PALESTINE’S LEGAL SCENE – Issue. 301

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

 5 – 11 October. 2025

Issued every Sunday by Law for Palestine

Prepared by: Nour Kharouf, Murad Abu Murad, Arwa Abdel Moniam, and Ahmad Al-Rjoub
Translation: Aseel Ghabayen and Maisaa Abdelqader

Editing: Widad Hussein

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:

• Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa reiterated the State of Palestine’s full support for the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), as a cornerstone of international responsibility toward Palestinian refugees. (October 8, 2025)
• Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, his deputy Hussein al-Sheikh, and the Chairman of the National Council, Rouhi Fattouh, welcomedS. President Donald Trump’s announcement of an agreement to end the war in the Gaza Strip. The agreement includes the withdrawal of occupying forces, the entry of humanitarian aid, and a prisoner exchange. They expressed hope that these efforts would pave the way for a lasting political solution leading to the implementation of a two-state solution, and emphasized that sovereignty over the Gaza Strip belongs to the State of Palestine. (October 9, 2025)

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

• The Israeli government approved a comprehensive agreement for the release of hostages and Palestinian detainees in Gaza, marking a step toward ending the war. (October 9, 2025)
• Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stated that following the ceasefire agreement, Israel hopes to see the lifting of the arms embargo imposed by some European countries over the war in Gaza. He added that his ministry has succeeded in preventing new sanctions and in opening three new embassies worldwide. (October 9, 2025)
• Israeli Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee told all residents of the Gaza Strip that the area north remains a dangerous combat zone, emphasizing that the army is encircling Gaza City and that returning there is extremely hazardous. He urged residents to avoidapproaching areas where forces are deployed or operating until official instructions are issued. (October 9, 2025)
• The Israeli occupation army announced that the ceasefire agreement in Gaza had taken effect, confirming that its forces were deployed along new operational lines in accordance with the agreement. It said that army troops under the Southern Command would continue operations to remove any immediate threat. (October 10, 2025)
• The Israeli military spokesperson issued a statement to the residents of the Gaza Strip regarding the ceasefire, warning them not to approach areas where Israeli forces are deployed, as well as the maritime zone, Israeli territory, and the buffer zone. The statement emphasized that movement in these areas remains strictly prohibited until official instructions are issued. (October 10, 2025)

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

• UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, called for lifting Israel’s ban on the agency’s activities amid growing momentum toward a permanent ceasefire  and an  end to the blockade on Gaza. He also called for accountability and justice for those responsible for the atrocities committed since October 7, 2023. (October 4, 2025)
• UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher reported that $9 million has been allocated from the UN Emergency Fund to support the continued operation of hospitals, water networks, bakeries, and essential services in Gaza. He added that if a ceasefire is implemented and large-scale aid delivery is allowed, the United Nations will be ready to rapidly expand its response to reach more people in need. (October 6, 2025)
• UNRWA said that Gaza is home to one million children, yet no place is safe. It noted that many are traumatized and have witnessed what no child should witness. A UNICEF spokesperson said, “Everyone bears responsibility,” explaining that Gaza City remains home to tens of thousands of children, including amputees struggling amid the rubbles. He added the children of Gaza are shaking from the restlessness of airstrikes, and the logic imposed on them is brutal and contradictory. (October 6, 2025)
• UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Peiris said that “the horrors of October 7th are never to be forgotten,” but emphasized that “the disproportionate response that followed, and continues today, must stop, and it must stop now.” He called for an end to the indiscriminate killing of children in Gaza, noting that 61,000 children have been killed or maimed – an average of one child every 17 minutes, describing the figure as horrifying and unacceptable. (October 7, 2025)
• The Congress of Deputies of Spain approved the introduction of urgent measures to address the genocide in Gaza and to support the Palestinian people. It also agreed to submit the proposal for consideration as a bill under urgent procedure. The bill prohibits the transfer or transit of defense materials to Israel, including fuel that could be used for military purposes, although exceptions may be granted by Cabinet decision if required in the national interest. It also bans the import of products, goods, and services originating from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, and classifies any commercial advertising for such products as unlawful. (October 8, 2025)
• The foreign ministries of Jordan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque’s courtyards by Israeli officials and settlers under the protection of the Israeli occupation police. The League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation also condemned the incident, calling it a blatant violation of the historical and legal status quo of Al-Aqsa Mosque and an affront to the sanctity of Islamic holy sites in occupied Jerusalem. (October 8, 2025)
• The UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Irene Khan, affirmed that Israel’s interception of the Conscience ship and the Freedom Flotilla vessels in international waters constitutes a new violation of international law. She called for the safety and rights of all detainees to be ensured and expressed deep concern over the well-being of the detained Flotilla members, following reports of mistreatment in the Israeli detention, emphasizing that Israel is obliged to guarantee their rights. (October 8, 2025)
• UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stated that the war, now ongoing for more than 700 days, has brought devastation and suffering to the children of Gaza, describing it as “an affront to our shared humanity.” She noted that reports indicate up to 64,000 children have been killed or maimed, including at least 1,000 infants, while the number of those who died from disease or remain buried under rubble is still unknown. (October 8, 2025)
• The official spokesperson for the Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the mediators have reached an agreement on all terms and mechanisms for implementing the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza. The agreement ensures an end to the war, the release of Israeli detainees and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip. (October 9, 2025)
• Israel and Hamas have agreed on the first phase of a ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the two-year war in Gaza. U.S. President Donald Trump announced that all hostages held in Gaza would be released “very soon,” and that Israeli forces would withdraw to agreed-upon lines as a first step towards what he described as “a strong, lasting, and eternal peace.” Trump stated that the United States would take part in Gaza’s reconstruction and support efforts to ensure (October 9, 2025)
• The ceasefire agreement in Gaza was welcomed by the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Turkey, the UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Morocco, Algeria, Syria, Iraq, and Tunisia. It was also welcomed by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab Parliament, the League of Arab states, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, the President of the European Commission, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, and the Commissioner-General of UNRWA. UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the announcement, urging all parties to seize this historic opportunity to establish a credible political path toward ending the occupation and recognizing the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. He said such a path should lead to a two-state solution and enable Palestinians and Israelis to live in peace and security. (October 9, 2025)
• French lawmaker Thomas Portes said that the scenes of joy among Palestinians returning to Gaza after the ceasefire announcement were deeply moving and reflected a spirit of resilience despite bombing and famine. He explained that airstrikes continued minutes after the truce was announced, noting that the ceasefire must be respected and not remain merely ink on paper. (October 9, 2025)
• The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of the occupied Palestinian territory, Francesca Albanese, called for ensuring Israel’s compliance with the ceasefire. She said Israel violated the agreement just hours after its announcement by shooting at Palestinians waiting to return to their homes, adding that in Israel’s dictionary “ceasefire,” means Palestinians cease while Israel continues to fire. (October 9, 2025)
• Colombian President Gustavo Petro stressed that as long as U.S. President Trump or other supporters of the Israeli occupation maintain their firm backing of Israel’s far right government, the genocide in Gaza will continue unabated. He emphasized that humanitarian pressure and mediation by countries such as Qatar and Egypt are the key to ending the conflict. Petro also criticized the complicity of some European countries with Israel’s policies, calling for support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and respect for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. (October 9, 2025)
• The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher outlined the main elements of the humanitarian action plan to expand aid in Gaza following the ceasefire and the lifting of restrictions on relief entry. He affirmed that UN teams are fully prepared to mobilize immediately and confirmed the availability of 170,000 tons of food, medical supplies, and other essentials. The World Food Programme also announced its readiness to scale up humanitarian assistance after the ceasefire agreement and reach hungry families across the Strip. (October 9, 2025)
• The Director-General of the World Health Organization said that the organization will continue focusing on sustaining health care services in Gaza and rebuilding the health system as part of early recovery efforts. He called for unimpeded humanitarian access and the establishment of medical evacuation corridors for critical patients requiring treatment outside Gaza. (October 9, 2025)
• French President Emmanuel Macron affirmed that the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank poses an existential threat to the establishment of a Palestinian state, warning against the acceleration of settlement construction that contravenes international law and the American peace plan. Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot affirmed that the ceasefire agreement marks the first step toward a long-term political solution that recognizes Israel’s security and the rights of the Palestinians. (October 9, 2025)
• The International Court of Justice in The Hague announced that it will deliver its Advisory Opinion on the Obligations of Israel concerning the Presence and Activities of the United Nations, other International Organizations, and third States in relation to the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), on October 22, 2025. (October 9, 2025)
• The United Nations Secretary-General reiterated his welcome of the announcement regarding the ceasefire agreement, based on the proposal put forth by U.S. President Donald Trump. He urged all parties to fully comply with the terms of the agreement and to seize this momentum to establish a credible political path towards ending the occupation, recognizing the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, and achieving a two-state solution. (October 9, 2025)
• German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that the agreement on a ceasefire in Gaza is good news for the region and beyond after more than two years of war. He announced that Germany will provide €29 million in humanitarian aid and will cooperate with Egypt to host a conference on Gaza’s reconstruction, adding that Germany will assume a role in the peace council proposed by Trump. Merz reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to Israel’s existence and security, emphasizing that the two-state solution remains the best path towards a future of peace and security between Israelis and Palestinians. (October 10, 2025)
• The British Court of Appeal held a special hearing to consider a request for permission to appeal the High Court’s decision, which had rejected a motion to suspend British exports of “F-35” aircraft to Israel. According to the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), one of the appellants, the High Court had ruled that determiningwhether the government’s decision to exempt the F-35 deal from scrutiny violates the UK’s international legal obligations is a matter for Parliament, not the court. This ruling is now under  (October 10, 2025)

Publications of human rights NGOs:

• The FTM – EU Files published an investigation revealing that Israeli government bonds have played a major role in financing Israel’s war in Gaza, benefiting from investments by major European financial institutions such as Germany’s Allianz, Deutsche Bank, BNP Paribas, and Barclays. Legal experts stressed that continuing these transactions despite the companies’ awareness of Israel’s violations constitutes a flagrant breach of corporate humanitarian responsibilities. (October 6, 2025)
• A Deep Dive investigation revealed that the Trump administration is using El Gora Airport in Egypt’s Sinai, located 13 miles from Gaza, to launch surveillance and intelligence missions over Palestinian territories under the guise of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) peacekeeping mission. (October 6, 2025)
• Amnesty International Secretary General Agnès Callamard said that protests calling for an end to Israel’s genocide in Gaza continue across Europe, unabated, stressing that the main demands are: ending the genocide, releasing hostages and all those unlawfully detained, and ending Israel’s unlawful occupation and apartheid in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. She also affirmed that the world has witnessed, for two years, shameful double standards and the silence of the UN Security Council due to the use of the veto. She emphasized that for any lasting ceasefire agreement to succeed, it must include an immediate stop to Israel’s genocide against Palestinians and end the unlawful occupation. Callamard criticized the so-called Trump peace plan for failing to demand justice and reparations for victims of atrocity crimes or accountability for perpetrators. (October 6/9, 2025)
• Amnesty International reported that activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla, arbitrarily detained by Israeli authorities, have been subjected to ill-treatment, including beatings and humiliating treatment, after their vessels were intercepted off the coast of Gaza last week. The organization confirmed that around 120 people remain arbitrarily detained in Israel. These are peaceful solidarity activists on a humanitarian mission, their detention is unlawful, and they should be immediately and unconditionally released. (October 6, 2025)
• ​​The International Committee of the Red Cross said that two years of intense hostilities have had a profound impact on Gaza and its people, adding that 80% of the population has been affected by evacuation orders, forcing civilians into ever smaller areas where access to basic needs such as food, water, and medicine is severely limited. (October 6, 2025)
• A group of international human rights organizations issued a statement affirming that recognition of Palestine must be accomplished by action to ensure an end to Israel’s crimes and guarantee the Palestinians’ right to self-determination. They emphasized that such recognition cannot remain symbolic or be treated as a reward, and does not absolve states of their legal and moral obligations to end the illegal Israeli occupation. (October 6, 2025)
• Human Rights Watch noted that peace plans cannot be relied upon solely to address grave abuses in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, noting that more than 30 years of escalating repression of Palestinians under the guise of “peace processes” have made this clear. The organization emphasized that Trump’s plan is no substitute for urgent action in Gaza. (October 7, 2025)
• The Palestinian Return Centre called for accountability for those responsible for Israeli crimes and genocide in Gaza over the past two years, adding that Israel has turned Gaza into an uninhabitable place in a systematic and deliberate attempt to erase the Palestinian people from their land. Additionally, The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN), Diakonia and the Palestinian Media Agency, released statements marking two years since the war on Gaza. (October 7, 2025)
• The Badil Resource Center criticized the twenty-point plan presented by the U.S. President Trump to end the war in Gaza, describing it as a means to reinforce Israeli colonial control over the territory and beyond. The center emphasized that this plan lacks international legitimacy, neutrality, and accountability, and offers no guarantees for ending the genocide. (October 8, 2025)
• Independent Jewish Voices welcomed the news of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza with cautious hope, stressing that the safety and preservation of Palestinian lives are their foremost concern. The organization called on the Canadian government to end its complicity with Israel and to make every effort to ensure Israel does not break the ceasefire or resume its genocidal assault, stressing the need to end Israel’s systems of colonialism and apartheid. (October 9, 2025)
• The Palestinian civil society issued a statement in response to what it described as the illegal colonial plan of Trump-Netanyahu, affirming full Palestinian rights and calling for an escalation of the boycott movement to end all forms of governmental, corporate, and institutional complicity with Israel’s colonial, military occupation, apartheid, and genocide. (October 9, 2025)
• The International Crisis Group published a report titled “Sovereignty in All but Name: Israel’s Quickening Annexation of the West Bank” discussing how the settlement movement is leading the Israeli government towards establishing formal, permanent control over the occupied West Bank, and urging external powers to commit to pressuring Israel to change its course. (October 9, 2025)
• The Elders issued a statement asserting that US deal must stop Gaza genocide, end occupation and build a just two-state solution. (October 10, 2025)
• Amnesty International in Australia released a set of public toolkits to respond to the ongoing crisis in Gaza, including guidance for information sharing and urging parliamentarians to call on the Australian government to fulfill its legal obligations, including halting trade with illegal Israeli settlements. (October 10, 2025)
• A group of human rights organizations sent an official letter to the CEO of Microsoft and the company’s head of AI, urging them to clearly acknowledge their role in Israel’s war on Gaza, to immediately end any involvement in the systematic oppression of Palestinians by Israeli authorities, and prevent the use of the company’s products and services in committing these crimes. (October 10, 2025)

Research and academic studies (in Arabic and English):

• The Student Research Symposium journal published a research paper by researcher Barry Mahmoud titled: “How and Why International Law Has Been Limited in Palestine”. (2025)
• The NIU Journal of Humanities published a research paper by Godswill Owoche Antai and others titled: “Jurisprudential Appraisal of the Interplay between International Law and Politics in Israel-Gaza Conflict”. (2025)

Opinion Pieces and features:

• Mondoweiss published an opinion article by Hamza Abu Al-Tarabeesh titled “‘North Gaza Massacres’: Telling the Stories of the Everyday Heroes of Jabalia Refugee Camp”.(October 5, 2025)
• Arab News published an opinion article by Daoud Kuttab titled “Palestinians Need Unity to Realize Dream of Statehood”. (October 6, 2025)
• Mediapartpublished an opinion article by Professor Bahram Soltani titled “Palestinians Imprisoned in Israel: Illegality and Ethical Issues”.(October 6, 2025)
• Geneva Solutions published a report by Catherine Frammery, titled: “International law missing from Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, says political scientist”.(October 6, 2025)
• The Guardian published an article by Jason Burke titled: “The ruin of Gaza: how Israel’s two-year assault has devastated the territory”. (October 7, 2025)
• Politics Today published an article by Mohamed Ismailov titled “The Gaza Blockade and the Global Sumud Flotilla: Illegal vs. Legal?”.(October 7, 2025)
• Critical Legal Thinking (CLT) published an article by Romain Chuffart, Emily Jones and Colin Murray, titled: “The UK’s recognition of the State of Palestine is meaningless without the proper recognition of international law on the aid flotillas”. (October 7, 2025)
• Arab News published an opinion piece by Yossi Mekelberg, titled: “The mighty Israeli navy versus the Global Sumud Flotilla”. (October 7, 2025)
• J Street published an opinion piece by Ilan Goldenberg, titled: “This war must be the last”. (October 9, 2025)
• HAARETZ published an op-ed by Gideon Levy, titled: “Israelis Are Stuck Between Ultranationalist Mourning and Apathy for War Crimes in Gaza”. (October 9, 2025)
• Truthout published an opinion piece by Amy Goodman & Nermeen Shaikh, titled: “The Gaza Ceasefire Deal Is Not a Peace Agreement. What Will Happen Next?”. (October 9, 2025)
• Arab Center Washington DC published an opinion piece by Jonathan Kuttab, titled: “The Trump-Netanyahu Plan for Gaza: A Legal Analysis”. (October 9, 2025)
• Arab News published an opinion piece by Faisal J. Abbas, titled: “So that what happened in Gaza never happens again”. (October 10, 2025)
• The Conversation published an opinion piece by Marika Sosnowski, titled: “The Gaza ceasefire deal could be a ‘strangle contract’, with Israel holding all the cards”. (October 10, 2025)
• Anadolu Agency published an article by Rabia Ali, titled: “2 years of Gaza genocide: Legal reckoning for Israel edges closer?”. Another article by the author waspublished titled: “Time to unseat Israel from UN?”. (October 10, 2025)

Human rights conferences and events:

• Spanish football club Athletic Bilbao organized a solidarity event with the Palestinian people at its San Mamés stadium before its La Liga match against Real Mallorca.The event was attended by Palestinians and representatives of UNRWA. (October 4, 2025)
• The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate submitted an official petition to the United Nations denouncing the media genocide perpetrated by the Israeli occupation against Palestinian journalists and media institutions in the Gaza Strip. The petition called for international protection for journalists and for accountability of the occupation’s leaders for their crimes, describing the events in Gaza as the first media genocide in history. (October 8, 2025)
• Faculty members of McGill University introduced a historic resolution supporting the academic and cultural boycott of Israel, marking it as the first collective movement of its kind within the university in support of Palestine. The resolution passed with 104 in favour, eight opposed. The sponsors asserted that Israel’s practices in Gaza amount to genocide and called on the university to sever its academic ties with Israeli institutions. (October 10, 2025)

Upcoming human rights opportunities and events:

• The European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed) announced an upcoming lecture titled “Palestine’s Maritime Rights vs Israel’s Bully Take Over: An Exit Path”, to be held on 14 October 2025 at 12:00, featuring Prof. Mutaz M. Qafisheh.