Hamas

On December 27, 2019, the return march was held in the Gaza Strip in a limited format, mainly because of the rainy weather. The Supreme National Authority of the Great Return March issued its program for the return marches of 2020. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) held a meeting of its political bureau, after which it announced it would continue its policy of exerting pressure on Israel to force it to lift the "siege" of the Gaza Strip. Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennet instructed that the lands of the Israeli settlers in the West Bank not be registered with the Israeli Civil Administration in the territories but rather with the land registry of the Israeli Ministry of Justice. Read more...

On December 20, 2019, the 85th return march was held in the Gaza Strip, with a level of violence similar to that of past weeks. Sporadic rocket fire from the Gaza Strip has continued since the most recent round of escalation. Hamas and other organizations participating in the return marches have recently deliberated the continuation of the marches. In Judea and Samaria a broad terrorist network of Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) was exposed. Read more...

On December 13, 2019, return march events were held in three locations in the Gaza Strip instead of the usual five. About 2,200 Palestinians participated, a relatively low number. The Palestinian and Arab media reported that deliberations were currently being held to determine the nature of future return marches. Isma'il Haniyeh, head of Hamas' political bureau, is currently heading a Hamas delegation visiting a number of foreign countries. Read more...