Palestinians in Tulkarem demand an end to PA’s operation in Jenin

We’ve been covering a days-long security operation by the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. The camp is a stronghold of Palestinian fighters who are alienated from the PA.

The Shehab News Agency now reports that dozens of people in the Tulkarem refugee camp are marching in solidarity with fighters from the Jenin Brigades, demanding an end to the operation, which began on Saturday.

Footage of the demonstration shows young Palestinians, many carrying guns, chanting as they march through the streets.

مسيرة في مخيم طولكرم، دعماً لكتيبة جنين وللمطالبة بإنهاء عملية أمن السلطة في مخيم جنين. pic.twitter.com/Y0KQCIpgjy

— وكالة شهاب للأنباء (@ShehabAgency) December 16, 2024

Israeli military carries out arrests, detains dozens during West Bank raids

The Israeli military has arrested a man from the town of Tuqu, southeast of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, the Wafa news agency reports. Israeli forces have arrested another man during a raid on the Qalandia camp, north of occupied East Jerusalem, according to the Palestine Information Center.

Israeli military raids have been reported elsewhere in the occupied West Bank, including:

Five Palestinian families sue US State Department over Israel support

Five Palestinian families in the US have sued the State Department over Washington’s continued support for Israel amid a growing death toll in Gaza and worsening humanitarian crisis, a court filing shows.

The lawsuit, filed in the District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges that the State Department under Secretary of State Antony Blinken has deliberately circumvented a US human rights law to continue funding and supporting Israeli military units.

“The State Department’s calculated failure to apply the Leahy Law is particularly shocking in the face of the unprecedented escalation of Israeli gross violations of human rights since the Gaza War erupted on October 7, 2023,” the lawsuit said.

The Leahy Law bans providing military assistance to individuals or security force units that commit human rights violations.

US legislators urge Biden to stop arming Israel over Gaza aid blockade

US Congressman Greg Casar says he and 19 other members of the House of Representatives have written to the Biden administration demanding it “withhold offensive weapons from the Israeli military”.

“US law is clear: if the Netanyahu government does not allow sufficient food and medicine to enter Gaza, then the US cannot send weapons,” Casar said in a post on X.

The letter posted online by the Democratic representative from Texas, notes that while the Biden administration has asked Israel to let in at least 350 aid trucks into Gaza per day, it has only let in 42 vehicles daily. And on some days, as few as six trucks have entered, representing a “massive failure that is costing people their lives,” the letter said.

Today, I'm leading 20 Members of Congress to demand that the Biden Admin withhold offensive weapons from the Israeli military.

U.S. law is clear: if the Netanyahu government does not allow sufficient food & medicine to enter Gaza, then the U.S. cannot send weapons. pic.twitter.com/NHhhZMuGt1

— Congressman Greg Casar (@RepCasar) December 17, 2024

Israel, Saudi Arabia deny reports of breakthrough in normalisation talks

Israel and Saudi Arabia have denied reports that there has been a breakthrough in normalisation talks, The Times of Israel reported. The Israeli news outlet Haaretz reported earlier today that Saudi Arabia has relinquished its demand for a Palestinian state as a precondition for normalisation.

However, right-wing Israeli politicians took the report to mean that Netanyahu had agreed to a Palestinian state, which his office later denied, calling the report “a complete lie”.

Israeli FM calls Irish President Higgins ‘anti-Semite’

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has slammed Irish President Michael D Higgins after he said Israel had violated the sovereignty of Syria, Lebanon and Egypt amid a diplomatic spat between the two countries.

Saar said that the “anti-Semite”, Ireland’s president, spread “slander” against Israel when he said that Israel had “violated the sovereignty of three neighbouring countries”.

He accused Ireland of having ties with Nazi Germany during World War II in addition to his attacks on Higgins.

On Sunday, Israel announced it would close its Dublin embassy due to the Irish government’s “extreme anti-Israel policies”, including the recognition of a Palestinian state.

UN warns Syria war ‘has not ended’, urges ‘inclusive’ political process

The United Nations special envoy for Syria has warned that the war “has not ended yet” despite the removal of President Bashar al-Assad by opposition fighters, highlighting clashes between Turkish-backed armed groups and Kurdish fighters in the north of the country.

“There have been significant hostilities in the last two weeks, before a ceasefire was brokered,” Geir Pedersen told the UN Security Council in New York on Tuesday, warning that a military escalation could be “catastrophic”.

The remarks come after the Syrian National Army (SNA), a group of fighters backed by Turkiye, has battled with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the wake of al-Assad’s removal.

The SDF is the main ally in a United States-led coalition against ISIS (ISIL). It is spearheaded by the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara sees as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) armed group that it outlaws and that has fought the Turkish state for 40 years.

Last week, SNA fighters seized the northern city of Manbij from the SDF, which then headed east of the Euphrates river as a US-mediated ceasefire came into effect.

Meanwhile, the members of the UNSC in a statement called for the implementation of “an inclusive and Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process” that they said should meet the legitimate aspirations of all Syrians, protect all of them and “enable them to peacefully, independently and democratically determine their own futures”.

They emphasised battling “terrorism” across the country, stressed that Syria must abide by council resolutions on non-conventional weapons, and reiterated support for UN peacekeepers and the inviolability of diplomatic premises.

Separately, a US State Department spokesman said the ceasefire in northern Syria had been extended until the end of this week.

“We continue to engage with the SDF, with Turkey about a path forward,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said, adding it was not in the interest of any party to see increased conflict in Syria.

Later on Tuesday, SDF commander Mazloum Abdi said in a post on X that the group was ready to present a proposal for a “demilitarised zone” in the northern city of Kobane, with the redeployment of security forces under US supervision.

He said the proposal aims to address Turkiye’s security concerns and ensure permanent stability in the area.

There was no immediate comment from Turkiye, the SNA or the US.

Netanyahu visits Golan

Pedersen also called on the UNSC to ensure that Israel “cease all settlement activity in the occupied Syrian Golan”. Pedersen noted Israel has conducted more than 350 strikes on Syria following the departure of the former regime, including a major strike on Tartous.

“Such attacks place a battered civilian population at further risk and undermine the prospects of an orderly political transition,” he said.

The UN envoy warned against plans announced by Israel’s cabinet to expand settlements inside the Golan, occupied by Israel since 1967 and annexed in 1981. On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a security briefing inside the UN-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights that Israel seized earlier this month.

“Israel must cease all settlement activities in the occupied Syrian Golan, which are illegal. Attacks on Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must stop,” said Pedersen.

Rob Geist Pinfold, a professor of peace and security at Durham University, told Al Jazeera that “Israel is looking to launch as many strikes [as possible] while it still has the freedom to do so”. He suggested that “Israel is adding to the instability [due to their] fear of power vacuums and ungoverned spaces on their borders”.

Geist Pinfold also said that the “international community’s response has certainly been lacklustre so far”.

Sanctions

Pederson also called for “broad support” to end the Western-backed sanctions imposed on Syria in order to allow for reconstruction in the war-ravaged country.

“Concrete movement on an inclusive political transition will be key in ensuring Syria receives the economic support it needs,” Pedersen said. “The needs are immense and could only be addressed with broad support, including a smooth end to sanctions, appropriate action on designations, too, and full reconstruction.”

Western countries are wrestling with their approach to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which spearheaded the takeover of Damascus and is a former al-Qaeda affiliate. Despite moderating its rhetoric in recent months, HTS has been designated as a “terrorist” group by many Western governments.

As things are looking now, Israel and the West in general are creating exactly what they're afraid of / trying to prevent The lackluster response, sanctions and bombardments will only enhance the power vacuum that ISIL etc can take advantage of.

It doesn't look like HTS will be given much of a chance to prove themselves. Once the elation of the removal of Assad has passed, the bleak reality of the almost insurmountable task to rebuild the country under sanctions will start to sow discontent.

Israeli forces blow up houses in southern Lebanon

Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) is reporting that Israeli forces have bombed and destroyed two houses in the town of Kfar Kila in violation of a ceasefire agreed with Hezbollah last month.

The bombing came hours after Israeli forces attacked a vehicle in the southern village of Majdal Zoun, wounding at least three people.

Israel violated Lebanon ceasefire 248 times: Report

Our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic have reported that the latest 12 Israeli violations of the November 27 ceasefire deal with Hezbollah had injured three people.

The violations were reported yesterday in the Tyre, Marjayoun and Hasbaiyya districts in the south of Lebanon, as well as the Rashaya and Western Bekaa districts in the east.

Aerial footage shows massive destruction in Lebanon’s Nabatieh

Entire building blocks have been levelled to the ground in Israeli air strikes on the al-Bayad neighbourhood in southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh, according to the video by Lebanese photographer Hicham Takach.

The footage has been verified by Al Jazeera’s fact-checking agency, Sanad.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDr-s6woLtG

Israel admits people from illegal settlements entered Lebanon earlier this month

The international community has long viewed illegal Israeli settlements as a violation of international law and a hindrance to Palestinian statehood.

Now the Israeli army has acknowledged that a settler group entered southern Lebanon earlier this month, Israeli media are reporting, after initially suggesting they had set up camp near the border.

The Times of Israel reported citing the military, “The civilians did indeed cross the Blue Line by several metres, and after being identified by [Israeli] troops, they were dispersed.” It added that entering Lebanese territory harms the military’s ability to “operate in the area and fulfil its mission”.

Israel’s Army Radio quoted the military as saying, “This is a serious incident that is being investigated.”

Ongoing ceasefire talks

Reports suggest that a deal between Hamas and Israel has never been closer. What has been discussed?

Here are key points provided to The Associated Press news agency by Egyptian and Hamas officials:

Israel’s Smotrich calls potential Gaza ceasefire ‘serious error’

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called the potential ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas a “serious error”, according to Israeli media.

“Hamas is at its lowest point since the beginning of the war, and this is not the time to give it a lifeline,” Smotrich told the Haredi radio station Kol Barama, according to the Ynet News site.

The minister said without providing details that the deal would not serve the interests of Israel or return the captives “because in the end it’s a partial deal”. Yet, Smotrich did not threaten to pull out from the governing coalition should a deal be reached.

His comments come as efforts for an agreement have been renewed in the past weeks. In a key concession, Hamas officials say they are prepared to show more “flexibility” on the timing of an Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza, and Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz said Monday that a deal is closer than ever.

Officials on all sides have cautioned that key details must still be worked out. But there is a general sense of optimism that has been lacking for many months.

Israeli institutions received $250m from EU despite outrage over Gaza war

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/18/eu-horizon-funding-israel

On October 7, as Israel began its latest war on Gaza following Hamas’s incursion into southern Israel, the European Union’s position was immediately clear.

“Israel has a right to defend itself – today and in the days to come,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted on X, alongside an image of her office’s headquarters lit up with Israel’s flag. “The European Union stands with Israel.”

Israel has since been placed on trial for genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague and its leaders – as well as a top Hamas commander – have been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Yet the EU continues to partner with Israeli institutions under its “Horizon” scheme, a programme that funds research and innovation.

Data collected by the European Commission and analysed by Al Jazeera shows that since October 7, the EU has awarded Israeli institutions more than 238 million euros ($250m), including 640,000 euros ($674,000) to Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), a top aerospace and aviation manufacturer supplying the Israeli army.

Palestinian film From Ground Zero shortlisted for Oscars

The film about Israel’s war on Gaza has been shortlisted in the Best International Feature Film category of the 97th Academy Awards for 2025. It features 22 short films by Palestinian filmmakers and was put together by Director Rashid Masharawi.

The shorts include 24 Hours by filmmaker Alaa Damo, which documents the events his friend Mosab al-Nadi experienced in one day, surviving three Israeli air strikes before being buried under rubble, despite sheltering in so-called “safe zones”.

You can watch 24 Hours below:

UN General Assembly overwhelmingly passes resolution on Palestine statehood

Some 172 countries voted in favour of the resolution, which affirmed the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, while eight countries opposed it.

Israel, the US, Micronesia, Argentina, Paraguay, and Papua New Guinea voted “no”.

ترحب وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين باعتماد الجمعية العامة للأمم المتحدة اليوم الثلاثاء، قراراً يؤكد على حق الشعب الفلسطيني في تقرير مصيره بأغلبية ساحقة، باعتباره حقاً أساسياً غير قابل للتصرف وركيزة في ميثاق الأمم المتحدة. كما تضمن القرار في نصه الرأي الاستشاري الذي صدر عن محكمة… pic.twitter.com/eEPAQuz4Gw

— State of Palestine - MFA 🇵🇸🇵🇸 (@pmofa) December 17, 2024

Palestinian child eats banana for the first time

Watch the joy-filled reaction of this Palestinian boy in Gaza as he eats a banana for the first time in his life.

Israel has blocked the entry of food, medicine, and other essential supplies into Gaza since October 7 last year.

Everything tastes like chicken!

Israeli forces attacked schools in Gaza 95 times in the past two months

OCHA says UN agencies have documented 95 Israeli attacks on school buildings in Gaza between October 6 and December 15. Most of the buildings were serving as shelters for displaced Palestinians.

Some 61 of the attacks took place in besieged North Gaza, it said. On December 14 and 15 alone, four schools were hit, it reported. These include:

UN official says Israeli attacks ‘vaporised’ bodies of Palestinians in Gaza

Georgios Petropoulos, who heads OCHA in Gaza, has described witnessing the aftermath of an Israeli attack that “vaporised” the bodies of victims.

In remarks reported by Israel’s Haaretz newspaper, Petropoulos said the site of the attack in al-Mawasi looked like Nagasaki, the Japanese city where US forces dropped an atomic bomb in 1945.

“They counted the bodies, but there are people who simply vaporised,” Petropoulos said. “Ten or twenty people who were known to be in the tents have simply vanished. “I was at the hospital after the bombing, it looked like a slaughterhouse, blood everywhere.”

Haaretz did not specify the exact attack that Petropoulos was referring to. But the article noted there have been at least eight attacks on al-Mawasi, a sandy area that Israel has designated as a “safe zone”, that killed scores in November, and another on December 4 that destroyed 21 tents and killed at least 23 people.

Our correspondents and medical staff in Gaza have also previously reported that Israeli bombs were causing the bodies of victims to vaporise.

In one Israeli attack on al-Mawasi in September, at least 22 people were reported missing, assumed to have been incinerated by the intensity of the blast. Al Jazeera’s verification agency Sanad concluded that 2,000-pound (907kg) US-made MK-84 bombs may have been used in the attack.

Israeli attack sparks fire at Kamal Adwan Hospital

Our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic are reporting that an Israeli attack has sparked a fire in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The facility in besieged northern Gaza has come under repeated attack by Israeli forces in recent weeks.

Hussam Abu Safia, the hospital’s director, says there are some 50 wounded people at the facility, including several people needing intensive care. Earlier in the week, Abu Safia said Israeli snipers had opened fire on the ICU.

“It’s the only department that provides ICU services in the northern Gaza Strip. Fortunately, this gunshot did not hit anyone but there have been a number of other gunshots through the windows facing Kamal Adwan Hospital,” he said.

Casualties as Israeli forces bomb a house near Kamal Adwan Hospital

Our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic are reporting that there have been several casualties after Israeli forces bombed the al-Sisi family home in northern Beit Lahiya. The building is located near the Kamal Adwan Hospital, where another Israeli attack sparked a fire.

AJA is also reporting the sound of intense gunfire as well as that of quadcopter drones hovering around the medical facility.

Israeli settler bus comes under fire near West Bank’s Nablus

A bus carrying Israeli settlers to Joseph’s Tomb has come under fire near the occupied West Bank city of Nablus.

Israeli and Palestinian media reported that the group intended to visit the archaeological site, located in an area under full control of the Palestinian Authority, with no prior authorisation.

The Israeli military sent reinforcements to protect the settlers. The army said in a statement posted on X that the bus driver was injured and warned that “entry of Israelis into Area A in the West Bank is dangerous and prohibited”.

UN Special Rapporteur EXPOSES Crime Of The Century

"Lawless": Marwan Bishara on Israel Bombing Syria 800 Times & Expanding Occupation of Golan Heights

Israel is continuing to bomb Syria a week after longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad was ousted from power. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Israeli forces have launched over 800 strikes on Syria over the past week. Meanwhile, the Israeli government has approved a plan to expand illegal settlements in the occupied Golan Heights. "Israel is setting new precedents in the Middle East," says Al Jazeera senior political analyst Marwan Bishara. "It's acting so lawlessly against Syria, as a rogue state basically."

Bishara also discusses Israel's genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and the Syria strategy of other actors in the region, including neighboring U.S. allies that had previously attempted to normalize relations with Assad and extremist groups that have formed partially in response to U.S. aggression.