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Gaza-Israel War and Humanitarian Crisis

Israel's military campaign in Gaza, evolving ceasefire and hostage deals, and the catastrophic humanitarian toll on Palestinian civilians

Israeli strike kills Hamas military wing leader in Gaza; six family members also dead

Illustration accompanying article: Israeli strike kills Hamas military wing leader in Gaza; six family members also dead
  • The Israeli military killed Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the head of Hamas' military wing and a planner of the October 7, 2023 attacks, in an airstrike on Gaza on May 16, 2026.
  • Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem confirmed al-Haddad's death on social media; his family also confirmed the death to the Associated Press.
  • A total of seven people died in the strike, according to al-Haddad's family, including his wife and daughter.
  • The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in effect since October 2025, remains fragile, and the top diplomat overseeing it says negotiations have stalled over the requirement that Hamas disarm.
  • Gaza's Health Ministry reports that near-daily Israeli fire has killed more than 850 people since the ceasefire began, and more than 72,700 people since the war's start.
  • Violence also flared in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli troops killed a Palestinian man in the Jenin refugee camp and settlers set fire to a mosque in the village of Jibiya.
 3 MIN READ

Hamas military wing leader killed in Israeli strike amid fragile ceasefire

Illustration accompanying article: Hamas military wing leader killed in Israeli strike amid fragile ceasefire
  • An Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed Izz al-Din al-Haddad, a Hamas military wing leader, according to Israel’s military and Hamas.
  • Israel said al-Haddad was killed Friday and described him as a senior commander who helped plan and direct the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks.
  • Hamas confirmed the killing via spokesperson Hazem Qassem.
  • Israel and Hamas continued trading accusations of ceasefire violations, with negotiations stalled over disarming Hamas, according to a top diplomat overseeing the truce.
  • Violence in Gaza and the occupied West Bank continued, including Israeli troop shootings in Jenin and Nablus, and a mosque and vehicles set on fire in Jibiya, Palestinian religious authorities said.
 3 MIN READ
Bombs, blackouts and bank restrictions fail to stop Gaza’s digital workers

Trump to convene first Board of Peace meeting in Washington on Feb. 19

2026-02-08

President Donald Trump plans to convene the first meeting of his “Board of Peace” in Washington this month, proposing a session on Feb. 19 at the U.S. Institute of Peace. The meeting is expected to raise money for the reconstruction of Gaza, according to two Trump administration officials.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog begins Australia visit amid Gaza-linked tensions

2026-02-07

Israeli President Isaac Herzog is set to begin a four-day state visit to Australia on Monday, as the government says he is traveling to meet Jewish communities grieving the December Bondi Beach attack. Critics say his presence will deepen divisions amid the war in Gaza, where they allege Australian police could seek an arrest. Protest rallies are expected in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra as Herzog’s trip unfolds.

Gaza’s Rafah crossing reopens after 2-day closure for limited medical travel

2026-02-07

The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt reopened on Sunday after a two-day closure, allowing a limited number of Palestinians to travel for medical treatment, Egyptian state media reported. The Palestinian Red Crescent said 17 medical evacuees and 27 companions began crossing into Egypt, with the same number expected to head into Gaza. Israel did not immediately confirm the figures.

Melania Trump meets freed hostage Keith Siegel featured in her film

2026-02-05

Melania Trump met Wednesday in Washington with freed American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel and his wife, Aviva Siegel, whose captivity story is featured in her new film. The first lady said the couple met with her in New York in January 2025, after Aviva Siegel was freed, and that the meeting was captured on camera for the movie.

Women returning to Gaza say Israeli troops bound and interrogated them

2026-02-04

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli troops blindfolded, handcuffed and interrogated three women after they crossed the Rafah border crossing back into Gaza, according to accounts provided to The Associated Press. The women said the screening happened at an Israeli-controlled facility on the Gazan side, where they described humiliation, threats and pressure to become informants.

Rafah crossing reopens for limited travel between Gaza and Egypt

2026-02-03

Palestinians were allowed into Gaza from Egypt late Monday after the Rafah border crossing reopened, with a small number of medical evacuees also moved into Egypt, the AP reported. The reopening was tied to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire but remained constrained, with Monday’s crossings falling well short of a stated target for each direction. Violence continued across Gaza on the day of the reopening, with Gaza health officials reporting an Israeli navy strike that killed a 3-year-old.

Limited travel through Rafah crossing to resume Monday amid Gaza ceasefire

2026-02-02

Palestinians in Gaza are watching with hope as workers lay groundwork to reopen the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, a key route for medical travel and for people leaving and returning during the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. Israel said the crossing is scheduled to resume Monday, initially with tightly limited numbers. The plan comes after an Israeli strike killed at least 30 Palestinians, including children, according to hospital officials, and as Israel moves to end Doctors Without Borders operations in Gaza by Feb. 28.

Rafah crossing in Gaza set to reopen Monday for limited travel

2026-02-02

Palestinos en Gaza vieron el domingo preparativos para la reapertura del paso fronterizo de Rafah con Egipto, que Israel afirmó que está programada para el lunes como parte del cese el fuego con Hamás. En el primer día de operación, el cruce abriría a un número reducido de personas y no habría cruce de mercancías, dijeron funcionarios y residentes a The Associated Press.

US approves $6.67B in arms for Israel, $9B for Saudi Arabia

2026-01-31

The Trump administration has approved new arms sales to Israel totaling $6.67 billion and to Saudi Arabia worth $9 billion, the State Department announced late Friday. The approvals were made public after the department notified Congress earlier Friday, as U.S.-Iran tensions rise and as the administration pursues a Gaza ceasefire plan.

Trump’s Board of Peace plan draws support for UN, plus skepticism

2026-01-30

President Donald Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace” aimed at shaping Gaza’s future has attracted support from some countries for the United Nations, while major powers and others declined to expand the concept beyond the Gaza ceasefire. In remarks and statements tied to the Security Council and the broader U.N. system, U.N. officials and allied governments said international peace and security remain the Security Council’s responsibility.

Trump’s Board of Peace plan draws support for UN, not Security Council bypass

2026-01-30

President Donald Trump’s effort to create a “Board of Peace” to oversee Gaza’s next steps has drawn some support for the United Nations even as major powers and allies have rejected a broader international mandate for the idea, the Associated Press reported. The backlash followed U.S. language and plans that framed the board as a possible rival to the UN system and, in its charter, gave Trump a leading role with veto-like authority over the board’s actions.

Trump considers housing Board of Peace at disputed Washington institute building

2026-01-29

The Trump administration is considering placing its proposed Board of Peace in a Washington building that previously housed the U.S. Institute of Peace, according to four administration officials. The building is tied to legal fights over the federal government’s takeover and the institute’s independence, and its name and status remain in legal limbo.

What to know about Gaza’s Rafah crossing, which could open within days

2026-01-29

Palestinians in Gaza have been largely cut off from Egypt through the Rafah border crossing since Israel seized it in May 2024, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says it could reopen soon under a U.S.-brokered Israel-Hamas ceasefire plan. The reopening, which Israel is expected to control, would focus first on limited numbers of medically injured Palestinians leaving for treatment abroad, with preparations under way in coming days, according to an Israeli official and other people familiar with discussions.

Last Gaza hostage Ran Gvili dies fighting to save kibbutz Alumim

2026-01-27

The remains of Ran Gvili, the last Israeli hostage recovered from Gaza, were announced Monday, ending a yearslong hostage saga that had stalled Israel’s ceasefire negotiations with Hamas. Israeli officials said Gvili, a 24-year-old police officer, was killed during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks and his body was held in Gaza until it was recovered after an extended search.

Rafah crossing reopens amid ceasefire, but Palestinian movement remains limited

2026-01-27

Gaza's Rafah border crossing reopened Monday as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, though the reopening remained limited to only 50 medical evacuees plus escorts and 50 Palestinians able to return home. The crossing, Gaza's only gateway to the outside world not controlled by Israel, had been shuttered since Israeli troops seized it in May 2024.

Gaza father clings to hope after son is killed in Israeli strike

2026-01-26

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — A bereaved father in Shifa Hospital said he could not accept his 15-year-old son’s death after an Israeli strike killed him and his 13-year-old cousin as they searched for firewood. Yusuf Zawara said he was trying to wake his son, wiping blood from his face while the boy lay dead on a morgue floor, as winter cold and a lack of power continue to compound daily survival in Gaza. The incident came amid a broader dispute over Israel’s targeting decisions and Gaza casualty figures.

Israel says it is launching operation to locate last hostage in Gaza

2026-01-26

Israel said it has begun a “large-scale operation” to locate its last remaining hostage in Gaza, Ran Gvili, as U.S. and other mediators pressed Israel and Hamas to move to the next stage of their ceasefire. The statement came as Israel’s Cabinet discussed whether to open the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, and a day after top U.S. envoys met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on next steps.

Divisions emerge over Trump’s Board of Peace as allies decline

2026-01-22

Divisions emerged Wednesday over U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace as its ambitions grew beyond Gaza, with some Western European countries declining to join, some staying noncommittal and a group of Muslim-majority countries agreeing to sign on. Trump said countries invited to join are expected to proceed this week as he seeks to formalize the board on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

Divisiones por la Junta de Paz de Trump para Gaza; Noruega y Suecia no se suman

2026-01-22

El presidente estadounidense Donald Trump está ampliando el alcance de una “Junta de Paz” para Gaza, mientras varios países europeos y otros actores expresan dudas o se niegan a participar, según reportes divulgados esta semana. En Jerusalén, el desarrollo marcó un contraste con Israel, que dijo que se unirá, y con el papel de figuras de alto perfil anunciadas por la Casa Blanca.

Families dig through garbage in Gaza for things to burn to keep warm

2026-01-21

Desperate Palestinians at a garbage dump in Gaza’s Khan Younis area dig with their bare hands through plastic items to burn to ward off cold and damp winter conditions, as war continues into a truce period, according to the Associated Press. The AP report described the scene in the Muwasi area of Khan Younis on Thursday amid skepticism about a new “Board of Peace” announced by U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Israeli crews demolish UNRWA facilities in east Jerusalem, AP says

2026-01-21

Israeli forces on Tuesday targeted United Nations facilities in east Jerusalem tied to UNRWA, as crews bulldozed UNRWA offices in Sheikh Jarrah and fired tear gas at a vocational school in Qalandia, the Associated Press reported. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the destruction and called for the compound to be returned to U.N. control. More than 300 young refugees were receiving job training at the Qalandia school, Palestinian officials said.

Israeli settlers mark Yatziv settlement’s inauguration in West Bank

2026-01-21

Israeli ministers and settler leaders inaugurated a new settlement outpost in the occupied West Bank on Monday, celebrating its rapid transformation into a recognized settlement called Yatziv, formerly Shdema. The site sits adjacent to the Palestinian city of Beit Sahour, overlooking the town across a West Bank valley. Finance Minister and settler leader Bezalel Smotrich said at the ceremony that they intend to remain there permanently and will not establish a Palestinian state there.

Trump expands “Board of Peace” invitations ahead of Davos

2026-01-21

U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace,” originally envisioned as a small group to oversee a Gaza ceasefire plan, has expanded into a broader effort that the administration says could address global conflicts, according to letters sent to world leaders. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he agreed to join the board, despite previously criticizing a committee overseeing the Gaza ceasefire.

Trump’s Greenland threats jeopardize next steps on Gaza “Board of Peace”

2026-01-21

President Donald Trump’s threats tied to Greenland are complicating the next steps in his plan to end the Israel-Hamas war, including efforts to create a U.N.-backed “Board of Peace” with an initial mandate for Gaza. The Associated Press reported on Jan. 20 that European allies have declined or withheld commitment, and that some U.S. officials are weighing ways to limit the impact of Trump’s Greenland dispute on other foreign-policy priorities.

India and others say they’re invited to join Trump’s Gaza “Board of Peace”

2026-01-19

President Donald Trump has invited more than a dozen countries to join a new “Board of Peace for Gaza” intended to guide next steps as a Gaza ceasefire enters its second phase, an Associated Press report said Sunday. Hungary and Vietnam said they have accepted, and officials in other countries described receiving invitations as the U.S. prepares to release a formal roster.

Video shows fires in West Bank village after Israeli settler attack

2026-01-19

Palestinian officials said Israeli settlers attacked the Bedouin hamlet of Khirbet al-Sidra in the West Bank overnight, setting homes and cars on fire, injuring Palestinians and activists. The Associated Press obtained security-camera footage timestamped around 10 p.m. Saturday showing fires and what it described as gunfire and settlers moving through the village. Israel’s military said troops were dispatched and were searching for people who attacked the area.

EU, Israel, Russia, Belarus invited to Trump’s Board of Peace

2026-01-18

U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace” that would oversee the next phase of the Gaza peace plan has sent invitations to Israel, EU leaders, Russia, Belarus and other countries, an Israeli official said Monday. France said it does not plan to join “at this stage,” while Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has differences with the U.S. but that relations would not be harmed. In a separate response, Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich dismissed the effort as a “raw deal” and called for it to be canceled.

Gaza’s yellow line keeps Palestinians in fear after ceasefire buffer

2026-01-18

Israel’s military has drawn a “yellow line” in Gaza after a ceasefire in October, but Palestinians say the markers are at times invisible or placed differently than maps show. The Associated Press reported that Israeli troops have killed Palestinians near the line, including children, and that residents live in fear of being shot after crossing or lingering close to it. The reporting is based on Gaza Health Ministry figures and interviews with Palestinians and Israeli military statements.

Trump names Gaza ceasefire plan committees, including board-led oversight

2026-01-18

President Donald Trump’s administration has announced members of a new Palestinian committee to run day-to-day affairs in Gaza, along with an executive committee of international experts to supervise efforts tied to a U.S. Gaza ceasefire plan, the White House said. The appointments also include an international stabilization force and steps that the White House said would include disarmament of Hamas and reconstruction of Gaza. The announcement came as the plan entered what the White House described as its second phase.

White House names Gaza oversight leaders as committee meets in Cairo

2026-01-17

The White House released names of some officials involved in overseeing next steps in Gaza after a Palestinian committee set to govern the territory under U.S. supervision met for the first time in Cairo on Friday, according to the announcement. The committee’s leader, Ali Shaath, an engineer and former Palestinian Authority official from Gaza, said he would work to improve conditions quickly, with reconstruction and recovery expected to take about three years.

White House moves to second phase of Gaza ceasefire plan with committee

2026-01-16

The White House says it is moving into the second phase of President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan, with new steps that include creating a transitional Palestinian governing committee and starting reconstruction work. U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff announced the shift on Wednesday, but the White House and other mediators provided few details about how the committee would be formed or what powers it would have. (AP)

US envoy declares Gaza ceasefire enters second phase as panel head named

2026-01-14

WASHINGTON — The United States announced Wednesday that the Gaza ceasefire brokered under President Donald Trump is entering its second phase, which calls for disarming Hamas, beginning reconstruction of the war-ravaged territory and installing a technocratic committee to administer daily affairs under American supervision. Trump envoy Steve Witkoff made the announcement in a post on X following more than two years of war between Israel and Hamas. Egypt, Turkey and Qatar — the three other mediators of the deal — welcomed the move and identified Ali Shaath, a former Palestinian Authority deputy minister, to head the new transitional administration.

Trump envoy says Gaza is entering second phase of ceasefire plan

2026-01-13

The United States said it is moving into the next phase of a Gaza ceasefire plan brokered with President Donald Trump, involving disarming Hamas, rebuilding Gaza and naming Palestinian experts to administer daily affairs, under U.S. supervision. The announcement followed a statement from Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff that the deal was entering its second phase.

Gaza’s winter conditions worsen as winds and cold kill at least 5

2026-01-12

Strong winter winds collapsed walls onto tents for Palestinians displaced by war in Gaza, killing at least four people, hospital authorities said Tuesday, and a 1-year-old boy died of hypothermia overnight. The Associated Press reported that Israel’s military also said it exchanged fire Tuesday with people spotted near troops in southern Gaza, killing at least two in western Rafah.

Israeli drone strike kills three in Gaza as Hamas readies governance shift

2026-01-11

Israeli drone strike killed three Palestinians who crossed the ceasefire line near central Gaza’s Morag corridor, hospital officials said Monday. Israel’s military said the three approached troops and posed an immediate threat and later found weapons and intelligence-gathering equipment. The strike came as Gaza awaited an expected announcement this week on a new governance committee tied to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire plan.

Hamas says it will dissolve Gaza government for new Palestinian leadership

2026-01-10

Hamas said it will dissolve its existing Gaza government once a new Palestinian technocratic leadership committee takes over the territory, as called for in a U.S.-brokered peace plan. The group did not say when the change would occur, while negotiations continue over a broader ceasefire framework and deaths in Gaza remained reported.

Palestinians flee Ras Ein el-Auja in Jordan Valley as settler harassment rises

2026-01-10

Over two dozen families from the Bedouin village of Ras Ein el-Auja have fled their homes in the central West Bank in recent days, residents said, citing growing harassment by Jewish settlers from nearby unauthorized outposts. The residents said the harassment included settlers entering homes and disrupting daily life.

Video shows masked settlers beating Palestinian man in West Bank

2026-01-10

Israeli settlers beat and injured a Palestinian man during an attack on a plant nursery in the northern West Bank, according to witnesses and video footage reviewed by The Associated Press on Jan. 10. The man, identified by family members as 67-year-old Basim Saleh Yassin, was hospitalized with broken bones and other injuries, and workers later fled as attackers approached, the witnesses said.

Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov to lead U.S. Gaza ceasefire board

2026-01-07

Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Thursday that Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov has been chosen to direct a U.S. “Board of Peace” meant to oversee the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire. The announcement came as Palestinian hospital officials and family members reported at least eight more deaths from Israeli strikes.

Israeli strike in Gaza kills 5-year-old girl and uncle in tent

2026-01-06

An Israeli strike in Gaza on Monday hit a tent housing displaced people, killing a 5-year-old girl and her uncle and wounding two other children, hospital officials said. The strike occurred in the Muwasi area northwest of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, officials at Nasser Hospital said, though the report could not independently verify the details.