PALESTINE’S LEGAL SCENE – Issue.266

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

2 – 8 Feb 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 Ferdous Abdul Hamid

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 National Council (PNC) has vehemently condemned the burning of the mosque of the village of Arab Al-Malihat in the Mu’arrajat area of northern Jericho by Israeli settler thugs. PNC considers the act an extension of the series of crimes committed by the Israeli occupation and its settlers against the Palestinian people, their sanctities and possessions in furtherance of a policy of ethnic cleansing and forced displacement. The Council’s President, Rawhi Fattouh, accused the Israeli government of plotting to destroy the northern governorates of the West Bank, particularly its refugee camps, as part of its broader plans to dismantle the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and liquidate the issue of the Palestinian refugees from the global agenda. He called on the international community to intervene immediately, support Palestinian resilience, and provide protection to the Palestinians in the camps. (February 02, 2025)
• Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called on an emergency session of the UN Security Council to address the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, particularly in decimating entire residential blocks in the refugee camps of Jenin and Tulkarem, bombing dozens of homes and forcing the displacement of its residents. The Palestinian presidency emphasized that these crimes constitute ethnic cleansing and genocide under international law. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates (MOFAE) places full accountability on the Israeli government for the ramifications of its policies of forced displacement, neighborhood destruction and ecocide. It called on the international community to break its silence and uphold its legal and moral responsibilities to stop the aggression. (February 04, 2025)
• Permanent Representative of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, Minister Riyad Mansour, has sent three identical letters to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the President of the UN Security Council (China), and the President of the UN General Assembly, detailing the intensification of Israeli military raids and settler attacks across the Occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. (February 04, 2025)
• Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has outrightly rejected calls for seizing the Gaza Strip and displacing Palestinians from their homes, describing them a grave violation of international law. He added, “we will not allow for the violation of our people’s rights which we have fought for for decades and made huge sacrifices to achieve. Peace and stability will not be achieved in the region without the establishment of a Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital; on the basis of the two-state solution.” (February 05, 2025)
• The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education appealed to United Nations institutions to protect educational institutions amid the ongoing attacks by Israeli occupying forces on schools and educational facilities in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Tubas, which have lasted for three weeks. The ministry asserted that these attacks, following the eradication of Gaza’s schools, have led to the destruction of numerous educational facilities and disrupted operations in about 100 schools. ( February 7, 2025)

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

• During his flight to the United States to meet with US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plane has avoided the airspace of several European countries en route to the US due to concerns over international arrest warrants. During the visit, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urged Netanyahu to “strengthen [his] grip and sovereignty” over the West Bank. (February 02, 2025)
• In a report issued by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics for 2024, the Knesset has revealed a significant decline in Israel’s population growth rate dropping from 1.6% in 2023 to 1.1% in 2024. The report explained that the drop was mostly due to the significant increase in emigration that followed the “complex security situation,” noting that nearly 50% of those who left Israel in 2024 were born outside of Israel, and a 31% drop in immigration to Israel between 2023 and 2024. It also included a finding by The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that Israel is among the least attractive destinations for those with graduate degrees and entrepreneurs when compared to 35 other countries. (February 04, 2025)
• Commenting on Donald Trump’s statements, former Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir remarked that he had been mocked for repeatedly urging for the migration of Gazans as a solution to Gaza during the war. He added, “Now it is clear: this is the only solution to the Gaza problem, this strategy must be adopted for ‘the day after.’ Ben Gvir called on Prime Minister Netanyahu to begin the practical implementation of said strategy. (February 04, 2025)
• Former Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman stated that “the best solution for the Palestinians in Gaza, as well as for Israelis and the world, would be to transfer the residents of Gaza to the Sinai Peninsula.” Lieberman also praised U.S President Donald Trump’s proposal, calling it “outside-the-box thinking.” (February 4-5, 2025)
• Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that he has instructed the IDF to prepare a plan that will allow any resident of Gaza who wishes to leave to do so, to any country willing to receive them. He emphasized that the plan would include exit options via land crossings, as well as special arrangements for sea and air departures. Katz claimed that countries such as Spain, Ireland, and Norway are legally obligated to accept Gazans into their territories, and stated that Canada could accept them through an organized immigration program (February 4, 2025)
• In its 421st meeting, the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP) elected its Bureau and adopted the annual Programme of Work for 2025. During the meeting, UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasised to member states to keep pushing for a permanent ceasefire and release of all hostages, “as we cannot go back to more death and destruction.” He also called for the end of the occupation, the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza, stressing that “it is essential to avoid any form of ethnic cleansing.” (February 05, 2025)
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described President Donald Trump’s proposal of a U.S takeover of Gaza as a “remarkable idea” that should be “pursued,” “examined,” and “done.” Netanyahu asserted that this proposal would create a fundamental shift in the future of the region and the world. ( February 5, 2025)
• Following the decision of the President of the United States not to participate in the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has announced that Israel will withdraw from the UNHRC. In a letter to the President of the Council, Sa’ar said that the resolution was reached in light of the UN’s purported ongoing and relenting institutional bias against Israel since its establishment, claiming that the Council had become a political tool to delegitimize Israel. (February 06, 2025)
• Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed that he had ordered the activation of the “Hannibal Directive” during Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023. This led to the killing of Israeli soldiers and civilians to prevent their capture, using warplanes, helicopters, and tanks. Gallant also criticized Itamar Ben Gvir’s storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, describing it as “detonating the situation.” He further claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed accepting a hostage exchange deal, noting that the eventual ceasefire agreement was nearly identical to a proposal Hamas had accepted in April of the previous year. (February 7, 2025)
• When questioned about a Palestinian state as a condition for normalization with Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu stated that he “would not make an agreement that would endanger the State of Israel.” He emphasized that “the establishment of a Palestinian state will not be accepted, especially after the events of October 7.” Netanyahu further added, “The Saudis can create a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia.” (February 7, 2025)

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

• The High Representative of the European Union (EU), Kaja Kallas, has reiterated the EU’s concern at the far-reaching consequences of the Israeli legislation on UNRWA for its operations in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and in Gaza. Kallas echoed the EU’s condemnations of any attempt to abrogate the 1967 agreement between Israel and UNRWA or any attempt to obstruct UNRWA’s capacity to operate its mandate. He ensured that the EU is a firm supporter of the UN and the multilateral and rules-based international order, part of which is UNRWA- which provides essential service delivery to Palestine refugees and crucial support to the civilian population in Gaza, the West Bank including East Jerusalem, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. (February 02, 2025)
• Jordanian minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi and his Slovenian counterpart Tanja Fajon have welcomed the temporary ceasefire in Gaza and agreed that the forced displacement of Palestinians and the illegal annexation of the West Bank are absolutely unacceptable. (February 02, 2024)
• During a meeting held between Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and Senior UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs and Reconstruction in Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, the two leaders affirmed their rejection of the displacement scenario, as Aboul gheit asserted that it poses an existential threat to the Palestinian cause and violates international law. The meeting also focused on the need to solidify the ceasefire agreement, while accelerating humanitarian relief efforts to address the unprecedented scale of destruction in Gaza. (February 02, 2025)
• Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt), has described Israel’s actions in the West Bank as criminal, adding that the genocidal intent of Israel is evident in the way it targets…the totality of the Palestinians…in the totality of the occupied Palestinian territory (that Israel claims for Jewish exclusive self-determination).” Albanese posts a video supporting this and documenting the Israeli army delivering a truckload of explosives to the Jenin refugee camp. Albanese urged Arab states to use all channels, within and outside the UN, to ensure effective protection of the Palestinian people, adding “we cannot afford to wait until the West Bank is turned into rubble like Gaza, before intervening.” (February 02-03, 2025)
• The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has welcomed the joint statement issued by the Arab Six-Party meeting at the level of foreign ministers. It expressed its full support for the positions voiced in the joint statement, which stressed the need to implement the ceasefire in all its stages and provisions while ensuring complete and sustainable calm, the complete withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, and enabling the Palestinian government to assume its responsibilities in the Strip. OIC also underscored the critical role of UNRWA in providing humanitarian aid and called on the international community to implement international legitimacy resolutions ensuring the end of the Israeli occupation, enabling the Palestinian people to regain their legitimate rights, among which is self-determination, and establishing their sovereign independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as their capital. (February 02, 2025)
• Director of UNRWA Affairs in the occupied West Bank, Roland Friedrich, has revealed that the Jenin refugee camp has been rendered by the Israeli occupation into a “ghost town.” Friedrich reported that the refugee camp has seen unprecedented levels of destruction by the Israeli military, as more than 3,500 families have been displaced from inside the camp, 26,000 people taking refuge with family or in shelters, more than 100 houses detonated or rendered inhabitable, and 35% of Jenin city has no access to water due to the damage to the infrastructure. While in Tulkarem refugee camp, more than 80% of its residents have fled its locations. He added that UNRWA has been unable to provide its services inside Jenin camp since December last year, warning that horrific scenes in the West Bank undermine the fragile ceasefire reached in Gaza. The Director also noted that 13 schools in the northern West Bank remain closed due to the Israeli military’s escalation. (February 02-07, 2025)

• Slovenian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Tanja Fajon, has reiterated her concerns about the recent Israeli legislation banning contact with UNRWA and its presence in Israel and East Jerusalem. Fajon affirmed that, “no other UN organisation or agency currently has the capacity or infrastructure to replace UNRWA’s mandate and experience, stressing that “Slovenia will remain firmly committed to supporting UNRWA and providing humanitarian aid to those who need it.” (February 03, 2025)
• The Plurinational State of Bolivia has strongly condemned the “barbaric Israeli aggression” against the Palestinian people caused by a military operation by the Israeli army where residential buildings were destroyed in the northern West Bank. It emphasised that these actions are clear evidence that the ethnic cleansing and forced displacement and destruction of Palestinian homes has not stopped. The Bolivian government affirmed its support for the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and its absolute recognition of the Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital.  (February 03, 2025)
• The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has welcomed the Gaza ceasefire, stating that “peace is the best medicine.” He emphasised that health needs in Gaza remain “enormous” and highlighted the importance of addressing acute health needs, supporting the operations of hospitals, and ensuring the transport of patients in and out of Gaza requiring specialised care. Ghebreyesu also voiced deep frustration over the lack of accountability for attacks on health-care facilities, highlighting that no one had been held responsible for such violations of international law. (February 03, 2025)
• President of the UN Security Council for February 2025 (China), Ambassador Fu Cong, has stressed “it is necessary for the Security Council to pay close attention to the ceasefire in Gaza…and that humanitarian access remains open and unhindered.” Cong added that, “China will urge the Council to closely follow the challenges confronting UNRWA, and to pay high attention to the situation in the West Bank and make timely and effective responses if needed.” (February 04, 2025)
• The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, Farida Shaheed, described the impact of the Israeli war on Gaza’s education sector as a “scholasticide,” emphasizing that this term reflects the complete and deliberate destruction of the education system. She explained that more than 90% of Gaza’s schools have been completely or partially destroyed, rendering them unusable, while all of the sector’s universities have been wiped out. Additionally, 13 libraries were bombed, and the central archive documenting 150 years of Gaza’s history was erased. Shaheed stressed that the recovery of Gaza’s education system is contingent on ending the war and the Israeli occupation. She underscored the need for large-scale scholarship programs for Palestinians and the utilization of the expertise of educated Palestinians in the diaspora. Furthermore, she described Israel’s decision to ban UNRWA’s activities in Palestine as utterly catastrophic. (February 4, 2025)
• In an Executive Order issued by the White House, the United States has declared the withdrawal of the United States from the UNHRC, ending funding to UNRWA. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will also be subject to a review due to its purported history of “anti-semitism or anti-Israel sentiment.” Meanwhile, the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, has affirmed that the withdrawal and halt in funding will not change their belief in the work of the human rights body, and affirmed the organisations’ commitment to provide necessary support to Palestinians. (February 05, 2025)
• The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has authorised a request lodged by OIC to participate in the proceedings for the advisory opinion regarding the Obligations of Israel in relation to the Presence and Activities of the United Nations, International Organizations and Third States and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The Court’s Vice President, HE Judge Julia Sebutinde decided that the OIC may be able to submit a written statement on the question submitted to the Court by the General Assembly by February 28, 2025. (February 04, 2025)
• Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that, in addition to expelling Palestinians from Gaza, Israel plans to take full control of the northern West Bank. He emphasized that the establishment of a Palestinian state in line with international resolutions is crucial to resolving conflicts in the Middle East (February 4, 2025)
• S President Donald Trump has stated that the United States “is going to take over that piece” referring to the Gaza Strip and develop it. Instead of Gaza, Trump suggested Palestinians leave Gaza and live in a “good, fresh, beautiful piece of land” elsewhere. Trump revealed that his plans for Gaza include “a long-term ownership position”, and did not rule out sending United States troops in order to facilitate the takeover and did not oppose the suggestion that said troops would be filling Gaza’s security vacuum. He also premised that Palestinians could be among those returning to Gaza, but not permanently. In another context, Trump said Saudi Arabia does not necessitate the recognition of a Palestinian state in order to normalise relations with Israel, and ensured that the right leader of Israel was in place to greenlight a normalisation deal with Saudi Arabia. (February 04-05, 2025)
• US Senator Tom Cotton has introduced a new legislation requiring all official U.S. documents and materials to use the term “Judea and Samaria” instead of the “West Bank”. The new legislation has been designated as the “Retiring the Egregious Confusion Over the Genuine Name of Israel’s Zone of Influence by Necessitating Government-use of Judea and Samaria (RECOGNIZING Judea and Samaria) Act.” (February 04, 2025)
• In swift response to US President Donald Trump’s statements, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its strong position in supporting the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, alongside the need to end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. Saudi Arabia emphasized that this is a basic condition for establishing any diplomatic ties with Israel (February 5, 2025)
• Jordanian King Abdullah II stressed the need to halt settlement activities and reject any attempts to annex lands and displace Palestinians. The UAE, Oman, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, and Iraq foreign ministries also affirmed their categorical rejection of any infringement on the rights of the Palestinian people or attempts to displace them (February 5-6, 2025)
• France has reiterated its opposition to forced displacement of Gaza’s Palestinian population, which would constitute a serious violation of international law, an attack on the legitimate aspirations of Palestinians and a major obstacle to the two-state solution. Meanwhile, the spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, Lian Jian, said that “China has all along believed that “the Palestinians governing Palestine” is the fundamental principle of post-conflict governance of Gaza. We oppose the forced displacement of the people in Gaza.” Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated that the US encouraged all of Israel’s actions in Gaz and stressed that Palestinians should be the ones responsible for taking care of Gaza.” Malaysian Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, echoed a similar sentiment. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also asserted that Palestinians “must be allowed home” and emphasised that they “must be allowed to rebuild and we should be with them in that rebuild on the way to a two-state solution.” (February 05-06, 2025)
• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated Moscow’s stance that the only solution to the Middle East conflict was through the creation of a Palestinian state to exist side-by-side with Israel (February 5, 2025)
• Foreign Minister of Germany, Annalena Baerbock, has confirmed that “displacement of the Palestinian civilian population from Gaza would not only be unacceptable and in breach of international law. It [sic] would also lead to new suffering and new hatred.” Scottish First Minister John Swinney criticised President Trump’s proposal as promoting ethnic cleansing. Meanwhile, the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that forced displacement of the Palestinian population in Gaza constitutes a grave breach of international humanitarian law, and reiterated the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. Spain, Turkey and Indonesia also echoed similar sentiments. (February 05, 2025)
• 104 members of the European Parliament have co-signed a letter addressed to High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the EU, Kaja Kallas, to take immediate action to address the Israeli Knesset’s ban on UNRWA and to prioritise it on the EU Commission’s agenda. (February 05, 2025)
• UN human rights officials have stressed that international law prohibits the seizure of a sovereign territory without the consent of the controlling government, as the International Court of Justice has ruled Israel to be an illegal occupier of Palestine and has no authority to dictate the governance of Gaza. UN Human Rights Chief, Volker Turk also stressed that, “the forcible transfer in or deportation of people from occupied territory is strictly prohibited.” Similarly, UN spokesman, Stephane Dujarric stated, “It is vital that we stay true to the bedrock of international law. It is essential to avoid any form of ethnic cleansing.” (February 5, 2025)
• In seeking solutions for Gaza, Secretary-General of the UN, António Guterres has urged the international community to refrain from aggravating the situation. He added, “it is vital to stay true to the bedrock of international law [and] avoid any form of ethnic cleansing.” He also stated, “the Palestinian people have the right to simply live as human beings in their own land,” and asserts “we must reaffirm the two-State solution…an end to the occupation, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, with Gaza as an integral part.” (February 05-06, 2025)
• Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the oPt, has criticised US President Trump’s plan for Gaza and describes it as “nonsense, which nonetheless must be taken very seriously.” Albanese asserted that said plan is doomed to fail, citing the existing “76 years of failed attempts by Israel, including 16 months of genocidal assault,” and that “indigenous people do not leave their land.” (February 05, 2025)
• The General Secretariat of the Arab League has affirmed that U.S. President Trump’s statements promote a scenario of Palestinian displacement, a proposal that is categorically rejected both regionally and internationally, in contravention of international law. Meanwhile, President of the Arab Parliament, Mohammed Ahmed Al Yamahi, expressed the Parliament’s strong rejection of Trump’s remarks. OIC also publicly denounced Trump’s statements, along with his decision to cut funding to UNRWA, emphasising that such statements reinforce the occupation, colonial settlement and forcible seizure of the Palestinian land while constituting a blatant violation of international law and UN resolutions. (February 05, 2025)
• UNRWA Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, has underscored that the rights of the Palestinians continue to be violated, noting that “people in Gaza have undergone systematic dehumanization” since the beginning of the war. Lazzarini quotes the UN Secretary General that peace requires an end to the occupation, and establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State alongside Israel, with Gaza as an integral part. Lazzarini clarified that UNRWA teams are “committed to continue providing critical assistance to Palestine Refugees until empowered Palestinian institutions become a lasting and viable alternative.” (February 06, 2025)
• The Government of the Republic of Maldives has reiterated its unwavering support for an independent and sovereign State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. It condemned policies undermining peace in the region, including the continued expansion of illegal settlements, land annexation and any displacement attempts in the Gaza Strip. The Maldives also reiterated its support for Palestine’s full UN membership and urged the international community to uphold international law and protect the rights of the Palestinian people. (February 06, 2025)
• Following the Israeli Foreign Minister’s announcement that Israel would withdraw from the UN Human Rights Council, echoing a decision by the U.S. administration, the Council’s spokesperson, Pascal Sim, clarified that Israel is not a member of the council but holds observer status, meaning it cannot formally withdraw according to the council’s regulations. Meanwhile, Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the oPt, described Israel’s decision as “extremely serious,” adding that it reflects “the hubris and the lack of realisation of what they [Israel] have done.” (February 6, 2025)
• S. President Donald Trump has issued an executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing it of illegitimate actions against it and its ally Israel, including issuing “baseless” arrest warrants against Israeli officials. The order sets a dangerous precedent, directly endangering current and former United States personnel. Said sanctions block ICC officials’ assets and properties, bans their entry into the US and extends restrictions to their immediate family members citing national security concerns. (February 06, 2025)
• The ICC condemns the U.S issuance of an Executive Order seeking to impose sanctions on its officials and undermine its work. The Court reaffirmed its commitment to providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world, in all Situations before it. The ICC called on its 125 States Parties, civil society and all nations of the world to stand united for justice and fundamental human rights. (February 7, 2025)
• Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said his country would seek to ensure the ICC, based in The Hague, could continue to operate despite announced US sanctions. The measures would include freezing assets and travel bans against ICC officials, employees and their family members. Schoof described the moves as a “disturbing signal and very regrettable” with potentially “significant implications” for the ICC’s independence and ongoing investigations. He emphasized that “the Netherlands stands by the ICC. We will continue to support it. We are the host country.” (February 7, 2025)
• In a joint statement led by Slovenia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Sierra Leone, and Vanuatu, 79 state parties to the Rome Statute have reaffirmed their support for the ICC. The signatory countries, including Canada, Austria, Germany, Belgium, France, and Palestine, underscored their commitment to the court’s independence, integrity, impartiality and role in fighting impunity. They expressed concern over the unprecedented challenges facing the ICC, particularly sanctions targeting the Court, its officials, and collaborators, warning that such measures threaten the rule of international law and safety of victims and witnesses. The countries pledged to ensure the ICC’s continued effective and independent operation, reaffirming their dedication to upholding global justice. (February 07, 2025)
• The European Union has condemned the US sanctions on the ICC, warning that they threaten the Court’s independence and undermine the international judicial system. The European Commission expressed regret over these sanctions, stressing the ICC’s crucial role in upholding international justice and combating impunity. It further noted that such sanctions could negatively impact ongoing investigations. President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, reaffirmed support for the ICC, emphasising its role in ensuring accountability for international crimes and giving victims a voice. She stated that the Court must be allowed to continue its fight against impunity without interference. (February 07, 2025)
• In response to the United States’ decision to impose sanctions on the ICC, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated, “That’s a matter for the U.S.” The spokesperson added, “As for the UK, we support the independence of the ICC, and therefore have no plans to sanction individual court officials.” ( February 7, 2025)
• Federal Foreign Minister of Germany, Annalena Baerbock, has asserted that “standing up for international law and for the ICC is in our greatest possible security interest.” She further stated, “Ultimately, when rules no longer apply, everyone loses.” ( February 7, 2025)
• The Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, Farhan Haq, emphasized that the ICC is a fundamental pillar in the fight against impunity and must be allowed to operate independently in accordance with relevant international agreements. Regarding the Palestinian issue, Haq stated that the rights of Palestinian refugees should be resolved through negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis, based on international resolutions and human rights principles. (February 7, 2025)
• Ireland has announced €20 million in support of UNRWA as part of its efforts to boost humanitarian assistance to Palestinians. The country highlighted UNRWA as the only agency capable of delivering assistance on a large scale (February 7, 2025)
• The Lebanese Foreign Ministry expressed deep concern over plans to displace Palestinians and seize their lands, reaffirming its rejection of any infringement on their inalienable rights. The ministry emphasized that any attempt to forcibly seize Palestinian land and displace its people constitutes an effort to liquidate the Palestinian cause and undermine the right of return, particularly for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. The statement further stressed that such actions represent a blatant violation of international law and the Lebanese constitution. (February 7, 2025)
• Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and UN Secretary-General António Guterres affirmed the pivotal role of UNRWA in providing aid amidst the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. They stressed the importance of mobilizing international efforts to support the agency and enable it to fulfill its mission. Both leaders also underscored the urgency of accelerating Gaza’s reconstruction and firmly rejected any attempts to evacuate or displace Palestinians from the territory. (February 7, 2025)
• S. President Donald Trump stated that he is in no rush to implement his plan to take over and redevelop Gaza. Previously, Trump had suggested that Egypt and Jordan take in some residents from the Gaza Strip during the reconstruction process, a proposal that was rejected by both countries (February 7, 2025)

Publications of human rights NGOs

• Ten Egyptian professional unions, led by the Journalists Syndicate, sent a letter to the U.S Embassy in Cairo to “protest and condemn” the U.S President’s statement regarding the displacement of the Palestinians. The unions also stressed that any step towards the displacement of Palestinians constitutes a “crime against humanity.” ( February 4, 2025)
• Al-Haq Centre published a study by Shahd Hammouri titled: “The Premise of Envisioning the End of the Illegal Israeli Occupation: The Palestinian Right to Self-determination as Decolonisation.”
• The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organization Network urged the United Nations and international institutions to intervene immediately to stop the occupying power’s war of aggression in the northern West Bank, known as “iron walls.” This offensive has resulted in the martyrdom of approximately 30 citizens, the injury of hundreds, the displacement of around 300,000 citizens, and the destruction of hundreds of homes. The Network described this campaign as a continuation of the extermination policy implemented in Gaza. ( February 2, 2025)
• The Palestinian Center for Human Rights reported that Israeli occupation forces and settlers have continued to perpetrate crimes and violations of human rights and international humanitarian law against Palestinians and their properties in the West Bank. These crimes have included willful killings, destruction of public and private property, arrests, and threats. At the same time, B’Tselem stated that Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem are operating with unchecked brutality, resulting in an unprecedented death toll. Additionally, settler violence is growing and entire Palestinian communities have been expelled from their homes. (January 2-3, 2025)
• The Independent Commission for Human Rights condemns the escalation of Israeli occupation’s aggressive policies in the occupied West Bank. It called on the international community to fulfill its obligations and take urgent action to stop these crimes and provide protection for Palestinians. It also urged both the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court and the Permanent Investigative Committee, established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2021, to launch an investigation into Israeli crimes committed in the West Bank, particularly in Palestinian refugee camps. (February 3, 2025)
• The Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) strongly condemned the Israeli ban on UNRWA, warning that it is part of Israel’s escalating efforts to erase Palestine through settler colonialism. The organization emphasized that the ban is a continuation of the historic and ongoing Palestinian Nakba. ARDD called on the international community to increase support for UNRWA and impose measures against Israel, including an arms embargo (February 3, 2025)
• Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action) vehemently condemns President Trump’s decision to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, noting that this step legitimizes a leader with an active international arrest warrant for war crimes and underscores the United States’ partnership in Israel’s ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people. AJP  affirmed that Trump’s recent statements calling for ethnic cleansing in Gaza constituted a flagrant violation of international law, calling on him to retract it. ( February 3, 2025)
• The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has revealed that the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate and remains catastrophic in its 16 day count following the announcement of the ceasefire. It reported near complete disruption of all relief means and delayed entry of emergency humanitarian needs. (February 03, 2025)
• Over 100 journalists from a variety of international media outlets sent a letter to Egyptian authorities requesting access to Gaza through the Rafah border crossing. The letter explained since the war began in October 2023, international journalists have been unable to enter Gaza without Israeli military escort. The journalists called for permits to be granted more promptly during the truce period (February 4, 2025)
• In a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, more than 160 trade unions, non-governmental organizations, and civil society organizations called on the European Union to ban trade and business with Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), including East Jerusalem. The groups urged action to comply with international law and to halt Europe’s support for the illegal settlement enterprise, especially in light of the EU’s inability to adopt effective measures in response to Israel’s war crimes, crimes against humanity, and acts of genocide in Gaza, due to deep divisions in the positions of its member states. (February 4, 2025)
• Al-Shabaka has issued a policy brief titled, “Gaza’s Telecommunications: Occupied and Destroyed,” which examined the devastating effects of the Israeli regime’s actions on Gaza’s telecommunications and internet infrastructure. The brief framed Israel’s attack on the communications sector within the broader context of neo-colonialism, highlighting how Israel’s control over Palestinian digital infrastructure strengthens its political and economic hegemony. This, it argued, is a key aspect of the Zionist settler colonial project. ( February 4, 2025)
• The organization “Gisha” reported that the Rafah crossing reopened for passenger movement on February 1, 2025, after being closed for nearly nine months since May 2024, when Israel invaded Rafah and took control of the Palestinian side of the crossing. While acknowledging the importance of reopening the crossing, the organization emphasized that the needs of Palestinian civilians remain unmet, particularly concerning medical evacuations. Gisha called on Israel to lift restrictions on medical evacuations to hospitals in Israel, Jerusalem, and the West Bank, to allow free movement through Gaza’s crossings, and to permit the return of all displaced Gaza residents who wish to return. (February 4, 2025)
• Human Rights Watch (HRW) confirmed that implementing U.S. President Donald Trump’s statements about the “take over” of Gaza by the United States, and that the Palestinian population there would need to be moved out, would represent an alarming escalation of forced displacement and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza. The organization’s Middle East and North Africa director, Lama Fakih, stated that, “It would move the US from being complicit in war crimes to direct perpetration of atrocities.” HRW emphasized that this displacement has been intentional, as well as widespread and systematic, and part of state policy, amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity, and at least in parts of Gaza, ethnic cleansing. (February 5, 2025)
• In response to US President Donald Trump’s call to displace citizens in the Gaza Strip, Amnesty International confirmed that any plan to forcibly deport Palestinians outside the occupied territory against their will is a war crime and a flagrant violation of international law (February 5, 2025)
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has released a report titled, “Inflicting harm and denying care”, documenting the escalation of extreme physical violence against Palestinians by Israeli forces and settlers in the WestBank since the all-out-war was launched on Gaza in October 2023. (February 06, 2025)
• An investigation by +972 Magazine and Local Call has revealed that the Israeli army intensively bombarded Gaza’s residential areas when it lacked intelligence on the precise location of Hamas commanders. The report further documents that the arm deliberately weaponised toxic byproducts from bombs to suffocate militants in tunnels. The extensive bombing killed hundreds of Palestinian civilians -as “collateral damage”- wiping out entire families and neighbourhoods in its attempts to eliminate Hamas leaders. (February 06, 2025)
• A coalition of Palestinian civil society organisations have condemnedS. President Trump’s reported plan to take over Gaza and expel its residents, calling it and extension of the Israeli-US genocide. The groups labelled the plan a violation of international law, as it amounts to genocide and crimes against humanity by denying Palestinians their rights to self-determination and return, and represents a continuation of the Nakba of the Palestinian people. They called for global action to support Gaza, protect the ICC and UNRWA, and impose sanctions on Israel, including an arms embargo and financial penalties. (February 05, 2025)
• Amnesty International stated that the imposition of U.S. sanctions on the International Criminal Court is a retaliatory move aimed at undermining international justice, sending a message that Israel is above the law. The organization warned that such sanctions obstruct accountability, embolden perpetrators of crimes, and harm the interests of victims. Meanwhile, Vincent Warren, Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, described the move as an attack on the rule of law. The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) also condemned the sanctions, calling on the ICC Prosecutor to investigate U.S. officials, including Trump, under Article 70 of the Rome Statute. The federation urged state parties to take urgent action to protect the court and ensure its independence. Human Rights Watch likewise denounced the move, calling on states to publicly support the court and safeguard its work from political interference. (February 6-7, 2025)
• Save the Children reported that nearly half of the Palestinian children killed in the West Bank since documentation began in 2005 were killed in the past two years, with Israeli forces and settlers killing 224 children since January 2023. The organization highlighted that January 2025 was one of the deadliest months, with 10 children among the 70 Palestinians killed, including a two-year-old infant. It also noted an increase in the use of airstrikes in the West Bank, leading to widespread infrastructure destruction and the displacement of thousands of Palestinians. The organization called on the international community to hold Israeli forces accountable for their violations of international law. (February 7, 2025)
• Amnesty International has confirmed that the release of Mohammed Halabi, the Palestinian humanitarian worker who spent nearly nine years in Israeli prisons, marks the end of his prolonged suffering and underscores the severity of the injustice he faced. Halabi was subjected to torture, starvation, and an unfair trial. The organization has called for his conviction to be overturned, an independent investigation into the violations he endured, and the immediate release of all Palestinians held arbitrarily. (February 7, 2025)

Opinion Pieces and features

• Al-Jazeera published an op-ed by Mary T Bassett and Eric Reinhart titled, “After US weapons ravaged Gaza’s hospitals, US doctors can’t remain silent.” ( February 2, 2025)
• The National News published an op-ed by former Saudi ambassador to Washington and London, Prince Turki Al Faisal titled, “Prince Turki Al Faisal: Mr Trump, it’s time for America to recognize Palestine.” ( February 3, 2025)
• Institute for Palestine Studies published an op-ed by Asma Barakat titled: “UNRWA Ban Goes Into Effect, Implementation Unclear as Agency Continues Relief Efforts.” ( February, 2025)
• The Guardian published an op-ed by Yara Hawari titled, “Palestinians have a clear message for Donald Trump over Gaza: ‘We are here, we won’t leave.’” ( February 5, 2025)
• Al-Jazeera published an opinion piece by Shahd Hammouri titled, “It is time to move the UN and international law out of the West.” (January 7, 2025)
• Mondoweiss published an op-ed by Mitchell Plitnick titled, “Trump’s impossible Gaza plan can still do a great deal of harm.” ( February 6, 2025)
• Al-Jazeera published an opinion piece by Patrick Gathara titled, “Trump’s plan to colonise Gaza is rooted in an old white fantasy” (February 6, 2025)
• The Guardian published an op-ed titled, “The Guardian view on Trump and the international criminal court: following the law of the jungle.”( February 7, 2025)
• Al-Jazeera published an op-ed by Andrew Mitrovica titled, “Trump’s foul solution to the Palestinian ‘problem’ was aided by Biden, too.” ( February 7, 2025)
• Al-Jazeera published an analytical article by Alexander Kozul-Wright titled, “Why has Trump hit the international criminal court with sanctions?”( February 7, 2025)

Human rights conferences and events

• The largest Palestinian coalition leading the global BDS movement has called for a Day of Action targeting “Cisco” on February 11. The calls have been generated due to Cisco’s role in supporting the technological infrastructure to automate the Israeli apartheid regime in the oPt beyond. (February 05, 2025)

Upcoming human rights opportunities and events

• The Faculty of Law and Public Administration of Birzeit University has announced an international conference titled, “Palestinians and War of Genocide on Gaza,” scheduled for May 07-08, 2025. The conference aims to explore various dimensions of the Palestinian question under the longest standing modern colonisation. (February 03, 2025)
• The Palestinian Return Centre (PRC) has opened registration for its upcoming international conference, “Naming Genocide: The Global Responsibility for Gaza,” set to take place in London on February 22, 2025, in London. The event will focus on the ongoing crisis in Gaza and the urgent need for international accountability. (January 22, 2025)
• The Diakonia International Humanitarian Law Centre in Jerusalem will hold an in-person training on international humanitarian law (IHL) for the diplomatic community in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. The training is scheduled for April 08-09 April, 2025. (February 03, 2025)