As Israel preps to restart war, Gaza’s students begin new school year – Ceasefire Day 34

[email protected] February 24, 2025 al-aqsa mosque, bibas family, ceasefire violation, Gaza schools, prisoner exchange

As Israel preps to restart war, Gaza’s students begin new school year – Ceasefire Day 34

Students sit on the floor on the first day of classes at the Rufaida High School, in Deir al Balah, Gaza on February 23, 2025. (Abdul Hakim Abu Riash – Anadolu Agency)

Compilation of news reports – IAK staff

A Palestinian youth was killed on Sunday evening by an Israeli sniper while inspecting his agricultural land on al-Sha`f Street east of Gaza City.

Palestinian medics and rescue teams retrieved 10 more bodies from the rubble in the Gaza Strip, the Health Ministry said on Sunday.

New school year begins in war-torn Gaza after almost 2-year hiatus

A new school year began in the Gaza Strip on Sunday after the suspension of Israel’s 16-month onslaught on the enclave, the Education Ministry said, although reportedly, 85% of schools in Gaza have been rendered inoperable by Israeli bombardment.

A ministry statement said students will attend sessions “at schools that are still standing, have been renovated and equipped, or through alternative schools and educational points that have been established in many areas,” and that it seeks to provide online courses for students who are unable to attend schools.

One report indicated that some school campuses are still filled with refugees who have nowhere else to go, and who will remain there during school hours.

Palestinian children stand for a ceremony opening the new school year in Deir al Balah, Feb. 23, 2025. Their signs read: (L) "Palestine is a mother that only delivered heroes" and (R) "We will be here as long as there are za'ater and olives." — Palestinian children stand for a ceremony opening the new school year in Deir al Balah, Feb. 23, 2025. Their signs read: (L) “Palestine is a mother that only delivered heroes” and (R) “We will be here as long as there are za’ater and olives.” (screenshot)

Hamas accuses Israel of violating Gaza ceasefire deal after delaying Palestinian prisoner release, halts talks

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas condemned on Sunday Israel’s delay in releasing Palestinian prisoners as a “violation” of a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner swap agreement.

Israel was scheduled to let go 620 prisoners on Saturday in return for six captives freed by Hamas, but Tel Aviv delayed the releases citing what it called “humiliating hostage handovers.”

“The Israeli claim is false and flimsy aimed at evading the obligations of the agreement,” Hamas leader Ezzat al-Rishq said in a statement. “The handover ceremonies don’t include any insult to the prisoners, but reflect the humane treatment of them,” he added.

“The true humiliation lies in the treatment of Palestinian prisoners during their release, which often involves torture, beating, and deliberate humiliation up until the last moment,” Rishq said. “Palestinian prisoners are released while handcuffed and blindfolded, with their families threatened not to hold any welcoming celebrations for their return.”

The Hamas leader accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “deliberately sabotaging” the Gaza agreement, calling it “a clear violation of its terms and demonstrating Israel’s lack of credibility in meeting its commitments.”

A Hamas leader said Sunday that his group will not engage in negotiations with Israel until the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Tel Aviv.

President Donald Trump is prepared to support Israel in “whatever course of action it chooses regarding Hamas,” a statement from National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said.

Israel prepared to resume fighting in Gaza ‘at any moment’, Netanyahu says

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel was prepared to resume fighting in the Gaza Strip “at any moment” while vowing to complete the war’s objectives “whether through negotiation or by other means”.

“We are prepared to resume intense fighting at any moment,” Netanyahu said at a ceremony for combat officers, a day after Israel halted the release of Palestinian prisoners as part of a truce deal. “In Gaza, we have eliminated most of Hamas’s organized forces, but let there be no doubt, we will complete the war’s objectives entirely – whether through negotiation or by other means,” he added.

Israeli tanks, armored personnel carriers, trucks and military jeeps on the border line near the city of Rafah, Gaza on May 29, 2024. — Israeli tanks, armored personnel carriers, trucks and military jeeps on the border line near the city of Rafah, Gaza on May 29, 2024. (Mostafa Alkharouf – Anadolu Agency)

Israel plans to bar freed Palestinians from entering Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque in Ramadan

Israel plans to prevent Palestinians freed under a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner swap agreement from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem during the fasting month of Ramadan, according to Israeli media on Sunday.

The Israeli public broadcaster KAN said police will not allow Palestinians released from jails during the past weeks to enter the flashpoint site during Ramadan, which is set to begin next week.

KAN said police will deploy 3,000 personnel every day at checkpoints leading to East Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque during the fasting month.

West Bank: Israeli forces attack funeral of released prisoner in Issawiya

Israeli occupation forces attacked participants at the funeral of released Palestinian prisoner Nael Obeid, 46, on Sunday night in the town of Issawiya, northeast of occupied Jerusalem.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces stormed the town and heavily fired tear gas at mourners attending Obeid’s funeral. Obeid was released from Israeli prisons last week as part of the sixth batch of the ceasefire agreement after spending 21 years in detention, and died Saturday after falling from the roof of his house in Issawiya.

An Israeli commando soldier exits a military vehicle in the middle of a market during a military operation in Nablus, on 11 February 2025 — An Israeli commando soldier exits a military vehicle in the middle of a market during a military operation in Nablus, on 11 February 2025 (Nasser Ishtayeh/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

There is no evidence Hamas killed members of the Bibas family. Israel is using their death to manufacture consent for genocide.

Last week, the bodies of the three dead family members were handed over to Israel. On Friday, the Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari claimed that the two Bibas brothers were “brutally murdered while being held hostage in Gaza no later than November 2023.” Hagari was very explicit and precise in what he claimed was “confirmed”:

In late November 2023, Hamas claimed that the mother and the two children had been killed together with their captors under Israeli bombing, and offered to hand over their bodies. Israel rejected the offer as “propaganda” and would not confirm their deaths.

“Contrary to Hamas’s lies, Ariel and Kfir were not killed in an airstrike – Ariel and Kfir Bibas were murdered by terrorists in cold blood. The terrorists did not shoot the two young boys – they killed them with their bare hands. Afterwards, they committed horrific acts to cover up these atrocities.

This assessment is based on both forensic findings from the identification process, and intelligence that supports the findings. We have shared these findings, intelligence and forensics, with our partners around the world, so they can verify it, and [so] that the entire world will know exactly how the Hamas terrorist organization operates…”

That is some claim. But where is the evidence to confirm these findings? None appears to be forthcoming, aside from promises that such proof exists somewhere.

On Saturday, the head of the Israeli Institute for Forensic Medicine, Chen Kugel, made a one-minute video [below, in English] to supposedly back the claims. Kugel’s presentation curiously did not focus on what he found, but on what he did not find. “There is no evidence of harm due to bombing,” he said.

Remember, these are bodies of people who died about one and a half years ago. How exactly one determines that one did not die under bombing (which does not always mean death from direct trauma) is unclear but certainly requires further explanation as to how it has been definitively ruled out.

The odd thing is that Kugel did not determine what they did die of…The whole statement is so vacuous and devoid of forensic content (beyond the initial “no evidence”), that it simply reeks of political bias.

And this is supposed to be the confirmation of Hagari’s claim that the Bibas brothers were killed with “bare hands” (continue reading here).

Israeli hostage family asks Netanyahu government not to attend funeral

The family of returned slain hostage Shiri Bibas has rejected the attendance of any Israeli government officials at the funeral of hers and her two children, according to Israeli media on Sunday.

According to the Israeli news website Walla, the Bibas family told the government that they don’t want any government representative present at the funeral.

Palestinian group Hamas returned the remains of Shiri and her two children this week under a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement with Israel.

Hamas said the Bibas family was killed in indiscriminate Israeli bombardment amid Tel Aviv’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.

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IMEMC Daily Reports

STATISTICS OCTOBER 7, 2023 – FEBRUARY 23, 2025 (ongoing count):

At least 63,319 Palestinians killed, 118,753 injured – including:
at least 62,403 killed in Gaza (~20,600 children)
at least 916 killed in the West Bank (~180 children)
at least 111,753 injured in Gaza
at least 7,000 injured in the West Bank

WAR STATISTICS OCTOBER 7, 2023 (Hamas attack) – JANUARY 22, 2025 (Ceasefire):

Palestinian death toll from October 7, 2023 – January 19, 2025: at least 48,143 – including at least 47,283 in Gaza (~20,600 children), and 916 in the West Bank (~183 children). Palestinian injuries: at least 118,472 – including at least 111,629 in Gaza, and 7,000 in the West Bank.

Thousands of those killed in Gaza have yet to be identified, and an estimated 11,000 more are still buried under rubble.

Reported Israeli death toll from October 7, 2023 – January 19, 2025: ~1,616 (or 1,590) – including ~1,139 on October 7, 2023 (~36 children), 436 (or 405) military forces since the ground invasion began in Gaza, 46 military and civilians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Israel.

NOTE: It is unknown at this time how many of the deaths and injuries of Israelis on October 7 were caused by Israeli soldiers.

Hover over each bar for exact numbers. Source: IsraelPalestineTimeline.org

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