PALESTINE’S LEGAL SCENE –Issue.264

Your weekly survey of the most important publications and activities related to Palestine and law, from local and international sources

 19 – 25 January 2025

Issued every Sunday by Law for Palestine

Prepared by: Razwan Issa, Nour Kharouf, Arwa Abdel Moniam, Kamal Abdulkarim , Murad Abu Murad 

 Translation: : Maisaa Abdelqader and Um Kulthoom Sharif

Editing: : Haneen Shadeed

This weekly report reviews the legal dynamics of the Palestine question, and everything related to international law and Palestine. The report includes an account of the most important publications, activities and conferences related to Palestine at the local, regional, international levels. The report further covers decisions, decrees, and judicial orders affecting the Palestinian cause, whether made at the official, academic or public levels. The report aims to be a reference for monitoring, documenting and archiving the latest human rights developments related to Palestine, and to present them to individuals, researchers, study centers, and official, academic and legal institutions concerned.

To view this Issue of Palestine’s Legal Scene, please click here (5 minutes read)

Judicial decrees, decisions, positions, and orders issued by official Palestinian bodies:

• The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates (MOFAE) has expressed deep concern over inflammatory statements made by members of Netanyahu’s extremist government. These statements advocate for the continuation of policies of extermination, displacement, and annexation against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, with the threat of extending these measures to the West Bank. The Ministry has called for urgent international action to counter these calls and to advance a comprehensive political solution to the conflict, based on international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative. It reiterated that the State of Palestine holds legal and political authority over Gaza and all occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), emphasizing that enabling Palestine to exercise this authority is a critical step towards achieving security and stability in the region. (January 20, 2025)
• The President of the Palestinian National Council, Rouhi Fattouh, condemns the crime committed by the occupation forces in Sebastia, north of Nablus, which resulted in the martyrdom of the child Ahmad Hamad. The Palestinian MOFA also condemns the assaults by armed settler militias and their “terrorist elements” against Palestinian citizens, their property, and their sanctities in the occupied West Bank—attacks that occur under the protection of Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF). (January 20, 2025)
• Varsen Aghabekian Shaheen, Minister of State for the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates has described the recent developments as a “glimmer of hope” for achieving a permanent ceasefire. She commended mediation efforts by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, expressing optimism that the ceasefire would lead to a final and full cessation of hostilities and the complete withdrawal of occupation forces from Gaza. Shaheen emphasised that the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) remains the only legitimate representative of the Palestinian people ready to govern the West Bank and Gaza, provide essential services, facilitate displaced persons’ return and prepare for reconstruction. She firmly rejected any attempts to annex Palestinian land and stressed the importance of implementing the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. She also noted that the occupation government’s actions and laws aim to undermine the official institutions of the State of Palestine. (January 20, 2025)
• The Palestinian MOFAE condemns the ongoing aggression by the occupation forces against Jenin Governorate and its refugee camp, including the displacement of families, collective punishment, the destruction of infrastructure, extrajudicial executions, and the accompanying vandalism of citizens’ property. The Ministry confirmed that the Israeli government is manufacturing pretexts and justifications to perpetuate violence and undermine any opportunity to implement the international consensus on a two-state solution. The Ministry called on the UN Security Council to assume its legal and moral responsibilities toward the suffering of the Palestinian people and to take binding measures to compel the occupying state, including the immediate initiation of a genuine and serious political process that leads to the end of the Israeli occupation. (January 22, 2025)
• The Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, along with the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, has revealed that martyr Mohammed Hussein (Al-Aref) was deliberately executed during interrogation. An initial medical report indicates he was subjected to severe physical torture and excessive use of restraints, which resulted in a heart attack, pulmonary blockage, and internal bleeding. The Commission and the Club stated that Al-Aref’s assassination highlights the occupation’s systematic targeting of prisoners through torture and deliberate killings as part of an ongoing campaign of extermination. They further noted that Al-Aref is one of 56 prisoners who have died in occupation prisons since the war in October 2023, with their identities confirmed, while dozens of detainees from Gaza have also perished in prisons and camps, with the occupation continuing to withhold their identities. (January 23, 2025)
• The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a warning regarding the dangers of settlement projects aimed at Judaizing Jerusalem and its surroundings, particularly in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood and at Qalandiya Airport. These initiatives intensify the city’s isolation and worsen the fragmentation of Palestinian territory into isolated enclaves. The Ministry emphasized that the closure of the West Bank and the obstruction of connectivity between its governorates are part of colonial schemes intended to cement annexation and impose Israeli sovereignty. Additionally, the Chairman of the Palestinian National Council, Rawhi Fattouh, condemned the decision of the Israeli occupation court in Jerusalem, which mandates the eviction of hundreds of Palestinians from their homes in the Batn al-Hawa neighborhood in the town of Silwan. (January 23–24, 2025)
• The Palestinian National Council (PNC) has urged European Parliament members to rescind the invitation to Israeli Heritage Minister, Amichai Chikli, for a symposium on anti-Semitism. The Council expressed deep concern over Chikli’s invitation, citing his inflammatory and racist statements, as he renewed calls this week to strike the Gaza Strip with a nuclear bomb. (January 24, 2025)

Judicial decrees, decisions, positions, and orders issued by official Israeli bodies:

• Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has announced that he had secured a  commitment to change the war strategy, emphasising full territorial control over the Gaza Strip, removing the restrictions imposed by the Biden administration. Smotrich said that Gaza was currently “ruined and disintegrated, uninhabitable” and that it would “remain that way”.  He added: “Don’t be impressed by the forced joy of our enemy. This is an animalistic society that sanctifies death. Very soon, we will erase their smile again and replace it with cries of grief and the wails of those who were left with nothing”. (January 18-19, 2025)
• Chief of the General Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces, Lt Gen Herzi Halevi, has resigned, citing accountability for the “terrible failure” of security and intelligence during Hamas’ attack on 7 October 2023. Halevi stated that “My responsibility for this terrible failure accompanies me every day, every hour and will remain with me for the rest of my life”. (January 21, 2025)
• The Knesset has passed a law criminalising the denial of October 7, 2023 introduced by MK Oded Forer of the “Yisrael Beiteinu”. Under this law, statements denying the “massacre”, with the intention of defending Hamas and its partners or expressing sympathy or solidarity with them, will be charged with a criminal offense punishable by five years in prison. (January 21, 2025)
• The Israeli army has launched “Operation Iron Wall” in the West Bank city of Jenin, which is expected to last for days, claiming the aim is to dismantle “terrorist” infrastructures and ensure settler security. The operation involves strict restrictions including road closures and over 750 checkpoints, setting up additional checkpoints and closing road gates that connect Palestinian towns and communities to the main roads. Settlers remain unaffected due to isolated road systems. Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich endorsed the operation as vital to promote settler protection and national security. (January 21-22, 2025)
• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s office has announced that the Palestinian Authority (PA) will not take control of the Rafah Crossing. Instead “non-Hamas Gazans” will manage with international oversight. The office has noted that the role of the PA is toprovide the stamp on passports allowing Gazans to exit the Strip. The IOF remains deployed at the crossing, controlling all movement. (January 22, 2025)
• In response to a query about negotiation with Saudi Arabia on the establishment of a Palestinian State, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, has denied any commitment by Israel to establish a Palestinian state. He expressed optimism about post-conflict administration in Gaza within the Prime Minister’s framework. (January 22, 2025)
• The opposition’s bill to annex the Jordan Valley was defeated in the Knesset by 32 votes to 56. Coalition members emphasised the importance of timing and coordination with the United States before advancing such legislation. Voiced by Knesset members including Tally Gotliv who stated “We can’t vote for it just because it’s right, we need to do it in a way that is reasonable and at the right time, and in cooperation with the United States”, and Knesset member Dan Illouz who added “We have a historic opportunity to advance Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley, but it must be done wisely”. (January 22, 2025)
• According to Israeli officials and a source with direct knowledge, it was reported that U.S. private security contractors will begin operating a key Gaza checkpoint in the coming days. They will deploy armed guards to the enclave as part of a multinational consortium established under the ceasefire deal. The aim is to inspect Palestinian vehicles moving from southern Gaza to northern Gaza and ensure thatno rockets or other heavy weapons are being transferred. (January 23, 2025)
• Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, sent a letter to Secretary-General António Guterres, confirming Israel’s decision to terminate its interim agreement with UNRWA and cease its operations in Jerusalem by January 30, 2025, based on new Israeli legislation. Danon informed Guterres that UNRWA representatives must vacate the Agency’s facilities in Jerusalem, citing allegations of Hamas infiltrations and claiming the organisation lacks neutrality. (January 24, 2025)

Judicial decrees, decisions, positions, and orders issued by Arab, European, and international bodies:

• The Commissioner-General of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, has stated that attacks on aid convoys in the Gaza Strip by looters and armed groups could decrease as humanitarian relief flows into the area following the ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian factions. Lazzarini noted that UNRWA has 4,000 truckloads of aid ready to enter Gaza, half of which contain food and flour. He added that UNRWA teams reported a smooth first day of the ceasefire, with aid and supplies entering without significant issues. He stressed that the ceasefire must continue to hold and that all elements of the agreement must be fully implemented. (January 17-20, 2025)
• UN World Food Programme (WFP) convoys crossed into Gaza from both the north and south on Sunday as the long-awaited ceasefire came into effect. “This is a critical first step, but the needs in Gaza are immense; two million people have been in urgent need of food and other essentials for far too long,” said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain. UNICEF also announced the arrival of trucks carrying water, hygiene kits, and nutritional items. It called for ensuring safe and unrestricted access to aid for every child. (January 19, 2025)
• The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (UNOCHA), Tom Fletcher, confirmed that “as the ceasefire entered into force today, humanitarian aid moved into Gaza as part of a prepared surge to increase our support to survivors.” More than 630 trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered Gaza, with at least 300 of them heading to the north. Fletcher stressed that “there is no time to lose,” and noted the logistical challenges facing those delivering aid, including mountains of rubble and unexploded remnants of war. (January 19, 2025)
• Pope Francis has expressed his appreciation for the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Both the Israelis and the Palestinians, Pope Francis insisted, need “clear signs” of hope. “I trust,” he encouraged, “that the political authorities of both of them, with the help of the international community, may reach the right solution for the two States”. (January 19, 2025)
• The Government of Spain has welcomed the entry into force of the ceasefire in Gaza, stressing the importance of consolidating the ceasefire to facilitate the release of the remaining hostages and to allow negotiations between the parties to resume immediately, advancing to the subsequent phases of the agreement. Spain emphasized the urgent need for a massive influx of humanitarian aid into Gaza, noting that the work of UNRWA is essential and irreplaceable. It also confirmed that Spain will support stabilisation efforts in Gaza, which will only be viable if the Palestinian Authority assumes its governance responsibilities in all Palestinian territories. (January 19, 2025)
• The World Health Organization (WHO) has welcomed the ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages and prisoners. It highlighted the dire challenges facing Gaza’s healthcare sector, with only half of the hospitals operational and 38% of primary healthcare centres functioning. Approximately 30,000 people are suffering from severe injuries requiring long-term rehabilitation. The WHO emphasised the urgent need for substantial investments to rebuild the healthcare system, the removal of security barriers hindering aid delivery, and the protection of civilians and healthcare workers. It also called for efforts towards a comprehensive political solution to end the crisis and achieve lasting peace in the region. The Director-General of the organization remarked that restoring the healthcare system in Gaza will be a complex and difficult task due to the extent of destruction and operational complexity and constraints. (January 19, 2025)
• The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres has described the ceasefire and release of hostages as a glimmer of hope. He outlined four essential steps for implementation: ensuring UN and humanitarian agencies operate without obstacles, providing a safe environment to expand aid, facilitating civilian access to medical and commercial relief, and protecting civilians while enabling their safe return to their communities. Guterres also called for the Security Council and member states to support these efforts to ensure the agreement’s implementation and create the necessary conditions for recovery and reconstruction. Additionally, he called for efforts to reunify Gaza and the West Bank, and expressed concerns over settlement expansion in the West Bank. (January 20, 2025)
• UK Minister for the Middle East, Rt Hon Hamish Falconer, has welcomed the ceasefire agreement and stressed that remaining phases of the ceasefire must be implemented on schedule. He emphasised the importance of coordinating assistance with the right level of access and security, ensuring aid reaches those in need. Falconer called for continued diplomatic efforts to achieve lasting peace, and urged Israel to safeguard UNRWA’s ability to operate and support Palestinian refugees. (January 20, 2025)
• US President Donald Trump has revoked the executive order signed a year ago by his predecessor, which imposed sanctions on violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank. The executive order signed by Biden targeted 17 individuals and 16 entities, and by Trump’s decision, the sanctions imposed on them have been lifted. (January 21, 2025)
• UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the oPt, Muhannad Hadi, has described a markedly different atmosphere during his visit to Gaza compared to previous visits over the past year. He observed that people have already started moving back to their places of origin and there is a sense of improved law and order compared to the times before. (January 21, 2025)
• The UN spokesperson, Farhan Haq, has expressed the Secretary-General’s concern over continued violence in the West Bank, particularly the military operation in Jenin, which caused civilian casualties, condemning the use of “unlawful lethal force” by Israeli security forces. The Secretary-General urged the forces to exercise restraint and use lethal force only when absolutely necessary. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also raised concerns for the safety of Palestinians in the city and refugee camp of Jenin, where airstrikes and demolition activities have led to fatalities and injuries, including medical workers. (January 21, 2025)
• UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) spokesman Jens Laerke has highlighted ongoing efforts to deliver aid to Gaza on a large scale. He emphasises the complexities ahead, including removing rubble and explosive remnants of war. Laerke noted that no incidents of looting or attacks on aid workers had been reported during the first two days of the ceasefire. (January 21, 2025)
• Ajith Sunghai, Director of the UN Office of Human Rights in the oPt, has warned of escalating violence in the West Bank due to Israeli military operations, particularly in the Jenin refugee camp. He detailed military actions including cutting off electricity and water infrastructure and resident displacement. Sunghai confirmed thousands of Palestinian detainees face serious violations, including food and water deprivation and blindfolding. He noted increased restrictions on the movement of Palestinians in the West Bank and highlighted the continuous expansions of settlements and settlers in the area, potentially facilitating de-facto land annexation. (January 23, 2025)
• During her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Elise Stefanik, Donald Trump’s nominee for US ambassador to the UN, has stated that Israel has “biblical” dominion over the occupied West Bank. Her position aligns with views expressed by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and former National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. (January 21, 2025)
• Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman  Al-Thani, has described the ceasefire agreement as a first step towards fostering stability in the region. He emphasised that this agreement could be the beginning of resolving decades-long conflict. Al-Thani stressed the importance of the two parties’ commitment to the deal. He expressed hope for the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza, emphasising that the matter of governing Gaza post-war is solely for the Palestinians to decide, and no country has the right to impose conditions on them. (January 22, 2025)
• The UNRWA Director of Communications, Juliette Touma, has asserted that despite threats hanging over the Agency she and her colleagues on the ground remain dedicated to providing essential services in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. She has echoed that the Agency faces potential suspension under a new Knesset law and is dealing with expiring visas for its international staff on 29 January. The Director characterised the escalation in the West Bank as a silent war, emphasising the military operations’ impact on basic services, particularly education, and underscoring the need to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict that would address the issue of the Palestinian refugees. (January 21, 2025)
• UN Special Rapporteur on the oPt, Francesca Albanese, has warned of the escalation of Israel’s killing machinery in the West Bank, which coincides with the entry into force of the ceasefire in Gaza. Albanese noted that this escalation has already resulted in the killing of 10 people in Jenin and warned that Israel’s genocide of Palestinians will not be confined to Gaza if this escalation continues. (January 22, 2025)
• Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs, Ayman Safadi, reiterated that realising the Palestinian people’s right to freedom and the establishment of an independent, sovereign state—based on the two-state solution— are the only path to securing a just and lasting peace in the region. Safadi also noted that the Palestinian Authority should take responsibility in Gaza and confirmed that any political agreement must be exclusively in the hands of the Palestinian government. (January 22, 2025)
• The Dutch parliament has adopted a motion presented by MP Kati Piri to protect the ICC in response to the threat of US sanctions. The motion calls on the Dutch government, as the ICC’s host, to “take concrete measures at national level” and “support measures at EU level, including via the Blocking Statute” to minimise the sanctions’ impact. (January 23, 2025)
• Following Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s participation in the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, the Swiss Attorney General’s Office announced that it had received several criminal complaints accusing Herzog of incitement to genocide and crimes against humanity in Gaza. The accusations stem from his statements following Hamas’s attack in October 2023, in which he said, “an entire nation out there that is responsible,” a remark interpreted as justifying the targeting of civilians. Herzog strongly denied the allegations, stating that his comments were misinterpreted and emphasizing that he opposes the targeting of innocent civilians. (January 23, 2025)
• In his briefing to the UN Security Council, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher highlighted the severe suffering of children in the Gaza Strip and the catastrophic impact of the conflict on them. He also addressed the situation in the West Bank, noting record levels of casualties, displacement, and access restrictions due to the Israeli military operation in Jenin and settler attacks on Palestinian villages. Fletcher urged the Security Council to ensure the continuation of the ceasefire, respect for international law, and support for humanitarian operations. (January 23, 2025)
• The International Organization for Migration (IOM) emphasized that all parties must leverage their influence to create and sustain the conditions necessary for effective humanitarian response, ensuring sustained and increased access to humanitarian aid and commercial goods, which is critical to meeting the overwhelming needs of the affected population. “The ceasefire in Gaza must be a turning point in the humanitarian response and a start for a lasting peaceful resolution,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. (January 23, 2025)
• The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that Israeli forces have killed 34 Palestinians, including six children, since the beginning of January in the West Bank. The region has also witnessed an escalation in attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians and their properties, resulting in injuries to at least 17 Palestinians and damage to numerous buildings and vehicles. The report highlighted severe movement restrictions imposed by Israeli forces across the West Bank and warned of a deterioration in access to healthcare. It noted that 68% of healthcare service points have been unable to operate for more than two or three days a week, while hospitals are functioning at no more than 70% of their capacity. (January 23, 2025)
• Jordan, Iraq, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the Arab Parliament, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation have condemned the ongoing aggression by the IOF on Jenin and its refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. These states and entities emphasised the violation of international law and humanitarian law and urged the international community to assume its responsibilities in halting these violations and protecting the Palestinian people. France expressed deep concern over escalating security tensions in the West Bank amid the increasing settlement activity and rising violence perpetrated by extremist settlers. France announced that Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, will address settlements during the upcoming Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels. (January 22–24, 2025)
• The High Commissioner of UN Human Rights, Volker Turk, has expressed deep concern over Israel’s use of unlawful lethal force in Jenin,  calling  for an immediate end to the violence and to all settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. Additionally, the Spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Thameen Al-Khaitan, emphasised that  Israel, as the occupying power, has a responsibility to protect the population in the territory it occupies, in accordance with international human rights law. He called for a thorough and independent investigation into all killings, and for those responsible for unlawful killings to be held accountable. Al-Khaitan also underscored that Israel’s transfer of its civilian population into the territories it occupies constitutes a war crime under international law. (January 24, 2025)
• UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stressed that preventing UNRWA from operating could sabotage the Gaza ceasefire, adding that UNRWA was able to provide food to about one million people in the first three days of the ceasefire. He underscored the need to continue UNRWA’s work in Gaza and throughout the oPt. (January 24, 2025)

Publications of human rights NGOs:

• Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) welcomed the commencement of the ceasefire in Gaza, viewing it as a glimmer of hope for Palestinian freedom and the dismantling of the system of colonial repression. The organization emphasized that the deep pain and intergenerational trauma experienced by survivors cannot be captured by numbers alone. ARDD called on the international community to take concrete steps to end the injustice, including ensuring the implementation of the ceasefire, holding perpetrators of international crimes accountable, enhancing boycott and sanction campaigns to end occupation and apartheid, and supporting reconstruction efforts in Gaza. The organization also demanded the guarantee of Palestinians’ right to return to their homeland, the release of prisoners, the return of the martyrs’ bodies, and the unification of self-governance between Gaza and the rest of Palestine. It stressed that these measures are essential to ensure the sustainability of the ceasefire and to establish a lasting and just peace in Palestine. (January 19, 2025)
• The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate announced that 193 journalists have been martyred since the onset of the aggression against the Palestinian people on October 7, 2023, up until January 1, 2025. The syndicate confirmed that it will continuefiling complaints with the International Criminal Court regarding violations against journalists. The report also highlighted the targeting of journalists’ families, the destruction of over 54 media institutions, the issuance of approximately 28 closure orders against them, and a rise in direct gunfire attacks on journalists. (January 19, 2025)
• Addameer welcomed the release of 90 prisoners and children in the first phase of the ceasefire deal but emphasised that a large number of prisoners remain inside prisons, with the current total standing at 10,221 detainees, including 88 women prisoners and 320 children. The organization pointed out that the occupation authorities use arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, and the “Unlawful Combatant” law as tools of repression and collective punishment. In addition, retaliatory practices inside prisons, such as the denial of treatment and visits, have led to the deaths of 56 prisoners since the start of the war. Addameer noted that the policies of forcible deportation against prisoners constitute a blatant violation of international law, which prohibits forcible transfer as a war crime. (January 20, 2025)
• The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) has stated that the ceasefire in Gaza is a pause, not peace, and far from the resolution Palestinians need and deserve. It also fails to address the root causes of Israel’s genocide. APAN called on the Australian government to end its complicity in Israeli violations by cutting military and financial ties, imposing sanctions, and meeting its international legal obligations to hold Israel accountable for its crimes. (January 20, 2025)
• The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor has called on the international community to exert effective pressure on Israel to ensure the immediate and unconditional entry of specialized technical and medical teams into the Gaza Strip. This is necessary to facilitate the recovery of victims’ bodies from under the rubble and from areas affected by Israeli military operations, to identify the victims, and to uncover the fate of the missing. The organization also demanded an investigation into sites believed to contain mass graves and called for the protection of these sites from tampering, with international experts overseeing the exhumation and identification of bodies in order to preserve the dignity of the victims and the rights of their families. Additionally, the Monitor urged the ICC to send independent investigation teams to Gaza and to open a permanent office there to ensure the collection of comprehensive, independent evidence. (January 20, 2025)
• The Palestinian Center for Human Rights published a report entitled “Between Cancer and Enforced Displacement: My Struggle Amid the Lack of Treatment and the Closure of Border Crossing,” which showcases the story of Tahrir Ziad Mohamed Helles, 29, a resident of Gaza, who suffers from swelling (tumor) in her neck due to thyroid problems. The report highlights her suffering as one of hundreds of cancer patients in the Gaza Strip who are prevented from receiving the necessary life-saving treatments and surgeries due to restrictions on travel and the closure of the Rafah crossing. (January 20, 2025)
• DAWN has urged the international community to force Israel to pay for the bulk of reconstruction and rehabilitation costs and hold Israeli and American officials accountable for the savage crimes in Gaza. DAWN has also confirmed the need to lift Israel’s 20-year siege on Gaza and for Israel to withdraw its troops from Gaza under international supervision, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement. (January 21, 2025)
• According to documents obtained by the Washington Post, Google employees worked to provide Israel’s military with access to the company’s latest artificial intelligence technology from the early weeks of the Israel-Gaza war. (January 21, 2025)
• Mondoweiss has published a report showing how the Jewish National Fund (JNF) supports the same violent Israeli settlers who were recently sanctioned by the United States government for their violence against Palestinians. According to the financial documents obtained by Peace Now, the JNF spent nearly $2 million between 2021 and 2023 to support settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, including funding the settlers who have been sanctioned. (January 21, 2025)
• B’Tselem has published a report titled “2024 West Bank Olive Harvest: Israel furthers land grab through tighter restrictions on Palestinians and extreme state violence,” revealing the bureaucratic nightmare the Israeli authorities impose on Palestinians to prevent them from accessing their own olive groves over the past two decades. These actions were described as part of an organized policy aimed at clearing the place, expanding settlements and strengthening Israeli control. The report noted that Palestinians often forgo requesting permits due to violence and restrictions, leading to further loss of their land to Israeli settlements. (January 22, 2025)
• The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) has filed a complaint with the ICC and called for the immediate arrest of Rabbi Avraham Zarbiv, an Israeli soldier in the Givati Brigade, based on his individual criminal responsibility under Article 25(3)(a) of the Rome Statute. Zarbiv stands accused of committing grave war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. (January 23, 2025)
• Joint investigations conducted by +972 Magazine, Local Call, and the Guardian have revealed the Israeli military’s increasing reliance on cloud computing and artificial intelligence services provided by Microsoft and its partner OpenAI since October 7, 2023. Leaked documents show that dozens of military units, including Unit 8200 and Unit “Rolling Stone,” are using Azure services to develop intelligence and operational systems, in addition to receiving extensive engineering support from the company. (January 23, 2025)
• The Palestinian Red Crescent Society has categorically denied rumors circulating in the Hebrew media regarding its alleged winning of a tender issued by the Israeli Ministry of Health to replace the UNRWA in East Jerusalem. The Society reaffirmed its steadfast position of completely rejecting any role as a substitute for UNRWA, despite attempts by various parties to engage with the Society to carry out some of the agency’s functions or receive funds previously allocated to it, including from the Israeli Ministry of Health. (January 23, 2025)

Academic studies:

• A newly published article, A Decolonial Analysis of Israel’s Actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, authored by Oğuzhan Öztürk, LL.M., examines the events following the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel. The article, featured in Year 16, Issue 29 of Law & Justice Review journal, spans pages 73-86 and provides a decolonial lens on Israel’s subsequent military and political actions.

Opinion Pieces and features:

• The New York Times published an article by Edeard Yong and Michael Crowley titled: “How Antony Blinken, America’s Top Diplomat, Became the Secretary of War”. (January 18, 2025)
• The New Arab published an op-ed article by Ralph Wilde titled: “States & the EU must wake up to the illegality of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory”. (January 19, 2025)
• Mondoweiss published an op-ed article by Jacob Boas titled: “My two genocides”. (January 19, 2025)
• Haartetz published an op-ed by Gideon Levy titled: “‘No Innocents in Gaza’: Reflecting on Israel’s First Fascist War”. (January 19, 2025)
• Opinio Juris published a talk piece titled: “From the Land of Witches and Wolves” : A Conversation with Francesca Albanese. (January 20, 2025)
• Haaretz published an op-ed by Chris Gunness titled: “Expelling UNRWA Punishes Palestinians. But It’s Also Dangerous for Israel – and the Hostages”. (January 20, 2025)
• Taylor & Francis published a research article by Ernesto Verdeja titled: “The Gaza Genocide in Five Crises”. (January 20, 2025)
• Foreign Policy Magazine published an analytical essay by Kenneth Roth titled: “Sanctioning the ICC Could Put Most Travel Off-Limits for Trump”. (January 21, 2025)
• Counterpunch published an article by Jamal Kanj titled: “Contrasting Reality: Treatment of Israeli and Palestinian Prisoners” (January 22, 2025)
• Mondoweiss published an opinion piece by Michael Arria titled: “Is Trump’s ‘Deal of the Century’ back on the table?”. (January 22, 2025)
• SAPIENS magazine published an article by Salah Al-Houdalieh titled: “The Battle to Protect Archaeological Sites in the West Bank”. (January 22, 2025)
• DW News published an article by Cathrin Schaer titled: “As Israeli ban on UNRWA looms, what next for aid into Gaza?”. (January 22, 2025)
• EUobserver published an opinion piece by Xavier Abu Eid titled: “After Gaza, now the EU is silent on the West Bank situation”. (January 23, 2025)
• The Intercept published an article by Arthur Neslen titled: “Netanyahu has an ICC Arrest Warrant. Poland’s Promise to Ignore It Would Be a ‘Grave Mistake’”. (January 23, 2025)

Human rights conferences and events:

• Al-Shabaka -the Palestinian Policy Network- has published a report on a round table titled “Gaza Ceasefire Deal: Respite but No End to Colonial Occupation,” with contributions from the network’s analysts Shatha Abdulsamad, Basil Farraj, Talal Abu Rokbeh, and  Diana Buttu. (January 21, 2025)