Spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (July 7-14, 2026)

The IDF

• IDF forces continued operations to destroy terrorist infrastructure and eliminate terrorists within the Yellow Line and in other areas of the Gaza Strip. More than ten terrorists were eliminated, most of them affiliated with Hamas and involved in planning attacks against IDF forces or in efforts to restore the movement’s military capabilities. Many of them participated in atrocities of the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack and massacre and held hostages. Tunnels with a total length of approximately 200 meters were destroyed, aided by continued systematic drilling to locate and destroy additional tunnel routes, particularly in the Khan Yunis area. A Hamas weapons production site was also struck (IDF Spokesperson, July 7-14, 2026).
• Palestinian media reported an attempt to eliminate Hamas spokesman in the Gaza Strip, Hazem Qassem, who was seriously wounded while his bodyguard was killed (al-Siyad Telegram channel, July 9, 2026). However, sources Hamas claimed Qassem had left the vehicle minutes before the strike and was unharmed (al-Sharq al-Awsat, July 10, 2026).

• Dozens of Gazans from the al-Zeitoun, al-Shuja’iyya and al-Tuffah neighborhoods in eastern Gaza City demonstrated in “Palestine Square” in the eastern part of the city to protest the expansion of the Yellow Line. They warned that moving the Yellow Line would result in the renewed displacement of thousands of families which had been preparing to return to their homes. They also claimed it would prevent farmers from accessing their fields and deny Gazans the use of extensive areas in the eastern part of the city, thereby worsening the humanitarian situation because of the severe overcrowding in the western parts of the city (al-Araby al-Jadeed, July 9, 2026; Anadolu Agency, July 9, 2026).

     
Gazans demonstrate with signs regarding their “right to return” to their land
(al-Araby al-Jadeed, July 9, 2026)

he Talks in Cairo

• On July 8, 2026, Taher al-Nunu, media adviser to the head of Hamas’ political bureau, announced that a delegation of the movement’s leadership, headed by the head of the political bureau in the Gaza Strip, Khalil al-Hayya, had arrived in Cairo to resume negotiations with the mediators, less than 48 hours after leaving at the conclusion of the previous round. Al-Nunu added that Hamas would reiterate the need to increase humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip, complete the implementation of the remaining provisions of the first phase and expedite the entry into the Gaza Strip of the national committee for the administration of Gaza so it could begin its work, following the resignation of Hamas’ government emergency committee, which had managed day-to-day affairs in the Strip (al-Quds al-Arabi, July 8, 2026).
• A Hamas source reported that the delegation arrived after receiving assurances that progress could be made during the current round in resolving some of the issues remaining in the latest proposals presented by Board of Peace representative Nikolay Mladenov. According to the source, thanks to the mediators’ efforts, agreement in principle had been reached during previous rounds on seven points, and the mediators had promised solutions for an additional three or four issues. He noted that the main points of disagreement now revolved around weapons, public-sector employees and Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip (al-Quds al-Arabi, July 9, 2026).

The International Stabilization Force

• According to reports, the American plan to deploy an international force in the Gaza Strip as part of the “day after” arrangements has been significantly reduced. From an initial plan calling for approximately 20,000 troops, the force has been limited to an advance team of only 10 to 20 personnel. The delay is reportedly the result of “political and security obstacles,” the war with Iran and a decline in the willingness of countries to participate. Moroccan forces, which had originally been scheduled to arrive in June 2026, are now expected to deploy first at a logistics center near the Kerem Shalom Crossing, undergo training and only afterwards carry out limited security and patrol missions inside the Gaza Strip. Currently, only Morocco, Albania, Kosovo and Kazakhstan have made formal commitments to participate in the force, while Indonesia has suspended talks. The force is regarded as a key aspect of the American plan for administering the Gaza Strip after the war, but its implementation has encountered Palestinian opposition to externally imposed arrangements, as well as the difficult security and humanitarian situation in the Strip (Wall Street Journal, July 9, 2026).

Establishing a Humanitarian Zone in Rafah

• A Board of Peace official told Agence France-Presse that consideration was being given to establishing a pilot humanitarian zone in the southern Gaza Strip, apparently in the Rafah area, to accommodate tens of thousands of Gazans and serve as the initial base for the activities of the national committee for the administration of Gaza. The project would allow Gazans to move to the area voluntarily, while the international stabilization force would secure the compound and the committee would be responsible for security screening and regulating entry, with the assistance of the international force. The location of the zone has not yet been finalized, construction has not yet begun and entry to and exit from the area would be unrestricted for unarmed civilians (Arab News, July 8, 2026).
• The senior Board of Peace official added that the advancement of the American plan was no longer contingent on Hamas’ disarmament, and the planning for the pilot humanitarian zone in the southern Gaza Strip was based on a scenario in which Hamas refused to disarm. Although no progress has been made in the negotiations, preparations for advancing the plan are continuing. Approximately 20,000 applications to a new Palestinian police force were received, but diplomatic and security sources said the process had stalled, training had not yet begun and Israel had rejected the list of candidates and expressed reservations about a force of 5,000 police officers. Regarding funding, the current budget is reportedly sufficient for immediate needs, but the establishment of additional humanitarian zones would require further fundraising (Arab News, July 12, 2026).
• Western diplomatic sources stated that the deadlock in the contacts with Hamas led the American administration to promote a plan to establish temporary residential neighborhoods with water, sewage and solar electricity infrastructure, followed later by educational and healthcare institutions to attract displaced persons through housing, services and employment and creating a governing alternative to Hamas. However, several members of the national committee for the administration of Gaza had reservations about advancing a move which based on a broad Palestinian consensus, and the plan faced funding difficulties and a shortage of countries willing to participate in the international force. Hamas rejected the initiative, calling it “unrealistic” and a “unilateral effort” to reshape Palestinian society. The Palestinian Authority was concerned that funding for the plan and the reconstruction would be based on Palestinian tax revenues held by Israel, and said it wanted to resume [sic] governing the Gaza Strip but claimed that Israel opposed such a move (al-Sharq website, July 11, 2026).

Hamas Governance

• Ramiz Alakbarov, the deputy UN coordinator for the Middle East peace process, accused armed men”^[2] affiliated with the “de facto authorities”^[3] ” in the Gaza Strip of forcibly entering a food distribution point in the Jabalia refugee camp, breaking into a World Food Programme warehouse, attacking truck drivers and disrupting the distribution of humanitarian aid. He said the “incident” was part of a pattern of intimidation, violence and abuse of the humanitarian aid system (office of the UN coordinator for the Middle East peace process website, July 12, 2026). The Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) also condemned the incident, stating it was not an isolated event but part of a pattern of harassment, violence and the disruption of humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip. The COGAT added that Hamas was cynically exploiting the humanitarian space and the aid intended for the Gazans (COGAT X account, July 13, 2026). In response, Hamas’ government media information office claimed the incident was a “Palestinian police law enforcement operation carried out after the discovery of commercial goods, including cartons of cigarettes and mobile phone screens, being smuggled inside humanitarian aid shipments.” It claimed that its forces had “maintained order and protected the aid convoys,” accused the UN of distorting the facts, demanded an apology from Alakbarov and called for criticism to be directed at Israel rather than the authorities in the Gaza Strip (Hamas government media information office Telegram channel, July 13, 2026).
• Muhammad al-Ghalban, director of the ministry of religious endowments (the waqf) in the Khan Yunis district, claimed demand was growing to participate in Qur’an memorization classes in the district. He noted that the ministry of endowments supervised approximately 260 Qur’an memorization classes in Khan Yunis, run by ministry employees with the support of volunteers, in addition to hundreds of classes operated by other institutions, bringing the total number of Qur’an memorization classes in the district to nearly 1,000. He said thousands of male and female students regularly participated in these classes, particularly during the summer vacation. Salim Shubair, head of the Qur’an memorization center at the Great Mosque in Khan Yunis, said the number of male students had increased from nearly 50 when the center opened to more than 170, while the number of female students exceeded 250 (Ultra Palestine, July 9, 2026).

The Situation in Gaza

• Sahar Ghanem, director of the laboratories and blood banks unit in the ministry of health in Gaza, claimed laboratories and blood banks were facing shutdown because of a shortage of laboratory testing materials, estimated at 87%, and a 74% shortage of essential disposable supplies required for laboratory testing and diagnoses. She claimed the crisis had already affected the laboratories and that chemical tests for various hospital departments were at risk because of the shortage of sample collection tubes and basic equipment, in addition to frequent breakdowns of laboratory equipment and a shortage of materials required for testing (ministry of health in Gaza Facebook page, July 9, 2026).
• The ministry of health in Gaza predicted the complete paralysis of the ministry’s vehicle and ambulance fleet. According to the ministry, the “siege,” attacks, the growing number of technical malfunctions and the prevention of the entry of tires, batteries, spare parts and lubricants had taken 70% of the ministry’s vehicles off the street (ministry of health in Gaza Facebook page, July 12, 2026).
• UNRWA claimed that 52% of families living near shelters were exposed to accumulated sewage and contaminated pools of water, increasing the risk of infectious disease. In addition, 64% of families reported that their children had dermatological conditions because of the shortage of medicines, the deterioration of sanitation systems and the continuing decline in healthcare and environmental services (journalist Isma’il Abu Omar’s Telegram channel, July 10, 2026).
• Gazan families in Khan Yunis are reportedly facing a water crisis following the destruction of the main water pipelines (Khabar Ajel Telegram channel, July 11, 2026).
• The Rafah Municipality announced the construction of a water desalination facility in the al-Kanis area in cooperation with the coastal municipalities water utility and funded by the Red Cross. The facility, which will be built on an area of approximately 1,000 square meters near Afaq School, will produce up to 50 cubic meters of water per hour and approximately 400 cubic meters per day. It will supply drinking and domestic-use water for nearby displaced persons camps and fill water tankers serving additional camps in the Rafah area. The project is intended to strengthen the water infrastructure to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis and the growing water shortage, and is expected to be completed within 60 working days (Rafah Municipality Facebook page, July 13, 2026).

Campaign to Release the Hamas Terrorist Operative Who Directed a Hospital in Gaza

• An international pro-Palestinian campaign is calling for the release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip, who was detained by Israel in December 2024 and has since been held without an indictment. An affidavit submitted by his attorney claimed he suffered head and neck injuries, breathing difficulties and instability, and had been beaten. Physicians for Human Rights claimed requests for an independent medical examination, access to his medical records and an additional visit by his attorney had not been granted (Quds News, July 8, 2026). The UN independent international commission of inquiry on the occupied Palestinian territory also called for his release, expressed concern over his medical condition and claimed the conduct of the Israel Prison Service toward him and other Palestinian detainees might violate international law (Reuters, July 8, 2026).
• The Israel Prison Service firmly rejected the allegations, calling them baseless (Reuters, July 8, 2026). Israel’s delegation to the UN institutions in Geneva said Abu Safiya hadbeen held in Nitzan Prison since June 24, 2026 under periodic medical supervision. The delegation rejected claims of “mmediate danger of death” and stated that he was being detained in accordance with the law, on the basis of specific intelligence information and under judicial oversight. The delegation further stated that Abu Safiya was not merely a member of the medical staff but a Hamas terrorist operative with the rank of colonel and had exploited his position as hospital director for purposes connected to Hamas terrorist activity by helping divert humanitarian resources intended for civilian needs to terrorist purposes and allowing Hamas operatives to attack the IDF from within the hospital compound (Israel’s delegation to the UN institutions in Geneva X account, July 10, 2026).

Counterterrorism

• Israeli security forces continued extensive counterterrorism operations throughout Judea and Samaria, with a focus on the Jenin, Tulkarm and Hebron areas. More than 70 wanted individuals and terrorism suspects were detained, including terrorists who were planning imminent attacks, wanted Hamas operatives, rock- and Molotov cocktail-throwers and arms dealers and possessors of weapons. Materials used to manufacture explosive devices, ammunition, firearms and other weapons were seized (IDF Spokesperson, July 7-14, 2026). The Israel Police arrested the imam of al-Aqsa Mosque and the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian Territories, Muhammad Hussein, after Friday prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque, and he was banned from the mosque for a week (Wafa, July 10, 2026).
• Fourteen Israeli and Palestinian suspects were detained on suspicion of operating a network smuggling dual-use materials into Judea and Samaria, where they reached terrorist organizations and were used to manufacture explosive devices. During the investigation, approximately 175 kilograms of materials suspected of being intended for the manufacture of explosive devices were seized (Israel Police Telegram channel, July 13, 2026).
• An indictment was filed against four residents of the town of Segev Shalom, who were accused of attempting to establish a terrorist network and carry out attacks, including opening fire at the police station in Segev Shalom and attacking the central bus station in Beersheba (Israel Police Spokesperson Telegram channel, July 10, 2026).

Settler Terrorism

• Palestinian sources reported that seven Palestinians, including children, women and elderly people, were injured when Jewish settlers rioted and attacked members of a family in the Masafer Yatta area, south of Hebron. In another incident, 150 Jewish rioters reportedly approached Deir Jarir, east of Ramallah, from four directions, attacked homes and vehicles, assaulted residents, surrounded families and attempted to set houses on fire. Extensive property damage was caused and medical teams reportedly had difficulty reaching the wounded. Large Israeli military forces entered the town and allegedly detained several young Palestinian men (Quds News, July 9, 2026). In Beit Furik, near Nablus, two Palestinians, aged 48 and 28, were injured in an attack by Jewish rioters (Wafa, July 9, 2026). In another incident, approximately 100 Israeli civilians entered the village of Kifl Haris in Samaria, where clashes broke out with local residents, resulting in damage to Palestinian vehicles. Israeli security forces arrived at the scene and, following an investigation, detained several suspects, including minors (Israel Police Telegram channel, July 14, 2026).
• The chairman of the Palestinian National Council, Rawhi Fattouh, condemned the demolition of the elementary school in Yanun, which occurred months after the expulsion of the village’s residents. He claimed destruction of the area’s only educational institution was part of a policy to undermine children’s right to education, weaken Palestinian communities and force them off their land. Fattouh accused the Israeli government of providing the settlers with political and military protection and called on the UN, UNESCO and UNICEF to protect the Palestinian population and bring those responsible to justice (Wafa, July 9, 2026).
• Hamas claimed Jewish settler violence was escalating in Judea and Samaria, carried out with the full backing of the IDF and the Israeli government and included shootings, looting, property damage and attempts to force Palestinians from their land. Hamas figure Abd al-Rahman Shadeed praised “the steadfastness of the residents” and called for strengthening mutual support, establishing local defense committees, expanding the Palestinian presence on the ground and confronting attacks by Jewish rioters, along with Arab, Islamic and international action (Hamas Telegram channel, July 11, 2026).

• “Hamas abroad” stated that in recent months the movement had transferred a significant portion of its “organizational activity” to Turkey, where its leadership has held meetings, discussions on the ceasefire and even the internal elections for the head of the political bureau. According to the sources, the overwhelming majority of the movement’s leaders are in Turkey for extended periods, including those whose families live in Qatar. They said that did not reflect a rift with Qatar but rather an attempt to ease the pressure on the emirate in the face of American and Israeli demands to expel the movement’s leadership. Turkey is also viewed as a safer location after the Israeli strike on the Hamas leadership in Doha in September 2025,^[4]
  since Israel’s options for targeting senior Hamas leaders on Turkish territory are more limited (al-Sharq al-Awsat, July 9, 2026).^[5]

• Hamas is reportedly taking action to improve its relations with the new Syrian government, as reflected in its condemnation of ISIS attacks in Damascus, expressions of solidarity with the Syrian leadership and indicating its willingness to develop relations based on mutual respect and non-interference. A Hamas source said there were still no plans for an official Hamas delegation to visit Syria, but such a possibility was expected once the new regime’s internal situation stabilized and it reorganized its domestic and foreign policy priorities. According to a source from one of the Palestinian “factions”^[6] that had been active in Syria before suspending its activities, Hamas has good relations with the Syrian regime and has acted as a mediator in cases involving Palestinians from various “factions” who were arrested because of their activities (al-Sharq al-Awsat, July 9, 2026).
• Hamas welcomed the Irish parliament’s legislation banning the import of products manufactured in Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria. Hamas called it an expression of the Irish people’s support for the Palestinian cause and as a decision consistent with international law and the illegality of the settlements. Hamas called on governing bodies around the world to pass similar legislation, boycott the “Zionist entity,” prevent ties with Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, increase Israel’s international isolation and work to bring its leaders to justice (Hamas Telegram channel, July 8, 2026).

• The PA chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, set November 28, 2026, as the date for elections to the Palestinian Legislative Council (Wafa, July 9, 2026).