Israeli leaders announce plan to cleanse Gaza
The foreign ministers of eight Musilm countries—Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan and Indonesia—issued a joint condemnation Sept. 6 of remarks by Israeli cabinet ministers announcing plans for the mass displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. (ToI)
Defense Minister Israel Katz on Sept. 2 said that Israel is seeking the support of Donald Trump for the scheme, adding that there is "no real solution for Gaza without migration" and that the Israeli government is "organized and ready to get them out." The next day, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir followed up by saying that Israel has a plan to expel all 2.1 million Palestinians from Gaza over the next six years, starting with 250,000 people in the first year. Ben-Gvir claimed that there are countries willing to take in expelled Palestinians, but did not specify which ones.
Ben-Gvir is alternately calling his plan "Disengagement 7-10," a reference to the October 7 attacks, or the more euphemistic "National Work Plan for Voluntary Emigration from the Gaza Strip."
The vast majority of the Strip's Palestinians are barred from entering the nearly 70% of Gaza currently under direct Israeli military occupation. Over 2 million Palestinians are crammed into the remaining territory, where Israel also exerts significant control, including continuing to restrict aid access and the blocking of any reconstruction efforts. (TNH, JNS)
Netanyahu under heat after October 7 revelations
According to a report in the newspaper Haaretz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was warned by UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan that Hamas was planning a large-scale operation one week before the Palestinian militant group launched its attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The allegation comes ahead of tightly contested Israeli elections next month. Netanyahu has called the Haaretz report an "absolute lie." (TNH)
Gaza: Israeli ceasefire violaitons
At least 21 people—including 11 children—are dead and dozens more wounded following the collapse of a building housing displaced families in Gaza City on Sept 16. The building, badly damaged by Israeli bombing, collapsed overnight as people were sleeping and fell on nearby tents. About 90% of Gaza’s population of around 2.1 million people remains displaced almost a year after Israel and Hamas signed a ceasefire agreement last October. Thousands are living in unsafe structures as Israel continues to block reconstruction efforts while also carrying out attacks as well as seemingly random acts of violence.
A double-tap Israeli drone strike in Gaza City killed Palestinian paramedic Sharif Shadi Labad and 15-year-old Mohammad Abdul Zinati, when Zinati rushed to help Labad after the first strike. Israel claimed Labad was a Hamas operative. On Sept. 12, Iman Shalouf, who was nearly eight months pregnant, was shot in the head while in her tent in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis. Both Shalouf and her unborn child died. More than 1,380 people have been killed and nearly 4,800 injured in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire agreement was signed. (TNH)