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Palestinians face 2026 with little hope amidst humanitarian crisis
When we hear people talking about expectations for 2026, they are painfully modest here. They’re not hoping for much, just stability and avoiding another catastrophe.
The year arrives not with hope or certainty. Everyone, including myself, was hoping this was going to be a better year, but it is not. It is not a good year for Palestinians here.
People are still struggling daily to secure necessities for themselves and their families. The questions they face are not about plans, but about survival: Where they will sleep, how they will stay warm, and how they will keep their children safe.
Now, they are being hit with new restrictions imposed by the Israeli military, including a decision to remove many of the organisations that form the backbone of survival here.
Heavy storms to batter Palestinian territory through Friday
The Palestinian Meteorological Department has warned of severe weather starting on Thursday, with heavy rain, thunderstorms and hail expected across the territories. Winds will gust up to 50km/h (31mph), with authorities warning of flash flooding in valleys and low-lying areas.
The forecast brings new concern for hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians living in tents across Gaza, where recent winter storms have already devastated camps.
Last month, families watched floodwaters destroy mattresses, blankets and other essential belongings, leaving them with nowhere dry to sleep. Aid groups have repeatedly called on Israeli authorities to lift restrictions on shelter equipment entering the territory.
Gaza death toll rises
At least one Palestinian has been killed and another was injured in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry. One body was also recovered from the rubble of previous Israeli attacks, the ministry said in a statement.
Israel has killed at least 416 Palestinians and injured 1,153 others since the October 10 ceasefire came into effect, the statement said. About 683 bodies have been recovered from the rubble during the truce period, it added.
The total death toll since Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza began on October 7, 2023, now stands at 71,271, with 171,233 injured.
Child killed by Israeli forces in northern Gaza
A child has been killed by Israeli forces in the Jabalia an-Nazla area in northern Gaza, according to a source speaking from al-Shifa Hospital to our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic. The circumstances of the killing were not immediately clear.
Police in Rafah dispose of spoiled poultry as food shortages persist
Police in southern Gaza’s Rafah say their consumer protection unit, working with the Economy Ministry, has destroyed 3.3 tonnes of spoiled chicken meat found in storage at a trader’s facility.
The meat was seized during an inspection of food storage sites, with tests showing it was unfit for human consumption and failed to meet health and safety standards, officials said. The confiscated meat was disposed of in coordination with relevant authorities to prevent it from entering the market.
Police say inspections will continue and warned that legal action will be taken against anyone endangering public health. The destruction of the spoiled meat comes amid extreme shortages in Gaza, where Israel’s blockade and ongoing restrictions on aid and food have fuelled a collapse in supply chains, driving up prices and leaving residents vulnerable to exploitation in local markets.
