Spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (July 15 – 22, 2025)

The IDF

• IDF forces continued air and ground operations across the Gaza Strip and on July 21, 2025, launched a ground operation in Deir al-Balah in the center of the Strip for the first time since the war began in October 2023.^[1] The forces attacked hundreds of terrorist targets, primarily belonging to Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), some operating from civilian buildings. Among those targeted were terrorist squads and operatives, including a senior official in the Hamas general security apparatus, field commanders in the Hamas military wing, senior operatives of al-Mujahideen Brigades, and a PIJ operative involved in transferring funds for terrorism to Judea and Samaria. The forces also targeted buildings used for military purposes, weapons depots, tunnels and underground facilities, sniper launch positions, IEDs and other terrorist facilities. The forces completed opening the Magen Oz axis in Khan Yunis, a strategic barrier approximately 15 km long from east to west of the city, aimed at increasing pressure on Hamas and leading to the defeat of the Hamas Khan Yunis Brigade. Two IDF soldiers were killed in the fighting and five others were seriously wounded (IDF spokesperson, July 15–22, 2025).

     
Right: Drone photo of the Magen Oz axis. Left: Illustration of the route
(IDF spokesperson, July 16, 2025)

• “Palestinian sources” reported a significant escalation in IDF attacks in the Gaza Strip, with heavy air and ground attacks resulting in the deaths of dozens of Palestinians:
  • According to Palestinian reports, in Khan Yunis in the south, residential neighborhoods, refugee camps, the al-Mawasi area and the al-Aqsa University area were attacked. Simultaneous attacks were reported in Jabalia in the north and Gaza City, mainly in the al-Zeitoun and al-Shuja’iyya neighborhoods (Ultra Palestine website, July 17, 2025; Telegram channel of activist Hamza al-Masri, July 17–18, 2025).
  • For the first time since the beginning of the war, IDF forces attacked the Deir al-Balah area. According to reports, the forces made a limited incursion into the eastern areas of Deir al-Balah, combined with aerial attacks and artillery shelling which hit several mosques and houses, causing deaths and injuries. Eyewitnesses stated that many families had fled the area due to the intensity of the attacks, which were concentrated in the Abu Hulah area, eastern al-Barakah and to the west in Deir al-Balah (Facebook page of al-Arabiya Palestine, July 21, 2025; al-Araby al-Jadeed, July 22, 2025).

• • “Palestinian sources” reported that the Holy Family Church, the Latin church in the Old City of Gaza and one of the oldest and most well-known churches in the Strip, was directly hit. Two women were killed and others were wounded, including Father Gabriel Romanelli, a priest present at the time. The church was reportedly being used as a shelter for displaced persons during the attack. The Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem said the attack caused significant damage to the building and casualties among civilians inside (Ultra Palestine website, July 17, 2025). The IDF spokesperson stated that a preliminary investigation following reports of casualties at the Latin church in Gaza City found that shrapnel from a shell fired during operational activity in the area inadvertently hit the church (IDF spokesperson, July 17, 2025). The Prime Minister’s Office also issued a statement of regret regarding the damage to the church, and Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke with Pope Leo XIV (Israeli media, July 17, 2025).
  • “Palestinian sources” claimed that an Israeli special forces unit, operating covertly deep in Rafah in southern Gaza, had abducted Dr. Marwan al-Hametz, the director of Gaza’s hospitals and an important figure in the local public health system. The alleged abduction occurred near the Red Cross field hospital and the ambulance driver accompanying the medical team was injured. The Hamas-controlled ministry of health in the Gaza Strip claimed his abduction was “a criminal operation intended to silence the voice of the sick, the hungry, and the tormented in Gaza” (al-Rasad, al-Ghazawi Telegram channel, July 21, 2025). A “source” claimed the abduction was carried out by a militia affiliated with Yasser Abu Shabab, which is supported by Israel, and that al- Hametz was later handed over to IDF forces (Facebook page of Arabi21, July 21, 2025).
• The IDF Arabic-language spokesperson published a photo found in a tunnel beneath the European Hospital in Khan Yunis, showing ‘Izz al-Din al-Haddad, commander of the Gaza City Brigade of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades and currently considered the commander of the Hamas military wing, in disguise. The statement said al-Haddad was hiding “like a coward underground while his people suffer” (IDF Arabic spokesperson, July 17, 2025). Al-Siyad TV, which belongs to the Hamas al- Sahm Unit, rejected the claims, saying it made no sense that a battle in Gaza City would be directed from tunnels in another city. The channel said it had full confidence in al-Haddad and his forces, claiming the spokesperson’s messages were “burned-out movies” (al-Siyad Telegram channel, July 17, 2025). Hamas “resistance security” claimed the picture of the “resistance commander” had been created using artificial intelligence (al-Akhres Telegram channel, July 17, 2025).

Rocket Fire

• This past week, the Israeli Air Force intercepted three rockets fired at communities near the Gaza Strip border. No casualties were reported (IDF spokesperson, July 15–22, 2025). The military wings of the PIJ and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) claimed responsibility for the rocket fire (Jerusalem Brigades Telegram channel, July 17, 2025; Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades Telegram channel, July 18, 2025).

• Indirect negotiations continued in Doha between Israeli and Hamas delegations, mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt. The mediators tried to reach an agreement on a 60-day ceasefire in the war in the Gaza Strip and the release of some of the 50 hostages, alive and dead, held by Hamas and other terrorist organizations. Throughout the week, conflicting reports were published about progress toward an agreement alongside new obstacles which arose in the talks, but no significant breakthrough has yet been reported (al-Sharq al-Awsat, July 20, 2025):
  • “A Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations” denied that Hamas had approved the new Israeli withdrawal maps submitted on July 16, 2025, claiming that Hamas had received the updated maps through the American mediator, Steve Witkoff, but no real breakthrough had been achieved. The “source” claimed that the media leaks, mainly in the Egyptian media, were part of pressure intended to encourage agreement, even if no such agreement had in fact been reached. He further claimed any agreement regarding the withdrawal map required the approval of the Hamas “technical committees,” which are supported by assessments from the military wing. He said Hamas was examining the proposal and was in no hurry to publish it to the public (Ultra Palestine, July 17, 2025). According to “a Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations,” the new maps show IDF control of large areas in the Gaza Strip, including most of the city of Beit Hanoun, half of Rafah, the towns of Khuza’a and Abasan in the Khan Yunis district, and large parts of the al-Shuja’iya neighborhood in Gaza City. He added that the movement’s leadership had begun to examine the proposal and was holding consultations with the Palestinian “factions”^[2] on how to respond to it (Anadolu Agency, July 19, 2025).
  • “Hamas sources” said the issue of the IDF’s deployment maps in the Gaza Strip during the 60-day ceasefire was one of the main points of disagreement, in addition to the issue of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli “captives.” They claimed the maps which were given to them by the mediators differed from the maps previously presented by Israel and showed the withdrawal of IDF forces from the Morag Axis, allowing Israeli forces to retain control of nearly 20% of the territory of the Gaza Strip. The “sources” said the Palestinian delegation would respond positively to the maps but would demand changes in the deployment locations, all depending on the Israeli response. The “sources” added that if the map issue were resolved, attention would turn to the “keys” to the “captives” exchange. They noted that the humanitarian aid clause had also not yet been finalized and accused Israel of shifting positions on the proposal on the table, preventing a final agreement, while the Palestinian delegation was “responding positively” to everything offered to it (al-Sharq al-Awsat, July 19, 2025).
  • “A knowledgeable Palestinian source” said that three main issues were still preventing an agreement: ensuring the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip in a free, respectful manner and in sufficient quantities; the issue of the Israeli withdrawal maps; and ensuring that the ceasefire would continue after the 60-day period, noting that there was still no clear mechanism to guarantee that the “aggression” would not resume. The “source” said those were the issues which were central to the negotiations and required solutions that would ensure minimum Palestinian rights, especially those related to sovereignty, the dignity of the population, and a permanent cessation of the “aggression” (alresala.net, July 19, 2025; Shehab Telegram channel, July 19, 2025).
  • A Hamas operative told Filastin al-Yawm TV that statements by Israel and the American administration about progress in the negotiations were divorced from reality. He said there was nothing new or noteworthy in the ongoing talks in Doha, which continued despite the stalemate. He added that Israel’s stubbornness on the core issues, chiefly the withdrawal maps, remained the main obstacle to achieving a breakthrough in the negotiations and reiterated that the movement remained firm in its positions on those issues (Filastin al-Yawm TV website, July 20, 2025).
  • “Palestinian sources” reported that Hamas figures in Doha tended to support the proposed ceasefire, but were waiting for a response from the movement’s military wing, which had not yet sent a reply (al-Arabiya Palestine Facebook page, July 21, 2025).
• Hamas continued to claim that it had shown “flexibility” and agreed to all the proposals presented to it, blaming Israel for the delay in reaching an agreement:
  • Bassem Na’im, a member of the Hamas political bureau, said in response to the opening of the Magen Oz Axis that the move reflected the “occupation’s” intention to remain in the Strip, not to withdraw and not to end the war. He claimed Israel was participating in the negotiations only for purposes of internal propaganda and to reduce international pressure (al-Risalah, July 16, 2025).
  • Abu Obeida, spokesman for the Hamas military wing, claimed in his first recorded speech since March 2025 that the movement had kept the “captives” alive as long as possible and said he hoped that the indirect negotiations would lead to a deal that would end the war, prompt the withdrawal of Israeli forces and bring aid into the Gaza Strip. He claimed “the resistance”^[3] had repeatedly offered a comprehensive deal in which all the “captives” would be released, but Prime Minister Netanyahu had rejected the proposals. He warned that if Israel continued to evade agreement in the current round, it could no longer expect a return to the formula of partial deals or the release of ten “captives” (al-Jazeera, July 18, 2025).
  • Hamas claimed its top priority in talks with the mediators was “to end the suffering in the Gaza Strip,” adding that they “understood the extent of the occupation’s blackmail of our people to extract positions by force it failed to impose at the negotiating table.” Hamas said it was continuing consultations with the Palestinian “factions” to reach an agreement that would stop the “aggression and killing” (Hamas Telegram channel, July 21, 2025).
  • Hamas figure Taher al-Nunu said “intensive efforts” were being invested to reach an agreement to end the war. He claimed that the movement had agreed to the latest initiatives and would continue to act “positively and with all due speed,” and blamed the “occupation” for delaying progress every time an advance was made. Regarding an Israeli withdrawal, he said that the “occupation’s” position had not yet been accepted and that was hindering progress. He added that the movement was not seeking to send weapons or tanks into the Strip but was calling for the entry of food (al-Jazeera, July 22, 2025).

The Situation in the Gaza Strip

• With the efforts to promote a ceasefire agreement, Hamas and its affiliated media outlets increasingly echo the narrative of “hunger” in the Gaza Strip. The ministry of health in Gaza claimed that unprecedented numbers of civilians of all ages were arriving at emergency rooms in a state of exhaustion and warned of a potential mass death of hundreds of people. It also claimed that 101 deaths (80 children and 21 adults) of malnutrition had been recorded since the beginning of the war, including 33 cases within 48 hours between July 20 and 22, 2025 (Gaza ministry of health Telegram channel, July 18–22, 2025); Hamas-affiliated media published reports and articles on the use of “hunger as a weapon,” along with pictures of Gazans, especially children, allegedly suffering and dying from malnutrition (Shehab, July 20, 2025).

• At the same time, Hamas promoted the narrative of a “fuel shortage,” claiming that all ambulance services in Gaza had been completely paralyzed by the continued fighting and the closure of crossings by Israel (Awda satellite channel, July 21, 2025). Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital warned it would cease operations, claiming that its fuel supply had been entirely depleted (Shehab News Agency, July 21, 2025).
• On July 15, 2025, a humanitarian project was begun as part of the UAE’s Gallant Knight 3 operation. It would supply desalinated water via a 6.7 km pipeline connecting the desalination plant built by the UAE on the Egyptian side to the al-Mawasi area in the southern Gaza Strip. The project aims to provide 15 liters of desalinated water per person per day to 600,000 displaced persons in the area (UAE News Agency, July 15, 2025).
• On July 16, 2025, the humanitarian aid ship Khalifa No. 8 began loading at the KEZAD (Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi) Port in Abu Dhabi, part of the Gallant Knight 3 operation. The ship is expected to sail to the port of El Arish in Egypt in preparation for bringing the aid into the Gaza Strip. The ship carries a wide variety of food, packages of prepared food, equipment to operate public kitchens and field bakeries, as well as equipment for shelters, clothing, mattresses, and hygiene kits for families and children. The ship also carries a complete field hospital, including ambulances, medications and essential medical equipment, as well as drinking water tanks (UAE News Agency, July 16, 2025).

     
Some of the aid loaded onto the ship (UAE News Agency, July 16, 2025)

Incidents at Humanitarian Aid Distribution Centers

• On July 16, 2025, the Hamas ministry of health in Gaza reported that 21 civilians had been killed near an American aid distribution center south of Khan Yunis. Fifteen of the victims reportedly died from inhaling gas which was fired at the crowd, and the rest were killed while fleeing (ministry of health in Gaza Telegram channel, July 16, 2025). The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) reported that the 20 people had died, 19 of whom were trampled to death and one stabbed when a chaotic, violent stampede was initiated by armed Hamas operatives. According to the statement, for the first time since the foundation began operations in late May 2025, weapons were observed among the crowd, and one American worker was threatened at gunpoint. The foundation blamed “inciting elements” for spreading false messages about the opening of aid sites, which caused masses to stream to closed locations and led to anarchy and dangerous actions (GHF X account, July 16, 2025).

• On July 20, 2025, the ministry of health in Gaza claimed that at least 67 people had been killed and more than 150 wounded in northern Gaza while waiting for humanitarian aid trucks to enter through the Zikim Crossing (ministry of health in Gaza Telegram channel, July 20, 2025). Later, “medical sources” claimed that 86 Gazans had died and 650 had been wounded (Safa, July 20, 2025). In response, the IDF spokesperson said that a large crowd of Gazans had gathered in northern Gaza and IDF forces fired warning shots to remove the immediate threat. He added that the details of the incident were being investigated, but an initial review indicated that the reported casualty numbers were inconsistent with existing information.
• The IDF spokesperson in Arabic also stressed that the IDF attaches the utmost importance to the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and enables and facilitates the aid’s transfer in coordination with the international community, and does not intentionally take action against humanitarian aid trucks (IDF spokesperson and Israeli media, July 20, 2025). The IDF Arabic-language spokesperson published videos of IDF soldiers standing at an aid distribution point without firing a single shot, while Palestinian civilians received the aid happily and even thanked the soldiers. The IDF spokesperson emphasized that it was was neither “hunger or deliberate killing,” but false propaganda spread by Hamas (IDF Arabic spokesperson, July 20, 2025).

Hamas Governance

• On July 18, 2025, dozens of Gazans stormed a large warehouse located near the Othman bin Qashqar Mosque in the al-Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, which contained large quantities of food, including canned meat, sacks of lentils, cartons of sunflower oil, as well as blankets. The looters reportedly emptied the warehouse (Facebook page of activist Mamam Ghazawi, July 18, 2025). On social media there was enthusiastic support for the break-in, with the main messages, “Do this to all the warehouses, stop hiding and selling at high prices;” “Bravo to whoever took it;” “Good for whoever took it, why hide it from the people;” “Enough of those who starved the people and hid food, let them go to hell;” “Go after the rest of the warehouses now” (Facebook page of activist Hamam Ghazawi, July 18, 2025).
• A “special source” claimed that Yasser Abu Shabab, head of the Israeli-supported Popular Forces militia, and his deputy, Ghassan Aziz al- Dhahini, murdered Colonel Imad Abu Khatleh, who served as a training officer in the militia, after he said he was planning to surrender to the Hamas military wing along with 15 other militia operatives. According to the “source,” Abu Khatleh, who feared for his life due to talks of an impending ceasefire in the Strip, informed Abu Shabab and al- Dhahini of his intention to surrender and had even received support from his family. The report claimed that in his final conversation with Hamas operatives, Abu Khatleh revealed that Israel had informed them that if IDF forces withdrew from Rafah, the militia members would have to face Hamas alone but would receive protection. It was also claimed that Abu Shabab and al- Dhahini said Abu Khatleh had died of a stroke and that they buried his body at night, without medical presence, without notifying his family, and without performing an autopsy (Amsak Amil Telegram channel, July 18, 2025).
• A “security source in the Palestinian resistance” stated that they had “a blacklist of war provocateurs, organized gangs and collaborators with the occupation” in the Gaza Strip, noting that those on the list were under surveillance and that “revolutionary trials” would be held for them once circumstances allowed, after which they would be “punished.” The “source” added that they would publish the list if the individuals “do not return to the ranks of the people and express remorse for their crimes.” He further threatened that they “would sooner or later face the justice and sword of the resistance” (Al Jazeera website, July 20, 2025).
• The Rada [deterrence] Force of “resistance” security in the Gaza Strip announced that several of its members had been killed in an Israeli attack on the University College of Applied Sciences in Khan Yunis while they were pursuing suspects and securing a vital site against infiltration and sabotage attempts (Rada Force Telegram channel, July 21, 2025).
• After merchants raised the price of flour to more than 130 shekels per kilogram [sic] (about $39 for 2.2 lbs), the price of rice to 120 shekels [sic] (about $36), sugar to more than 250 shekels per kilogram [sic] (about $75 for 2.2 lbs), and diesel fuel to more than 100 shekels per liter [sic] (about $113 a gallon), in addition to increases in other basic goods, on July 17–18, 2025, widespread demonstrations took place in the Gaza Strip to protest the rising prices of essential products. Protesters closed merchant stalls and stores in the Nasser and Sheikh Radwan neighborhoods in western Gaza City, prevented merchants from selling at the stated prices, and called on them to reduce prices immediately. Similar protests were held in eastern Gaza City, in the al-Daraj, al-Rimal, and al-Shati neighborhoods, as well as in the central Gaza Strip. Protesters also demanded merchants and vendors who exploited the situation by raising prices and hoarding goods pay penalties (al-Sharq al-Awsat, July 18, 2025; al-Ayyam, July 19, 2025).
• Exiled Palestinian activist Hamza al-Masri published a harsh report of how Hamas security forces treat displaced persons in the Gaza Strip. According to him, Palestinians arriving at food distribution points across the Strip for basic humanitarian aid are confronted by members of the Sahm (arrow) Unit or Hamas security forces, who arrest them, beat them brutally, confiscate their property and sometimes even their clothing (Telegram channel of activist Hamza al-Masri, July 21, 2025).

International Activity to “Break the Siege” of the Gaza Strip

• The Council of Tribes of the Sinai Peninsula called for urgent action to counter the “siege and food insecurity” in the Gaza Strip, while condemning what they claimed was a “crime” committed by Israel with the support of the international community and Arab silence. The council demanded that Egyptian President al-Sisi immediately open the Rafah Crossing to allow aid to enter, declared that the tribes of the Sinai Peninsula were willing to take part in securing humanitarian convoys, and called on the residents of Sinai and the Egyptian people as a whole to organize a popular, peaceful protest with the slogans “Open Rafah” and “Gaza is dying of hunger.” According to them, the Gaza Strip is a direct moral responsibility of the people of the Sinai Peninsula, and they refuse to stand idly by (Beit Lahia and the North Telegram channel, Mubasher, July 19, 2025).
• On July 20, 2025, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition ship Handala set sail for the Gaza Strip from the port of Gallipoli, Italy, after being forced to dock at the port for five days due to technical problems, which were claimed to be “sabotage attempts” aimed at disrupting the voyage. On board the ship are 20 activists, including French Parliament Member Gabrielle Cathala, European Parliament Member from France Emma Fourreau, and seven American citizens (Freedom Flotilla Coalition website, July 20, 2025). Palestinian institutions and NGOs operating in Europe issued strong condemnations of what they described as an Israeli “organized attack and systematic incitement” against the ship and the activists aboard. The statement claimed that a “dangerous flammable chemical substance” was discovered inside the ship, which caused injuries to crew members and appeared to be a “deliberate sabotage attempt.” The organizations claimed the incident was a “war crime whose objective was to intimidate and paralyze the spirit of human rights activists and supporters of the Palestinian people around the world” (Rasad al-Ghazawi’s Telegram channel, July 21, 2025).

• A group of prominent political, social and academic Gazans announced the launch of a Palestinian National Rescue Document, aimed at uniting the Palestinian ranks and addressing the critical challenges of the national issue. The initiative calls for the establishment of a civilian-executive body under Arab supervision headed by Egypt to manage daily life in the Gaza Strip until full political unity is achieved; the creation of a joint security mechanism and security cooperation between the Palestinian Authority (PA), Egypt, and the Arab committee for managing security, border crossings and public order; the integration of all armed forces into a single legal security framework under the oversight of the PA and the Arab committee; the confiscation of all weapons not included in the new security forces, with a total ban on their possession; the transfer of responsibility for negotiations with Israel and relations with the international community to the PLO and the PA under joint committee oversight; a commitment that the future of the Gaza Strip after the war will be decided solely by the Palestinians; democratic elections for the presidency, parliament, and PLO institutions under international supervision and with a broad consensus; and the establishment of a temporary judicial body to prosecute those responsible for the war or for anarchy, until the judicial system is rebuilt. The supervisory committee submitted the document to PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas, to the PLO leadership, and to all Palestinian “factions” and bodies, in the hope that they would adopt it as a strategy to exit the crisis. It was reported that the committee would soon hold a press conference in the Strip to present the action plan for implementing the document, in the hope of ending internal division and removing the causes for continued war. The committee also called on the Palestinian public to support the initiative and join it (Wafa, July 15, 2025).
• Egyptian foreign minister Badr Abdelatty noted his country’s opposition to any plan for the “forcible displacement” of residents of the Gaza Strip, stressing that Egypt “opposes any attempt to impose a new geography by force or through hunger.” He presented Cairo’s post-war plan, which includes the establishment of a cross-factional committee to manage the Strip for six months and prepare the ground for transferring responsibility to the PA. The committee will also address security and administrative matters and work to ensure relative stability ahead of the reconstruction phase. Abdelatty added that Egypt was waiting for a ceasefire in order to schedule an international conference on rebuilding the Strip (al-Akhbar, July 21, 2025).

Terrorist Attacks

There were no attacks this week.

Counterterrorism Activity

• This past week, Israeli security forces continued the wide-scale counterterrorism operation in northern Samaria, in addition to ongoing operations in other areas across Judea and Samaria. The forces detained dozens of wanted persons, including terrorist cells from Qabatiya and Bethlehem which had planned attacks, seized weapons and explosives, and confiscated funds used to finance terrorism. The forces demolished the homes of two terrorists who shot and killed three Israelis at a gas station in January 2025, and of a terrorist who shot and killed an Israeli civilian in August 2024 (IDF spokesperson, July 15–22, 2025).

International Activity

• PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas spoke with Pope Leo XIV regarding the “deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories,” especially in the Gaza Strip, reportedly referring to it as a war of “killing, hunger and destruction,” and expressed sorrow over the destruction of the Holy Family Church in Gaza. He reiterated the Palestinian demands for a ceasefire, the release of “hostages,” the entry of humanitarian aid, the full transfer of responsibility for the Gaza Strip to the PA, and the release of Palestinian funds frozen by Israel. He also called on the Pope to appeal to world leaders to end the “killing, hunger and settler violence,” and condemned the “crimes of settlers” in the village of Taibeh, where a church was set on fire. He praised the Vatican’s positions and its willingness to receive injured children from the Gaza Strip for treatment, and invited the Pope to visit. The Pope expressed support for ending the war, emphasized the importance of international law and promised to continue praying for peace (Wafa, July 21, 2025).
• PA foreign minister Farsin Shaheen participated in the 5th EU-Southern Neighborhood Ministerial Meeting held in Brussels and met with the foreign ministers of Spain, Lithuania, Slovenia and Croatia, and the deputy foreign minister of Ireland. She discussed the “need” to impose sanctions on Israel, increase economic and political aid to the PA and take practical steps toward achieving a ceasefire and stopping the [alleged] “Israeli violations.” In her speech at the conference, she accused Israel of committing “serious crimes, including murder, ethnic cleansing and apartheid crimes in blatant violation of international law,” and called for the EU’s partnership agreement with Israel to be conditioned on its compliance with legal commitments. She warned against the policy of the “Judaization of the land,” the destruction of Palestinian institutions, the seizure of tax revenues and the de facto detachment and annexation of Judea and Samaria, including east Jerusalem. She also called for immediate recognition of the [so-called] “State of Palestine,” meaningful participation in the international conference to implement the two-state solution organized by France and Saudi Arabia, and the formulation of a roadmap based on justice, dignity and the rule of law. She said the silence of the international community constitutes support for the “crimes,” and political and legal tools had to be used to end the “occupation” and establish a sovereign Palestinian state (Wafa, July 16, 2025).
• Rawhi Fattouh, chairman of the Palestinian National Council, condemned the transfer of authority over the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron from the city council to the religious authority of Kiryat Arba, calling it a “crime” and part of a “systematic Israeli policy to Judaize the holy sites.” He called it a “serious violation” of international law, The Hague and Geneva Conventions, and UNESCO resolutions stating that the site belonged to the Islamic waqf [Muslim endowments]. He claimed it was another step the “ethnic cleansing” policy led by an “extremist Israeli government seeking to impose Jewish sovereignty over Islamic sites throughout the territories,” and warned that the violations could ignite a regional religious war (Wafa, July 16, 2025).
• The Palestinian National Council welcomed the outcomes of the international emergency conference of Hague Group foreign ministers held in Bogotá, Colombia, with the participation of over 30 countries. Council chairman Rawhi Fattouh issued a statement noting the significance of the moral, political, and legal consensus formed at the conference, given the “increasing Israeli aggression” against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, Judea and Samaria. The Council praised the declaration’s practical calls, including an arms embargo on Israel, suspension of diplomatic and economic ties, and halting the supply of military equipment, and called on other countries to join the trend (Wafa, July 18, 2025).

Mahmoud Abbas Announces Elections

• PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas announced that elections for a new Palestinian National Council (PNC) would be held before the end of 2025. After reviewing the PLO basic law and the PNC election regulations, and for the sake of the public interest, at a meeting held in Ramallah on July 17, 2025, the PLO Executive Committee decided to hold elections for a new PNC, with the date to be determined by the chairman of the Executive Committee. Reportedly, the PNC would consist of 350 members, with two thirds representing the “homeland” and the one third representing Palestinians abroad. It was noted that one of the conditions for membership was commitment to the PLO’s program, its international obligations and legitimate international decisions (Wafa, July 19, 2025). A statement issued by Hamas on behalf of the Palestinian Forces Alliance stated that Mahmoud Abbas’ announcement was “a unilateral step that does not reflect the national consensus.” It further noted that elections for the PNC should be part of a national dialogue of all the “factions”^[4] in the arena (Hamas Telegram channel, July 21, 2025).

The Palestinian Security Forces

• The PA security forces arrested several activists in Ramallah who were involved in a demonstration in support of the Gaza Strip and to protest Israel’s “deliberate policy of hunger.” Security forces in Nablus dispersed and prevented a demonstration in al-Shuhada Square, after which the activists had no choice but to protest in the Old City (Quds News Telegram channel, July 19–20, 2025; Aljazeera.net, July 19, 2025).
• The PA General Intelligence Service and a special force of the Presidential Guard arrested Suleiman al-Shami, a wanted person from the Jenin refugee camp, along with five other wanted persons, while they were in a shack located between the towns of al-Zababda and Misliya, south of Jenin. During the arrest, al-Shami opened fire at the PA security forces and attempted to jump out of a window, but fell and suffered fractures. He was reportedly wanted for attacks on PA security forces, including exchanges of fire that wounded personnel, and the planting of explosive devices (Yafa News Agency, July 21, 2025). The raid yielded three M16 rifles, large quantities of ammunition, Hamas flags, Youth of Vengeance and Liberation flags, and two booby-trapped phones (Zaher Abu Hussein’s X account, July 21, 2025).
• The PA security forces announced the arrest of three members of a “resistance” cell in Nablus and the confiscation of dozens of explosive devices intended for use in clashes with “occupation” forces (Quds Agency, July 22, 2025). Fatah-affiliated social media users reported that the detainees belonged to an ISIS-affiliated cell called Jund Allah. Found in their possession were weapons and large quantities of equipment, including two ready-made explosive belts, a 10-kg bomb marked Jund Allah, 25 explosive devices filled with gunpowder, an improvised Carlo machine gun and ammunition (Wissam al-Karmi’s X account, July 22,    2025; Assaf Najad’s Facebook page, July 22, 2025).

Palestinian Emigration from Judea and Samaria

• The UN warned that there was a current trend of mass emigration of young Palestinians from Judea and Samaria, the highest level since the beginning of the “Israeli occupation” in 1967, which could escalate to worrying proportions (al-Sharq al-Awsat Facebook page, July 16, 2025).