (Al-Isra, 17: 7). 

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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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Gaza death toll from Israel’s genocidal war surpasses 49,617

A'hmed Al-Asmar,  |20.03.2025     

Anadolu, ANKARA

The Palestinian death toll from Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023 mounted to 49,617 people, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said on Thursday.

A ministry statement said that 85 people were killed and 133 others injured in Israeli attacks in Gaza since early morning.

According to the ministry, at least 112,950 people have also been injured in the Israeli onslaught since October 2023.

“Many victims are still trapped under the rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,” the ministry said.

The Israeli occupation army pounded the Gaza Strip with deadly airstrikes since Tuesday, shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

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At Least 10 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes and gunfire in southern Gaza

GAZA, March 20, 2025 (WAFA) –

At least seven Palestinian citizens were killed and several others were injured, many of them critically, on Thursday afternoon due to an Israeli airstrike and gunfire in Khan Younus and Rafa'h in the southern Gaza Strip, according to local sources.

WAFA correspondent reported that Israeli warplanes launched an airstrike targeting a house in the town of 'Abasan Al-Kabeera, east of Khan Younus, killing at least six Palestinians. Among the victims identified were: Mu'hammed Nasir Al-Bureim, Mu'hammed JamalAl-Najjar, Mu'hammed Musabbi'h, and Abdul Rra'hman Musabbi'h. Dozens of others were injured, most of them in critical condition, and the airstrike caused extensive damage to the area.

In the meantime, a Palestinian citizen, Jihad Shaheen, along with his wife and several of their children, were killed when Israeli warplanes targeted their home in the Al- Rumaida area, east of Khan Younus.

Additionally, a young man, 'Uday Abu 'Amrah, was killed after Israeli forces opened fire on him in the Al-Shaboura area in the center of Rafa'h, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.

Medical sources reported that since early this morning, 95fatalities and 133 injured individuals have been transported to hospitals in Gaza as a result of the recent massacres committed by Israeli occupation forces against innocent civilians.

The ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza since October 2023 has so far resulted in at least 48,572 documented Palestinian fatalities, with over 112,032 others injured.

Thousands of victims are feared trapped under rubble, inaccessible to emergency and civil defense teams due to Israeli attacks.

Israel's genocidal attacks continue unabated despite calls from the UN Security Council for an immediate ceasefire and directives from the International Court of Justice urging measures to prevent genocide and alleviate the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

M.N.

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Israeli occupation forces kill dozens of Palestinians in predawn attacks

Thursday 20-March-2025

GAZA, (PIC)

The Israeli occupation forces continued their bloody aggression on the Gaza Strip for the third consecutive day on Thursday, committing numerous massacres against peaceful families, killing and wounding dozens of them.

The Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip have intensified, especially at dawn, when the Israeli forces flattened at least nine residential buildings over the past two hours.

According to medical sources, 37 civilians were killed and 40 others were reported missing under the rubble, including newborn babies, children, women, and the elderly who had been sleeping.

The sources confirmed that 21 martyrs were brought to the Gaza European Hospital following the Israeli airstrikes in Khan Younus and Rafa'h. The Israeli bombing wiped out entire families.

Several people were killed, several others were injured, and others went missing under the rubble after the Israeli warplanes bombed Al-Da'our family home in Bait Lahya, north of the Gaza Strip.

Several civilians were also injured after an Israeli helicopter bombed a tent housing displaced persons in the Al-Zuhour neighborhood, north of Rafa'h, early Thursday morning.

Israeli aircraft also bombed agricultural land northwest of Bait Lahya, north of the Gaza Strip, amid heavy artillery shelling.

Several people were killed and others were injured when the Israeli forces bombed the Abu Nasr family home in the town of Bait Lahya, north of the Gaza Strip.

At least 10 citizens were killed in an Israeli attack on the Jabr family home in Al-Musba'h area, north of Rafa'h, south of the Gaza Strip.

Two other martyrs were pulled out from the rubble of the Al-'Umour family home in Al-Fakhari, east of Khan Yunis.

Twelve citizens were also killed when the Israeli forces bombed the Abu Daqqa family home in the town of Al-Fakhari.

Meanwhile, another Israeli attack targeted the vicinity of a food aid distribution warehouse and a prayer hall in the Ma’an area, east of Khan Younus.

Israeli occupation forces renewed their offensive on the Gaza Strip at dawn Tuesday, with air strikes targeting all areas of the Strip, leading to the martyrdom of about 500 citizens and the injury of hundreds of others, unilaterally ending the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip that came into effect on January 19, 2025.

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Gaza: Dozens of Palestinian civilians killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza

GAZA, March 20, 2025 (WAFA) - 

Dozens of Palestinian citizens were killed and injured last night and early Thursday morning as a result of the continued Israeli bombing of various areas of the Gaza Strip.

WAFA correspondent reported that seven citizens were killed when the Israeli occupation forces targeted the Abu Deeb family home in Bani Suhaila.

Eight citizens were also killed when the Israeli occupation forces targeted the Abu Daqqa family home in 'Abasan Al-Kabeera.

WAFA correspondent said that several were killed when the Israeli occupation forces targeted the Abdul Ra'hman Al-Majayda home in Miraj, eight were killed when the Abu Daqqa family home was targeted, and three were killed when the al-Amour family home was targeted in the town of Al-Fakhari.

He noted that ten were killed when the Israeli occupation forces targeted the Jabr family home in the Musabbi'h area east of Rafa'h, and seven were killed when a house in the al-Sultan neighborhood west of Bait Lahya was targeted.

The Israeli occupation forces resumed their aggression on the Gaza Strip at dawn last Tuesday, after a hiatus of more than two months.

This resulted in the killing of more than 400 citizens, the majority of whom were women and children, and hundreds more were injured.

The resumption of the aggression on the Gaza Strip comes amid fears of a deterioration in the humanitarian situation in the Strip, given the ongoing blockade and the cutting off of medical and humanitarian supplies.

By March 18, 2025, since October 7, 2023, the occupying forces have launched an aggression on the Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of more than 48,572 citizens, the majority of whom are children and women, and the injury of 112,032 others, while a number of victims remain under the rubble.

K.T.

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Israeli drone attack targets funeral tent, kills 14 Palestinians

Wednesday 19-March-2025

GAZA, (PIC)

Fourteen Palestinians were killed and approximately 30 others were injured on Wednesday evening in an Israeli drone attack targeting a funeral tent in Bait Lahya, north of the Gaza Strip.

Local sources reported that an Israeli bombardment targeted a funeral tent in the Al-Sultan neighborhood of Bait Lahya, killing and wounding dozens of citizens.

Gaza’s Health Ministry has provided an updated casualty toll from Israel’s latest wave of attacks, which began early on Tuesday.

Since then, it says, Israeli attacks have killed 436 Palestinians, including 183 children, and injured 678.

That brings the total number of people confirmed killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, to 49,547, the ministry said, with 112,547 wounded.

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The Israeli occupation army begins ground offensive in northern Gaza Strip

Thursday 20-March-2025

GAZA, (PIC)

The Israeli occupation army commenced a ground offensive in northern Gaza Strip on Thursday afternoon, coinciding with ongoing airstrikes across the Strip. Its forces are working to expand the buffer zone between the northern and southern areas of the enclave, including increasing deployment in the Wadi Ghazza (Netzarim) axis.

The occupation army stated in a statement that the 252nd division has begun “ground operations” along the coastal axis in the Bait Lahya area in northern Gaza Strip.

Local sources reported that the American-Egyptian-Qatari committee withdrew from the Wadi Ghazza (Netzarim) axis, without any official announcement from the mediators regarding the details and circumstances of the withdrawal.

The occupation army decided to position Golani Brigade forces in the southern area, ready to operate within Gaza Strip.

Earlier today, the occupation army announced that it is working to expand the buffer zone between the northern and southern Gaza Strip to enhance security control. As a result, it prohibits movement on Salah al-Din Street between the north and south, adding that movement is possible via the Al-Rasheed Road (Sea Street).

On February 9, the occupation army completely withdrew from the Wadi Ghazza (Netzarim) axis, in implementation of a ceasefire agreement reached with the Palestinian resistance through Qatari, Egyptian, and American mediation.

Field sources and eyewitnesses at the time reported that the occupation forces retreated from the sites they held within the Strip to the eastern areas of the axis, at distances ranging from 44 meters to 700 meters.

The Walla website quoted security sources saying that this phase of the ground military aggression on Gaza Strip aims to push Hamas to return to negotiations and not to break the rules of the game. “If Hamas does not return to negotiations, attacks will escalate and ground operations to evacuate the population will increase,” according to the sources.

The occupation army added that it preempted the ground operation with airstrikes targeting the second-tier leadership of resistance factions and their military infrastructure.

According to medical sources, the number of martyrs in the airstrikes on Gaza Strip since midnight last night until noon today has reached 95 martyrs.

Khaleel Al-Diqran, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health in Gaza, stated in a statement to Anadolu Agency today that “710 martyrs and more than 900 injured have reached hospitals in the Strip since dawn Tuesday.” He added that 70% of the injured are children and women, noting that most of them sustained injuries described as “serious”.

Contrary to the occupation’s claims, medical and journalistic sources in Gaza Strip confirm that the majority of the martyrs in the airstrikes are children and women, including entire families.

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

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IOFs carry out large-scale raid, kidnapping campaign in West Bank

Thursday 20-March-2025

WEST BANK, (PIC)

The Israeli occupation forces (IOFs) carried out a large-scale raid and kidnapping campaign across the West Bank overnight and at dawn Thursday.

The IOFs raided 'Odla and Baita towns, south of Nablus, and Al-Samu and Yatta towns in Al-Khaleel (Hebron).

At least two ex-prisoners were rounded up in Al-Khaleel (Hebron) raids.

Similar Israeli raids were reported in 'Arraba town, south of Jineen, Dair Al-Ghusoun, and 'Anabta towns of Toulkarm, and Al-Duhaisha refugee camp in Bait La'hm (Bethlehem).

The IOFs arrested two Palestinians in Al-Duhaisha refugee camp, and kidnapped more than 20 Palestinians after raiding their homes in 'Housan town and subjecting them to field investigations.

The Israeli occupation army launched a large-scale military operation in the northern West Bank 58 days ago, unleashing a violent campaign in Jenin that resulted in the death and injury of dozens of civilians, widespread destruction of homes and public and private property, and the displacement of thousands.

The operation later expanded to Toulkarm and Tubas, targeting mainly the refugee camps of Toulkarm, Nour Shams, and Al-Fari’ah.

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The Israeli occupation forces continue aggression against Jineen city and refugee camp for the 59th day in a row

Jineen, March 20, 2025 (WAFA) -

The Israeli occupation forces continue their aggression on the city of Jineen and its refugee camp for the 59th consecutive day, escalating the forced displacement of citizens after forcing them to leave their homes at gunpoint.

Yesterday, the occupation forces issued demolition notices for approximately 66 homes in the neighborhoods of Al-Hawasheen, Al-'Aloub, 'Azzam Mosque, Jourat Al-Dthahab, and 'Harat Al-Sumran, under the pretext of widening streets and paving new roads in the camp to allow the entry of their military vehicles.

Last night, the occupation forces burned a number of homes near Diwan Al-Sa'di Diwan inside the camp and continue to block the road leading to Jineen Governmental Hospital from the entrance to Jenin camp with earth mounds.

Since the beginning of the aggression, these forces have detained approximately 227 citizens from the Jenin Governorate and conducted field investigations of dozens of citizens.

According to the Jineen Municipality, the occupation forces have bulldozed 100% of the streets in Jenin camp and nearly 80% of the streets in Jenin city. Residents of 3,200 homes have been displaced from the camp. Jenin's economy has suffered a significant decline, and poverty rates have increased among its residents.

The occupation forces' aggression has so far left 34 martyrs, dozens injured, and dozens detained.

K.T.

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Toulkarm remains under Israeli aggression for the 53th day in a row

Toulkarm, March 20, 2025 (WAFA) - 

The Israeli occupation forces continued the aggression on the city of Toulkarm and its camp on Thursday for the 53rd consecutive day, while they entered their 40th day in the Nur Shams camp, amid ongoing escalation, raids, home demolitions, and destruction of infrastructure.

Occupation bulldozers continued their demolition of several homes in Al-Manshiyya neighborhood of Nour Shams refugee camp.

The camp's Popular Services Committee stated that the occupation forces have destroyed 66 homes since the beginning of the aggression. Local sources confirmed that six residential buildings containing dozens of apartments were demolished yesterday.

The homes belong to the families of Shihab, Al-'Alama, Al-Sa'ayda, Abu Sha'la, Abul 'Abd, Al-Sayis, Al-Ghannam, Masharqa, Al-Shaikh Yousuf, and Al-Dabbour.

Eyewitnesses confirmed that the camp is subjected to daily bulldozing and demolition operations targeting homes and infrastructure, resulting in the complete destruction of its landmarks and the forced displacement of its residents, in an attempt to erase its identity and alter its geography.

Meanwhile, Nur Shams camp witnessed raids and house searches, specifically in the Jabali, Al-Nasr, and Al-Saliheen neighborhoods.

Occupation forces transformed the Abu Dayya family home into a military barracks in the Jabal Al-Nasr area, as part of a recurring practice aimed at imposing greater control over the area.

In Toulkarm refugee camp, occupation forces fired flares last night over the Abu al-Foul neighborhood, while military vehicles deployed throughout the neighborhoods and around homes, wreaking havoc and destroying everything in their path. Meanwhile, infantry units were stationed at the northern entrance to the camp, which was blocked by occupation bulldozers with rubble and earth mounds. Meanwhile, occupation soldiers raided homes, shops, and businesses, vandalizing and stealing their belongings.

The neighborhoods of Al-'Hadaida and Al-Matar also witnessed a large-scale forced displacement of citizens, along with the neighborhoods of Qaqoun, Abul-Foul, and Murabba'at 'Hanoun. Meanwhile, occupation forces raided homes in the Al-Rab'a neighborhood, conducting extensive searches inside, and interrogating residents. Meanwhile, the camp has become almost empty of its residents, following the displacement of more than 12,000 refugees.

At the same time, occupation forces dispatched military reinforcements, including military vehicles, toward the city, its two camps, and its suburbs. Infantry units were deployed on the main streets, restricting movement of citizens and vehicular traffic, while firing sound bombs to intimidate residents.

The occupation forces continued to seize several homes on Nablus Street, specifically in the area adjacent to Toulkarm refugee camp.

Their vehicles and bulldozers are positioned in the vicinity, amid strict measures restricting the movement of vehicles and citizens.

This morning, occupation forces detained Basheer Ma'hmoud 'Awfi after raiding a residential area in the Iktaba suburb east of the city.

These attacks come in the context of the ongoing escalation by the occupation forces in the city of Toulkarm and its two camps, which has resulted in the killing of 13 civilians, including a child and two women, one of whom was eight months pregnant. Dozens have also been injured and arrested, and more than 24,000 people have been forcibly displaced from the Toulkarm and Nour Shams refugee camps.

The aggression has also caused widespread destruction to the infrastructure, including water, electricity, sewage, and communications networks, as well as homes, shops, and vehicles, which have been completely or partially demolished, burned, vandalized, looted, and stolen. The entrances and alleys of the camps have also been closed off with earth mounds.

K.T.

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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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Illegal Israeli settlers raze large tracts of Palestinian residents' lands near Ramallah

RAMALLAH, March 20, 2025 (WAFA) –

A group of the illegal Israeli settlers Thursday razed large-tracts of Palestinian land in the village of Umm Safa, northwest of Ramallah.

The head of the Umm Safa village council, Marwan al-Sabah, told WAFA colonists sneaked their way into the village, razing a Palestinian-owned land in the Jabal Al-Ras area, east of the village.

He added that this area serves the roads leading to the neighboring villages of Dair Al-Soudan, 'Ajoul, and 'Aroura, and will thus completely isolate the village from the surrounding area. The occupation has been closing its two main entrances since the genocide against the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023.

The Jabal Al-Ras area has been a target of attacks by colonists together with the occupying forces  Their bulldozers began bulldozing more than 300 dunams of land planted with olive and grape trees several months ago.

Meanwhile, an extremist colonist grazed his livestock on Palestinian land in the town of Dair Istya, northwest of Salfeet.

Anti-settlement activist Nadthmi Al-Salman told WAFA that a colonist from the illegal outpost of Havat Ibn Haimer, built on Palestinian lands in Dair Istya, grazed his sheep in the vicinity of the Mughr Al-Asmar estate, north of the town.

Y.S.

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Israeli occupation forces demolish retaining walls, raze Palestinian land near Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem)

NABLUS, March 20, 2025 (WAFA) – 

Israeli occupation forces Thursday demolished retaining walls and razed a large tract of Palestinian land in the town of Al-Jib, northwest of Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem), according to an official.

The Jerusalem Governorate added that occupation forces raided the Salam neighborhood in the town of 'Anata and the Shu'fat refugee camp, north of Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem).

However, no detentions were reported during the incursion .

Y.S.

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News Related to the Israeli Genocidal War on the Palestinian People

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Americans continue to protest Israel's resumption of Gaza aggression

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2025 (WAFA) - 

Demonstrations in the United States of American continue to denounce the renewed Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, which has left hundreds of innocent civilians dead and wounded, and to protest statements by the far-right Israeli leadership that they will continue the war until the population is displaced from their cities.

Marches were held in Indianapolis, Indiana; Rochester, New York; Denver, Colorado; Ventura, California; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Tampa, Florida, against the renewed Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and the escalating "genocide" against innocent people.

The demonstrators demanded the release of Palestinian student and activist at Columbia University, Mahmoud Khalil, who is being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as part of the current US administration's policy of arresting activists who defend the Palestinian cause.

K.T.

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UNRWA chief: Another dark day for the UN in Gaza

Wednesday 19-March-2025

GAZA, (PIC)

The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) , Philippe Lazzarini, has called today “another dark day” for the UN in Gaza.

In a post on X, Lazzarini expressed condolences for the UN workers killed during Israel’s latest escalation.

“The UN, including UNRWA, continues to pay a heavy price while undertaking humanitarian duties,” he wrote. “Humanitarian workers must be protected at all times.”

For its part, the 'Hamas Movement has issued a new statement about the Israeli targeting of a headquarters used by foreign workers at United Nations institutions that resulted in the death of an employee and the wounding of five others.

“This crime not only constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, but also comes in the context of the occupation’s systematic policy of targeting civilians and humanitarian and relief workers, with the aim of terrorizing them and discouraging them from performing their humanitarian duty towards our people, and deepening the humanitarian catastrophe that the Gaza Strip is experiencing,” the Movement said.

It added that since the start of the war, Israel has killed “hundreds of UNRWA staff and workers in international humanitarian and relief institutions, as part of its criminal war, through which it seeks to tighten the blockade and strangle the Gaza Strip and deprive our people of the most basic necessities of life, in blatant defiance of international laws and norms”.

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Human Rights Watch says Israel committed war crimes during attacks on Gaza hospitals

NEW YORK, March 20, 2025 (WAFA) –

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has confirmed that Israeli forces committed war crimes during their raids on medical facilities in the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the killing and suffering of dozens of Palestinian patients.

In a detailed report released on Thursday, HRW described how Israeli forces inflicted severe harm on both the sick and medical workers by denying them essential resources and targeting healthcare facilities during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

According to HRW, Israeli forces caused the deaths of at least 84 Palestinian patients by denying them basic necessities such as electricity, water, food, and medicine. The rights organization condemned the blockade imposed by Israeli forces on hospitals in Gaza, which restricted access to ambulances and medical supplies.

As a result, medical treatment was severely hindered, leading to the deaths of patients who could not be adequately cared for. Many of the victims were chronically ill or had conditions requiring urgent medical intervention, such as children undergoing dialysis.

HRW's report is based on interviews with nine patients and two healthcare workers who were present at three Gaza hospitals during Israeli airstrikes and occupations: the al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City (November 2023 and March 2024), Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia (January 2024), and the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis (February 2024). These testimonies painted a harrowing picture of the suffering endured by patients and medical staff in the wake of the Israeli military’s siege and occupation of these facilities.

Denial of life-saving resources

The blockade imposed by Israeli forces on these hospitals significantly hampered their ability to treat patients. The denial of electricity led to critical situations where medical equipment, including ventilators, was unable to function.

Dr. Khalif Abu Samra, a healthcare worker at Al-Shifa Hospital, recounted witnessing the detachment of a patient from a ventilator due to a lack of power. This shocking incident highlights the severe consequences of the Israeli forces' attacks, which led to the deaths of patients who could have been saved if proper medical resources were available.

In addition to power cuts, HRW’s report stated that Israeli forces obstructed the delivery of medical supplies and blocked ambulances from reaching the hospitals. As a result, many patients, particularly those requiring urgent care such as dialysis or treatment for severe wounds, were left without the necessary resources to survive. The denial of food, water, and medicine exacerbated the suffering, and many patients’ conditions worsened due to the Israeli-imposed siege.

Targeting of patients and healthcare workers

One of the most egregious aspects of the Israeli occupation of Gaza’s medical facilities was the direct targeting of patients, healthcare workers, and medical equipment. Witnesses reported that Israeli soldiers fired on civilians attempting to flee the hospitals, including patients and staff members in wheelchairs or on stretchers. HRW’s report also detailed how Israeli forces forcibly evacuated hospitals without providing adequate support or alternatives for patients who could not move on their own.

In some instances, Israeli soldiers specifically targeted medical personnel. Reports from healthcare workers described how they were mistreated, threatened, and forced to leave their posts under duress. The Israeli forces’ raids directly violated the Geneva Conventions, which protect both medical personnel and facilities from attack, according to the report. Despite these protections, HRW’s report concluded that Israeli forces' actions amounted to war crimes, as they deliberately targeted medical facilities and hindered efforts to provide essential care to the wounded and sick.

Notable cases of suffering and deaths

One of the most significant incidents highlighted in HRW’s report occurred on October 13, 2023, when the Israeli military issued an expulsion order for northern Gaza, including Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical facility in Palestine.

Despite the absence of a safe evacuation route, the Israeli military forced thousands of displaced civilians and patients to flee the hospital, putting their lives at further risk. One of the most harrowing testimonies came from Ridana Zukhra, a 23-year-old woman who was fired upon by an Israeli tank as she tried to flee Al-Shifa with her children, brother, and cousin. Her five-year-old daughter was critically injured in the attack, and her leg had to be amputated.

The Israeli airstrikes on October 13 also targeted ambulances evacuating patients, killing at least 21 people, including five children. The attacks on ambulances, which are protected under international law, further exacerbated the loss of life in the conflict.

Furthermore, between November 11 and 17, 2023, Israeli forces blockaded Al-Shifa Hospital, which was sheltering around 600 patients, including premature babies and individuals requiring dialysis. As a result of the blockade, 40 patients died during this period.

On November 15, Israeli forces stormed the hospital, and patients, including those who were critically ill or in comas, were forced to evacuate despite their inability to move. Some of these patients died due to the lack of proper care during the forced evacuation. HRW’s report also highlighted that several patients on dialysis refused to leave the hospital, and their fate remains uncertain.

In another incident, a maternity patient who was transferred to another facility after being forcibly evacuated from al-Shifa died due to inadequate intensive care at the new facility. These incidents underline the extent to which Israeli forces’ actions obstructed medical care and contributed to unnecessary suffering and loss of life.

Mass graves and the aftermath

When Israeli forces withdrew from Al-Shifa Hospital in early April 2024, after a deadly two-week siege, the hospital was left in ruins. Healthcare workers and families were left to deal with the aftermath of the violence, with corpses scattered throughout the complex. With cemeteries overwhelmed and the morgues unable to handle the volume of bodies, families were forced to dig temporary graves in the hospital courtyards. Some of the victims were buried in mass graves by Israeli soldiers during their assault on the medical complex.

Despite Israel's repeated claims that its attacks on Gaza’s medical facilities were justified because they were allegedly being used as military command centers by Palestinian armed groups, HRW noted that no verifiable evidence has been provided to substantiate these allegations. The targeting of hospitals, medical staff, and patients, HRW stressed, is a clear violation of international humanitarian law.

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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