Sunday, August 9, 2026

Israel’s ‘Green Rafah’ plan aims to fragment Gaza, experts say Analysts warn Israel’s new administrative zones seek to erase the Palestinian cause and force mass displacement.

Buildings lie in ruins amidst the rubble in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, December 8, 2025 [Nir Elias/Reuters]

Israel has quietly given the green light for infrastructure work to begin in a designated area of southern Gaza, according to Israeli media, as it advances a post-war vision that experts warn is designed to reshape reality on the ground and permanently fragment the enclave.

Dubbed “Green Rafah”, the project backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz is in eastern Rafah near the unilaterally imposed “Yellow Line”, the effective Israeli buffer zone squeezing Palestinians into smaller areas.

Army Radio, which reported the approval on Sunday, said the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office described the initiative as an Emirati-backed pilot project aimed at establishing temporary housing “free” of the influence of the Palestinian group Hamas.

While the Israeli military will reportedly supervise the installation of water, sewage and electrical infrastructure, Palestinian labourers will be subjected to intense security screenings by the Shin Bet intelligence agency.

Furthermore, strict limitations have been imposed on the project, with Israeli authorities reportedly banning the entry of “caravans” or mobile homes into the area until at least November.

Also on Sunday, Netanyahu said he rejects the 15-point plan for Gaza announced last month by the United States-led Board of Peace.

The plan calls for the disarmament of Hamas in stages and the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Strip, but Netanyahu said an Israeli pull-out won’t happen until Hamas is fully disarmed.

As political negotiations over the future of Gaza stall, Palestinian political researcher Ahmed al-Atawneh warned that projects such as “Green Rafah” are designed to create isolated cantons under total Israeli administrative and security control. With this framework, he argued, Israel leaves Palestinians with only three choices: “Either they fully submit to Israeli policies, face death or imprisonment if they resist, or emigrate.”

Far from providing genuine humanitarian relief, al-Atawneh said Israel’s strategy relies on stripping the Palestinian struggle of its political dimension.

“Treating Palestinians merely as residents rather than citizens with a national cause means, in practice, undermining and liquidating the Palestinian cause,” he said, adding that this approach aligns with the broad consensus in the Israeli parliament rejecting any Palestinian political entity.

Al-Atawneh further criticised Arab involvement in such frameworks outside of a unified Palestinian consensus. “If any country is involved in this project based on the Israeli vision and away from the Palestinians, it raises many questions and essentially serves Israeli policy, rather than genuinely assisting or relieving Palestinians,” he added.

The Israeli ban on mobile homes and delay of meaningful reconstruction of civilian infrastructure carry deep strategic implications, according to experts.

Mohammad Hamed al-Aila, a Palestinian researcher, pointed out that the humanitarian protocol attached to a ceasefire agreement signed last year in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh explicitly mandates the entry of temporary housing (caravans) and repair of civilian infrastructure.

“Israel has not adhered to these obligations, despite 10 months passing since” the signing of a ceasefire deal, said al-Aila, noting that Israel continues to stall while Hamas demands the full implementation of the first phase.

“Preventing the entry of caravans and postponing any serious reconstruction track cannot be separated from the broader Israeli goal of perpetuating the humanitarian catastrophe,” said al-Aila. “Israel views the humanitarian situation in Gaza as a tool of political pressure aimed at gradually pushing the population towards migration.”

Al-Atawneh agreed, suggesting that Netanyahu is using these delays to buy time ahead of Israel’s elections in October in an effort to preserve his far-right-wing coalition, all while pursuing long-term goals of demographic engineering and displacement.

The international force dilemma

In tandem with these administrative zones, preparations are moving forward to deploy a limited International Stabilization Force (ISF). Reports indicate that countries such as Morocco and Uganda may send small contingents of around 200 troops each, falling drastically short of initial plans for a much larger multinational force.

Al-Aila argued that these token numbers reflect Israel’s traditional tactic of superficially accepting US proposals while hollowing out their actual implementation.... READ MORE https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/9/israels-green-rafah-plan-aims-to-fragment-gaza-experts-say

[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]

Friday, August 7, 2026

'They want to make us leave': Israel destroys West Bank wells serving Palestinian herders. Residents of Ras al-Ahmar say the destruction of their main water source follows months of settler attacks

The three destroyed wells supplied more than 47 Palestinian families, around 600 people (Mojahid Nawahda/MEE)

Mojahid Nawahda and Teebah Assi in Ras al-Ahmar, occupied Palestine

Published date: 3 August 2026

As first light reaches the scattered tents and animal pens of Ras al-Ahmar in the northern Jordan Valley, the silence is broken only by the cries of thirsty livestock waiting for water that no longer comes.

Days after Israeli forces destroyed three of the Palestinian community's main water wells, residents are scrambling to secure enough water for their families, crops and animals in one of the occupied West Bank's driest regions.

For 60-year-old Ali Bani Odeh, the destruction of the wells was more than merely the loss of infrastructure. A father of four and grandfather of 14, he has spent decades farming and raising livestock to support his family in Ras al-Ahmar.

Now, like dozens of other families, he is uncertain how long they can continue living on the land without a reliable water supply.

"Water is everything for us," Ali told Middle East Eye.

"Without water, we cannot live. We need it for our families, our sheep and our crops. Since the wells were destroyed, we have been forced to bring water from town at a much higher cost, and even then, we're not always allowed to pass."

Families must now haul water from distant towns at far greater expense, while military checkpoints and movement restrictions frequently delay or prevent tankers from reaching the village.

'The wells were the lifeline of this community'

– Abdullah Bisharat, head of the village council

According to Ras al-Ahmar village council head Abdullah Bisharat, the three destroyed wells supplied more than 47 Palestinian families, serving over 600 people and irrigating around 7,500 dunams of farmland.

The wells also sustained thousands of sheep and goats, the main source of income for many families.

"The wells were the lifeline of this community," Bisharat said.

"Their destruction has affected every aspect of daily life, from drinking water and agriculture to livestock, leaving dozens of families struggling to meet their most basic needs."

Settler attacks

Residents say the destruction marked the worst escalation in a months-long water crisis caused by Israeli settler attacks.

They say settlers repeatedly cut the pipelines supplying the community, forcing families to rely on costly water tankers. This time, however, the wells themselves were destroyed, eliminating the community's main source of water.

Ali's son, Obeida Bani Odeh, fears the loss of the wells threatens not only his family's livelihood but also their future in Ras al-Ahmar.

"We cannot survive here without water," Obeida said.

"For months, the pipelines supplying our community were repeatedly cut, and we had to bring water from nearby towns, often at three times the usual cost.

"Now the wells have been destroyed, and there is no reliable source of water left for our families or our livestock."

He said the challenges extend beyond water shortages. Settler attacks and movement restrictions have made it increasingly difficult to bring in water, animal feed and other essential supplies.

"The settlers attack everyone, from the young to the old," Obeida said.

"They want to make people afraid and force them to leave. But we have been living on this land for generations."... READ MORE https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/they-want-make-us-leave-israel-destroys-west-bank-wells-serving-palestinian-herders

UNICEF: At least 300 children reportedly killed in Gaza in past 300 days "A ceasefire that leaves an average of one child dead each and every day is failing children" ... "With hundreds more children injured, many severely, children in Gaza are still waiting for the end to the violence they were promised."

UNICEF/UNI657364/Eyad El Baba Jasser, a 7-year-old child from Gaza, looks out of one of the broken walls of a tent.

AMMAN, 6 August 2026 – At least 300 children have been reportedly killed in Gaza in the 300 days since a ceasefire was announced in October 2025. This amounts to an average of one child every day, despite an agreement for the suspension of military operations and the full entry of humanitarian aid and relief almost 10 months ago.

"A ceasefire that leaves an average of one child dead each and every day is failing children," said UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Edouard Beigbeder. "With hundreds more children injured, many severely, children in Gaza are still waiting for the end to the violence they were promised."

Families are now crowded into roughly a third of the Gaza Strip, sheltering in unsafe conditions among destroyed buildings, rubble and accumulated solid waste. Across the Strip, children continue to face acute malnutrition, disease, unsafe water and damaged sanitation systems.

"Announcements made in recent days set out a roadmap for the next phase of the ceasefire, including steps towards ending hostilities and scaling up humanitarian relief. This offers new hope and a chance to finally stop children being killed," said Beigbeder. "For children in Gaza, the test is simple. Does the killing stop? Does aid reach them at scale? Do hospitals reopen and water flow? Will children return to school safely in September? Children have heard promises before. This time, agreements must translate into action."

UNICEF calls on all parties to comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law. They must protect children, safeguard their access to essential goods and services, including healthcare, education, safe water and food, and allow and facilitate safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access to children in need.

About UNICEF

UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children, works to protect the rights of every child, everywhere, especially the most disadvantaged children and in the toughest places to reach. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we do whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive, and fulfil their potential.

Follow UNICEF on X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/least-300-children-reportedly-killed-gaza-past-300-days

NPR: For decades Israeli Jewish settlers have been creating [ILLEGAL] settlements there, taking more and more of the West Bank away from Palestinians. This has the support of Israel’s far right government...

Israeli settler activity increases in the West Bank

August 5, 20263:56 PM ET

Emily Feng

Greg Dixon

9-Minute Listen

The West Bank is a Palestinian territory between Israel and Jordan that been under Israeli military occupation since 1967. For decades Israeli Jewish settlers have been creating settlements there, taking more and more of the West Bank away from Palestinians. This has the support of Israel’s far right government, which faces a possible loss of power in an October election, and that’s led to a frenzy of settlement activity. The government has legalized past settlements under Israeli law and approved new ones in areas that are supposed to be under Palestinian civil control.

We go to the West Bank, where Palestinian residents say they feel like they’re being encircled by settlers trying to take their land, sometimes violently. https://www.npr.org/2026/08/05/nx-s1-5922494/israeli-settler-activity-increases-in-the-west-bank

On the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima: "Let's move closer ro a world where the tragedy of Hiroshima is never repeated" Antonio Guterres

On the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, @antonioguterres has honoured the memories of those who lost their lives and paid tribute to the survivors.“Hiroshima stands as an inspiring example of resilience, renewal and hope.”

An Israeli professor lost a prestigious US job offer after speaking out on Gaza. Now the university is paying him $250,000... The University of Minnesota withdrew an offer for Raz Segal to lead its Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies after an organized campaign against his hiring

A few hundred people gather to call for a ceasefire in Gaza before setting up an encampment on the lawn of the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis on 29 April 2024. Photograph: Star Tribune/Getty Images

Alice Speri

Thu 6 Aug 2026 08.00 EDT

When the University of Minnesota (UMN) extended an offer to historian Raz Segal to lead its Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies in June 2024, it did so upon the near-unanimous recommendation of a committee of academics after a rigorous search process. The scholars had enthusiastically praised Segal, with one committee member describing a presentation he gave as “breathtaking”.

But five days after making the offer, the university abruptly withdrew it, citing “perspective” it had received from members of the community. The reversal followed backlash over Segal’s criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza, which he called “a textbook case of genocide” in an October 2023 op-ed published in Jewish Currents. Segal’s critics condemned the piece, published just days after the 7 October attacks in Israel, accusing him of justifying Hamas crimes – an assertion that Segal rejected and the article does not sustain.

Last week, more than two years since the offer was rescinded, Segal reached a $250,000 settlement with the university. As is standard with such settlements, the terms of the deal stipulate the payout is not an admission of wrongdoing on UMN’s part. The university did not respond to a request for comment.

Segal said the significant sum should encourage the dozens of scholars who have been punished for criticizing Israel with firings, suspensions and investigations to “fight back”.

The settlement came after Segal obtained dozens of emails through a public records request, revealing a pressure campaign on university officials by donors, legislators and pro-Israel activists. The documents shared exclusively with the Guardian, reveal how the university shifted from defending Segal to eventually walking back their decision to hire him... READ MORE https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/aug/06/professor-israel-gaza-university-of-minnesota

Thursday, August 6, 2026

Deliberate attacks on civilians, which both journalists were, is a war crime. Israel has killed at least 15 journalists in Lebanon and 210 in Gaza since 2023, according to the UN human rights office. The reports also indicated that Israel delayed Lebanese ambulances from reaching Khalil and Faraj for hours – at one pointing dropping stun grenades on Lebanese Red Cross workers and firing on their ambulances.

Killing of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil was a war crime, say rights groups. Photograph: Mohammed Zaatari/AP

Israeli strike that killed journalist in Lebanon was war crime, say rights groups

Investigation by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty and Legal Agenda shows Israel deliberately attacked Amal Khalil and colleague Zeinab Faraj knowing they were civilians

An Israeli strike that killed Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil and injured her colleague Zeinab Faraj in April was a war crime, three rights organisations said on Thursday.

Investigations from Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International and Legal Agenda showed that Israel deliberately and directly attacked Khalil and Faraj, with apparent knowledge that they were civilians. The organisations called for the attacks to be investigated as war crimes, while HRW called for states to halt arm sales to Israel and put targeted sanctions on Israeli officials responsible for ongoing crimes.

Deliberate attacks on civilians, which both journalists were, is a war crime. Israel has killed at least 15 journalists in Lebanon and 210 in Gaza since 2023, according to the UN human rights office.

The reports also indicated that Israel delayed Lebanese ambulances from reaching Khalil and Faraj for hours – at one pointing dropping stun grenades on Lebanese Red Cross workers and firing on their ambulances.

The delay in rescue might have led to Khalil’s death, as hospital reports indicate that she might have still been alive hours after an Israeli strike toppled a building on top of her and Faraj.

“The evidence is clear that the Israeli military knew, or should have, that Faraj and Khalil were civilians, but attacked them anyway, and then prevented paramedics from rescuing them for hours,” said Ramzi Kaiss, Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch.

Israel said it “regrets any harm caused to journalists,” and that the journalists were killed “as part of a series of events” during which two Hezbollah military operatives were killed. There was about two hours between the initial strike that killed the two men Israel said were in Hezbollah, and a second strike that targeted a building the journalists were sheltering in.

Amal Khalil was a 42-year-old journalist working for al-Akhbar, a Lebanese newspaper, while Zeinab Faraj was a 21-year-old freelance camerawoman and photojournalist. Both had been active in covering the war in Lebanon over the last three years.

On 22 April 2026, the pair drove to the village of al-Tiri, south Lebanon, to verify reports that Israeli troops had left the area.... READ MORE https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/06/israeli-strike-that-killed-journalist-in-lebanon-was-war-say-rights-groups

Shameful media blackout over another massacre of civilians in Gaza. Stop Israeli crimes and international complicity- from the River to the Sea [!!!!!!!!!]

Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt

@FranceskAlbs

https://x.com/FranceskAlbs/status/2085027885467750710

Mosab Abu Toha [Pulitzer Prize winner/ Author of Forest of Noise/ Founder of the Edward Said Public Library in Gaza]

@MosabAbuToha

(Remember when the MSNBC journalist asked me, “Why not humanize all?” Then please do exactly that. Cover this. Report on it. Tell these families’ stories. If this does not deserve sustained international coverage, what does?)

Today, a historic mass funeral in Gaza City laid to rest 112 Palestinian civilians from the Abu Sharia and Al-Hasayna families, making it the largest single-event funeral procession in Palestinian history. These victims were killed on November 22, 2023, during a devastating Israeli airstrike that completely leveled a densely populated residential block in al-Sabra neighborhood, claiming the lives of approximately 308 people in total. Because israeli intense military attacks and severe equipment shortages blocked emergency access to the site, the bodies remained trapped under the concrete rubble for over two and a half years. The collective burial finally took place at the Baptist Cemetery following an arduous, days-long recovery operation by the Gaza Civil Defense, drawing thousands of mourners to honor the victims, who included over 40 children and 30 women.

Now ask yourself this: if this had happened anywhere else in the world, would there have been live coverage from the scene? Would journalists from CNN, BBC, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, CBC, Sky News, France 24, or other major international outlets have been broadcasting this funeral to a global audience?

Surely, many a single victim elsewhere could command hours of international coverage. But sorry, the victims are Palestinians and the mainstream media does not even consider them human.

https://x.com/MosabAbuToha/status/2084623614020616602

Jewish Voice for Peace: Over the weekend, a premature fetus was recovered from the rubble after an Israeli airstrike killed its pregnant mother. In another strike, 4 people were killed in their car. These are just some of the scenes emerging from Gaza this weekend—losses no one should have to witness, especially when the victims are their own loved ones.

Jewish Voice for Peace

@jvplive

Quote from @Tamer_Alnoaizy

Over the weekend, a premature fetus was recovered from the rubble after an Israeli airstrike killed its pregnant mother. In another strike, 4 people were killed in their car. These are just some of the scenes emerging from Gaza this weekend—losses no one should have to witness, especially when the victims are their own loved ones.

https://x.com/jvplive/status/2084646140696293619/photo/1

Palestinians in Gaza are already struggling each day for basic necessities while living under the constant threat of Israeli military attacks. They should not also have to endure the trauma of watching their loved ones suffer and die in unimaginable ways.

Today, Palestinians held a mass funeral for more than 100 members of two extended families killed in a single Israeli strike in 2023. Their bodies could not be recovered until now because of shortages of equipment and fuel. The funeral was held in the ruins of Gaza City's Al-Sabra neighborhood, where the families once lived.

Over the weekend, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 25 Palestinians. On Saturday, the strikes killed 7 people across Gaza. On Sunday, at least 18 Palestinians were killed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City where the unborn baby was recovered, as well as in Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis. An Israeli strike hit a car on Salah al-Din Road in central Gaza, killing four Palestinians.

Meanwhile, thousands of displaced Palestinians across Gaza are enduring an extreme heat wave in makeshift tents with little access to drinking water. More than 350,000 families remain without temporary shelter, while hundreds more are displaced each day as Israeli forces expand the areas under their control and restrict Palestinians' access.

Despite the Israeli government's so-called ceasefire, the death toll from Israeli attacks continues to rise. In July, 152 people were killed in Israeli attacks, the highest monthly death toll of 2026 according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

As Israeli military attacks continue, we refuse to look away. Tell Congress: vote NO on funding war.

FUND PEOPLE, NOT BOMBS

From jewishvoiceforpeace.org

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