UNRWA condemns the terrible terrorist attack on the church in Hmoud. We mourn those killed and wish the injured a swift recovery. We stand with our host nation Jordan. Places of worship must be sanctuaries of peace and safety. Attacks on civilians and religious sites are indefensible. The international community must do everything to support peace, tolerance, and respect for the rights and faiths of all.

 Dr. Omar Suleiman

@omarsuleiman

Muslims and Christians in Jordan have shared neighborhoods, friendships, joys, and sorrows for generations. This horrific attack violates that shared history and the sanctity of innocent life. May Allah comfort the grieving and heal the wounded. 

 

No innocent civilian should ever feel unsafe in a mosque, church, synagogue, or any place of worship, anywhere. Period. 

 

But I can’t help but question how “ISIS” repeatedly emerges at the worst moments with its savagery to tear our societies apart and feed the worst narratives that get turned into perpetual cycles of crimes against humanity.   https://x.com/omarsuleiman/status/2113691837458464820

 

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UNRWA

 

@UNRWA

UNRWA condemns the terrible terrorist attack on the church in Hmoud. We mourn those killed and wish the injured a swift recovery. We stand with our host nation Jordan. 

 

Places of worship must be sanctuaries of peace and safety. Attacks on civilians and religious sites are indefensible. 

 

The international community must do everything to support peace, tolerance, and respect for the rights and faiths of all.  https://x.com/UNRWA/status/2113959186925076503

 

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Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem

 

@LPJerusalem

بيان استنكاري وتعزية صادر عن البطريركية اللاتينية الأورشليمية بشأن الاعتداء الإرهابي على الكنيسة في بلدة حمود – الكرك. 

 

Statement of Condemnation and Condolences issued by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem regarding the terrorist attack on the church in the town of Hamoud – Al-Karak  https://x.com/LPJerusalem/status/2113689194828644731

 

Statement of Condemnation and Condolences issued by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem,
regarding the terrorist attack on the church in the town of Hamoud – Al-Karak

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful ones." (Psalm 116:15)

It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we received news this afternoon of the merciless terrorist attack targeting the Greek Orthodox Church in the town of Hammoud, Karak. This crime has resulted in fatalities and injuries, violating the sanctity of a place of worship and infringing upon the fundamental human right to life, security, and the freedom to worship with dignity. We condemn this cowardly terrorist act in the strongest possible terms. We extend our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, to the residents of Hammoud, and to all our brothers and sisters affected by this grave tragedy. We also offer our prayers to God for the swift recovery of the injured, for patience and solace to be granted to the families of the victims, and for Jordan and its people to be protected from all evil and harm.

In this context, we affirm our profound pride in the historical and national role played by the Hashemite family—led by His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein ibn Abdullah II—in consolidating the values ​​of moderation and tolerance, upholding human dignity, and safeguarding the freedom to practice religious rites.

We further emphasize that the national cohesion of the Jordanian people serves as a vital safeguard against terrorism, extremism, and any attempts to sow division or discord. Jordanians—both Muslims and Christians—form a single national family, united by a shared history and a common destiny, bound together by ties of affection, belonging, and loyalty to their land and their leadership. Moreover, we express our full support for the security services and all those tasked with pursuing the perpetrators who sought to undermine the social peace—a peace in which we have always taken great pride.

In concluding this statement, we offer our prayers to God Almighty, asking Him to enfold the martyrs in His boundless mercy, grant their families solace and patience, and bring healing to the wounded. We pray that He may protect His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al-Hussein and his loyal Crown Prince, preserve the blessings of security and stability in Jordan, and safeguard its people from all harm. May this ordeal serve as an occasion to renew our commitment to national unity and coexistence—standing united as one against any who would seek to undermine the security of our homeland or compromise its unity.

May God protect Jordan—its leadership and its people—sustain the blessings of peace and harmony, and ensure that love and brotherhood remain stronger than terrorism and hatred.  https://www.lpj.org/en/news/statement-of-condemnation-and-condolences-regarding-the-terrorist

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☧ Milad ܝܠܕܐ

@PalCatholic

 

Translated from Arabic

Churches in Ramallah, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem ring their bells for the souls of the victims of the terrorist operation at Karak Church in Jordan 🇯🇴🇵🇸☦️✝️.

 

☧ Milad ܝܠܕܐ

@PalCatholic

 

Translated from Arabic

The King of Jordan, who went down to visit the injured and who took the terrorist incident with utmost seriousness and resolve, dealing with it swiftly without any sugarcoating of reality and refusing to let it pass as if it were nothing, deserves all respect and appreciation. In the hope that the rest of the rulers of Arab countries learn what it means to uphold the dignity of a citizen.

عبدالله بن الحسين

@KingAbdullahII

·

22h

Translated from Arabic

We will confront the terrorist act that targeted Karak with the harshest penalties. And whoever imagines that the bullets of treachery can divide the ranks of Jordanians will fail in his endeavor before our steadfastness and unity. All Jordanians, from the north of the homeland

 

 

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The new report by Francesca Albanese »The Truth Beneath the Rubble «, has just been released. It analyzes how the media contribute to the genocide in Gaza.

Johann Soufi

@jsoufi

International Lawyer ⚖️ | Researcher

@AfriThucy

🎓 | Justice & Human Rights | Views my own.

Translated from French

📣 The new report by   @FranceskAlbs

, « The Truth Beneath the Rubble », has just been released. It analyzes how the media contribute to the genocide in #Gaza. The media 🇫🇷 are not named specifically. But the practices denounced will be familiar to you… 🧵 Breakdown.👇

 

 https://x.com/jsoufi/status/2110028854547173706

 

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2. Francesca Albanese, you know her. The UN Special Rapporteur on 🇵🇸, she has already documented the "anatomy" of the genocide, its colonial dimension, the economy and the complicities that facilitate it. This time, she shows how truth becomes a target.

 

3. The thesis of his report is simple: destroying the truth is also part of the destruction of the people 🇵🇸. Because the perpetrators of a genocide want to control its narrative: eliminate witnesses, incite hatred, protect the culprits, etc.

 

4.  @FranceskAlbs identifies three practices that reinforce each other and facilitate genocide. 1️⃣. The elimination of journalists 🇵🇸. 2️⃣. Censorship and propaganda 🇮🇱. 3️⃣. The relaying of this propaganda in Western media and online. 📺📱

     

5. 1️⃣. ELIMINATE THE WITNESSES Gaza is the deadliest conflict ever recorded for journalists. An Israeli soldier, quoted in the report, assumes: "If someone writes an article or works on a laptop, it's as if they were carrying a Kalashnikov."

 

6. These attacks did not begin in October 2023. More than 20 Palestinian journalists had already been killed beforehand. The assassination of the journalist 🇵🇸/🇺🇸 Shireen Abu Akleh, in 2022, foreshadowed, for example, the violence and impunity that we know today.

 

7. F. Albanese recalls the figures. ✔️ Nearly 300 journalists killed, including about 70 killed in retaliation for their professional activity ✔️ More than 400 injured With, sometimes, "double-tap" strikes to kill the journalists and rescuers who rush to the scene.

 

8. Israel justifies these strikes, labeling these journalists as "combatants." A legitimization unit would even have been set up as early as 2023. ⚖️: a journalist remains a civilian. It is up to the attacker to prove that he was participating in the hostilities. 👉 https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/fr/customary-ihl/v1/rule34

9. For Albanese, Israel inverts the rule: journalists killed are labeled "terrorists" or "Hamas agents," without disclosed evidence, often right after their death. Behind it, the intent to persecute an entire sector: more than 150 journalists' homes destroyed.

 

10. Families too are threatened, sometimes targeted. Wael Al-Dahdouh (@AJEnglish) lost his wife, two children, his grandson, then his eldest son, a journalist. "I knew I was being targeted, but I never would have thought they would go after my family."

 

11. More than 100 journalists arrested, around thirty still detained. Beatings, sometimes rapes.   @FranceskAlbs reports what would have been said to one of them: "If you write something, [...] we will assassinate you, your wife and your children, in your bedroom."

 

12. Attacks against journalists are not enough; the tools must also be destroyed. From October 7, 2023, the Tower that housed seven media outlets is destroyed. Then the telecommunications, up to an almost total blackout. Without a network, nothing more can be verified or broadcast.

 

13. 2️⃣. CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE. Regarding information, Netanyahu speaks of a “battle for the truth.” In Israel, military censorship has hardened: prior authorization required for any “security”-related subject. Independent media are sanctioned, @haaretzcom at the forefront.  

 

14. Since October 2023, foreign press has, in fact, been banned in Gaza, except when integrated into the army or on organized visits. @AJEnglish is banned from Israel. And meanwhile, Israel pays for campaigns on X and YouTube to reach Western audiences. 

 

 15. Worse: some media 🇮🇱 incite to genocide. Palestinians are called "Amalek," "cancer," or "cannibals" who "must be eradicated." "There are no innocents" in Gaza. 🗣️ Direct and public incitement to genocide is a crime.

 

16. 3️⃣. WESTERN MEDIA. And us? 📺📻📰 @FranceskAlbs received 62 contributions analyzing Western media, including in France. No French media outlet 🇫🇷 is cited in his report. 💡But for each practice that follows, ask yourself: Have I seen it in France?  

 

17. First, the vocabulary. 🤐 Internal guidelines from @nytimes have leaked: caution with the terms "genocide," "ethnic cleansing," "occupied territory." "Palestine" to be used only "in very rare cases."

 

18. Albanese then denounces the fake news and accusations 🇮🇱 relayed without verification by these media outlets. The "beheaded babies," the Hamas HQ under the hospitals,  @UNRWA infiltrated: accusations relayed without any verification. The corrections, far fewer… 

 

19. Another example? The expression: “Human shields.” 176 times in the NYT, 81 times at the BBC. How many on @LCI or @BFMTV? It's one of the main 🇮🇱 rhetorical devices, including before the @CIJ_ICJ, to justify its indiscriminate attacks.

 

20. The work of the UN, the ICJ, the @CourPenaleInt? Underreported, attacked, or presented as "controversial." More than 100 times, @BBC presenters have dismissed the accusation of genocide, without citing the genocidal statements of Israeli leaders.

 

21. When the facts are undeniable, they erase the author, minimize the crime. According to the study cited in the report, Israel's responsibility is omitted or minimized in 83% of the BBC's relevant headlines. “Hind Rajab, 6 years old, found dead in Gaza.” Found dead…

 

22. F. Albanese also speaks of an "unequal distribution of empathy." The word "barbarian" is almost always reserved for violence against Israelis. Count how many times you've heard it in France, and about whom.

 

23. Finally, the platforms. At Meta, X, and Google: posts deleted, accounts suspended, "shadow banning." (This thread will probably be too 🤐) Palestinian voices are disappearing. The official Israeli narrative is amplified.

 

24. F. Albanese has a word to describe this entire process: "mediacide." A genocide does not destroy only human beings. It also destroys the evidence that makes this destruction visible. Without witnesses, impunity becomes easier.

 

25. F. Albanese calls on the media to "stop whitewashing propaganda by giving it a journalistic form." Because "justice depends on the survival of the evidence elements." Gaza's journalists have done their part, at the cost of their lives. The French media, have they?

 

26. The full report (in English and French) is available on the United Nations website. 🇺🇳 🔗 https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n26/187/20/pdf/n2618720.pdf

 

further NOTES  

 

Francesca Albanese

 

Assal Rad  

 

Shireen Abu Akleh 

 

Wael al-Dahdouh

 

Hind Rajab 

 

Palestine 

 

 International Law 

 

Genocide  

"Art can play an important role in supporting children’s healthy development during conflicts and emergencies." UNRWA works

Friends Lareen (left) and Layan (right) exhibited their artwork at UNRWA’s Asmaa Shelter in Gaza City. © June 2026 UNRWA PhotoThe children's art was exhibited in five temporary spaces across the Gaza Strip. © June 2026 UNRWA PhotoA total of 250 children

 UNRWA

@UNRWA

Through art, Lareen and Layan are finding ways to express their thoughts, hopes and emotions. 

They were among 1,000 children in #Gaza who took part in UNRWA-supported art activities that provided a safe and encouraging space for creativity and self-expression. 

With support from the European Union, these activities help children explore their talents and share their stories. 

Read the full story: https://unrwa.org/newsroom/photos/paint-paper-and-pencils-help-children-gaza-strip-cope-trauma-and-loss 

 #UNRWAworks  

#FundUNRWA 

https://x.com/UNRWA/status/2108561074555424976 

[AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES (or quotes or watch videos) IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine] 

Paint, paper, and pencils help children in the Gaza Strip cope with trauma and loss

02 September 2026

A steady sound of voices fills UNRWA’s Asmaa shelter-turned-exhibition space in Beach Camp in Gaza City. As people move through the crowded room, they pause to smile, point, and take photos of the colourful artwork that brightens the once-white walls. Standing among them are 11-year-old friends Lareen and Layan. The young students-turned-artists proudly show off their posters and upcycled cardboard figures.

"I love drawing flowers," says Layan. "One day, I want to become an architect."

Alongside 1,000 other children living in UNRWA shelters across the Gaza Strip, the young friends have participated in art activities organised by the Agency. Under the supervision and guidance of UNRWA psychosocial counsellors, the students have learned how to express their thoughts, aspirations, and emotions through art, creating posters, drawings, artistic models, and sculptures.

"We were so happy to participate. We collected things from around us and learned how to turn them into something beautiful. We made new friends and spent time together in a healthy environment, away from the destruction around us," says Lareen, who is among the 250 children selected to exhibit their art in one of the five temporary exhibition spaces across the Gaza Strip.

The art activities and exhibitions were made possible through funding from European Union Humanitarian Aid, which provided the paint, paper, and other materials needed for drawing, colouring, and crafting, as well as the psychosocial support that helped create a safe and encouraging environment for the participants.

Art can play an important role in supporting children’s healthy development during conflicts and emergencies. Through art, they learn how to express complex emotions they might otherwise find difficult to articulate, while strengthening their confidence and fostering a sense of normalcy. For children in the Gaza Strip, opportunities to learn, play, and express themselves have been disrupted by more than two years of war, repeated displacement, and the loss of loved ones.

Wael, an UNRWA focal point for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in the Gaza Strip, has witnessed how the art activities have made a difference.

“The children transformed their feelings, experiences, and aspirations into powerful artworks that speak of both their struggles and their hope for a better future. The initiative gave them a voice, while strengthening their well-being and helping them rebuild hope in the most challenging circumstances.”

The project also attracted older children eager to develop their artistic talents.

For 16-year-old UNRWA school graduate Khadija, living in the Asmaa shelter in Beach Camp, art became a means of documenting the realities faced by children in the Gaza Strip. Having lost both her home and her brother during the war, she used her artwork to reflect on the experiences that continue to shape her community.

"I saw a child whose arms had been amputated playing hopscotch in the street," she recalls. "These are the real losses in life, the moments of joy that disappear. We have been deprived of everything. I want to express the suffering of the children..." READ MORE  https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/photos/paint-paper-and-pencils-help-children-gaza-strip-cope-trauma-and-loss

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