Compilation of news reports – IAK staff
ALL ABOUT ISRAEL’S NEW DEATH PENALTY (FOR PALESTINIANS) LAW:
Far right National Security Minister Itamar bin Gvir spoke after the passage of the law making the death penalty the default sentence for Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks. “From today onward, every terrorist* shall know and the whole world shall know. He who takes life, the state of Israel will take his life**. This justice needs to be seen and done. And starting tomorrow morning, with the help of the blessed God, it will be done. We are safe.” The move fulfills a pledge by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right allies.
*NOTE: The use of the word “terrorist” for an individual or group that resists occupation and oppression is a political, not fact-based choice. In reality, international law supports the efforts of resistance groups against an occupying power, the UN extending that right to the point of armed resistance. Additionally, Israel regularly labels Palestinians they have killed as “terrorists” to rationalize their deaths, whether they did anything threatening or not.
**NOTE: Ben Gvir’s suggestion that Palestinians have a monopoly on taking life is thick with irony. The numbers speak for themselves: Israel has killed over 27 times as many Palestinians since 2000 as Palestinians have killed Israelis. The vast majority of those killed in Gaza in the last 2.5 years have been civilians, including at least 22,000 children.
New apartheid law in Israel, widely condemned: Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, has passed a controversial one-sided bill that will instruct military courts to impose the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis in acts of “terror”, but will not impose the same penalty on Jewish Israelis convicted of killing Palestinians. Amnesty International called the new law “a public display of cruelty, discrimination and utter contempt for human rights”.
HA’ARETZ OPINION: Racist and Unlawful*: Israel’s Death Penalty Law Is Driven by Bloodlust: Approving the law devalues human life, serves terror organizations, and underscores Israel’s abandonment of liberal values, revealing a reactionary regime. Any court that approves it is unfit to sit in judgment.
*NOTE: This is just one of many examples of Israel’s apartheid framework, which extends in various forms across Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and inside Israel (where 21% of residents are Palestinian). Multiple human rights organizations have documented and reported that Israel is indeed practicing apartheid, including: Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Israeli human rights groups B’Tselem and Yesh Din , the International Court of Justice, and more.
US avoids criticizing Israel over death penalty law for Palestinians despite global backlash: “The United States respects Israel’s sovereign right to determine its own laws and penalties for individuals convicted of terrorism,” a State Department spokesperson told Anadolu in response to an inquiry. “We trust that any such measures will be carried out with a fair trial and respect for all applicable fair trial guarantees and protections,” the spokesperson added.
*NOTE: This State Department comment shows either ignorance or deception. US leaders must know that Israel’s military court system is part of its overriding structure of discrimination against Palestinians. The courts are known to use torture and threats to extract false confessions – including from children – and other illegal practices. According to Israeli army figures, between 2018 and April 2021, 99.6 percent of the sentences at military courts ended in conviction. To suggest that a Palestinian can expect a fair trial is preposterous.
RECOMMENDED READING: Israel’s military courts for Palestinians are a stain on international justice
ISRAEL-US WAR ON IRAN – NEWS & HEADLINES:
Why is If Americans Knew covering the war on Iran? It can not be overemphasized that Israel has been the impetus behind US policies and actions vis-a-vis Iran for years. This is especially true right now, under Donald Trump. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has been pushing the US to attack Iran for decades.
The American people have made clear that they do not want to go to war with Iran, but Israel partisans and the Israel lobby use their massive political clout to bring about whatever is beneficial to Israel – including putting the US military in harm’s way. For more background on Israel’s role in American wars, watch IAK’s short film, “The Israeli Hit List.”
Thousands of Iranians Who Live on Kharg Island Face Possibility of US Invasion: Locals on the island say “the island doesn’t really have a military base,” and that following the bombing of Kharg Airport, there is now no way for the thousands of residents and workers to evacuate – but US media talk about the island’s civilians as if they are a military problem, if they talk about them at all.
Trump said to tell aides he’s willing to end Iran war without reopening Hormuz: US president and his aides reportedly conclude op to reopen waterway would take too long; Iran’s decision-making said impeded due to killing of leadership, complicating talks.
US says Trump ‘interested’ in asking Arab countries to pay for war on Iran: White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt says passing the conflict’s costs off to regional states is ‘an idea’ that Trump has.
US used new ballistic missile in strike that killed teens in Iran sports hall: Report: A US-made ballistic missile previously untested in combat reportedly struck a sports hall and an elementary school in southern Iran on the opening day of the US-Israeli war. The Precision Strike Missile, or PrSM, is designed to detonate just above its target and blast small tungsten pellets outward.
Netanyahu boasts about murder of four Iranian nuclear scientists by the Israeli military, and said Israel is examining options to reroute gas and oil pipelines from the Arabian Peninsula westward as a workaround to the disruption from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Netanyahu Declines to Set Timeline for Ending Iran War in pro-Trump Outlet: Netanyahu told Newsmax that the Israeli-US war is ‘beyond the halfway point in terms of success’ and warned that Tehran is ‘pursuing nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them to American cities.’
Iran war has cost Arab countries $186 billion, 3.7 million jobs, UN official warns
Necessary Act: Italy Denies Sigonella Military Base to US Bombers
DEATH TOLL – WAR ON IRAN (tentative):
- United States: 13
- Israel: 22
- Iran: at least 3,486 (1,568 civilian, 1,211 military, 707 unclassified)
- Other Arab states (including Palestine, excluding Lebanon), at least 134
CALL TO ACTION:
Tell President Trump, your Congressional Rep, & your Senators that you don’t support American boots on the ground in Iran.
White House Comment Line:
(202) 456-1111Congress Switchboard:
(202) 224-3121This is how We the People make our voices heard. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/PO2nIxKRQt
— Joe Kent (@joekent16jan19) March 30, 2026
ISRAEL’S WAR ON LEBANON – NEWS & HEADLINES:
Although Israel signed a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon in November 2024, Israel has attacked Lebanon almost every day since, committing over 10,000 air and ground violations – the most violated ceasefire deal in recorded history – and killing over 300. 80,000 residents remain displaced and unable to return home.
Additionally, Israel continues to occupy five Lebanese hilltops seized during the latest war, and other Lebanese areas it has held for decades. (Read about UNIFIL, the UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, here.)
Israeli army admits photoshopping image of slain Lebanese journalist: When asked about the source of the photo by Fox News on Sunday, however, the Israeli army responded that “unfortunately, there isn’t really a picture of it, it was photoshopped“, according to Trey Yingst, chief foreign correspondent for the American outlet.
This is how Israel is systematically killing health workers under the cover of war in Lebanon
UN condemns killing of Indonesian peacekeepers* in Lebanon: The UN has condemned the deaths of three Indonesian peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, who were killed in two separate incidents, including a vehicle explosion. They are the latest UN casualties since Israel expanded its ground invasion.
*NOTE: Read about UNIFIL, the UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, here.
Carrying life under fire: Israeli invasion of Lebanon leaves pregnant women facing deadly risks
Boy, 11, Dies In Israeli Strike While Playing Football Near His Home
DEATH TOLL – WAR ON LEBANON (tentative):
- In Lebanon, at least 1,238 people have been killed (124 children and 86 women, 53 healthcare workers).
NEWS & HEADLINES FROM GAZA:
(For some basic info on the Palestine-Israel conflict, go here. For more critical context, skim this, this, and this. To read about a remarkable but underreported, 20-month-long peaceful protest in Gaza against Israel, go here.
While a “ceasefire” is ostensibly in place, Israel has continued its assault on Gaza without interruption. If Americans Knew considers the war to be ongoing, and in its 894th day.
Israeli strikes in Gaza kill several on Monday: Two Palestinians were killed on Monday afternoon when an Israeli warplane targeted a group of civilians in central Gaza; another attack in northern Gaza killed one. An elderly woman died from wounds she sustained days ago after being shot by Israeli forces in Beit Lahia, in northern Gaza.
Swedish foundation to build 400 schools as over 650,000 Gaza children remain without education for 2 years: Swedish Akelius Foundation says it plans schools and 100,000 daily meals in Gaza while warning Israeli forces may restrict access or target staff and children.
DEATH TOLL – GAZA GENOCIDE (tentative):
- At least 705 since ceasefire began Oct. 11, 2025
- At least 72,281 killed (~22,000 children, 33,000 women and girls) since Oct. 7, 2023
- More statistics below
NEWS & HEADLINES FROM THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK/EAST JERUSALEM:
Every day, Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem endure dozens of incidents like the ones below, at the hands of Israeli soldiers and/or settlers. For background on the West Bank, read this and this. For information on the significance of Israeli settlers in the West Bank, read this and this.)
Israeli forces kill two Palestinians in West Bank: Israeli soldiers opened live fire at Ramzi Abdul‑Hakim al‑‘Awawda, 22, at dawn on Monday, then prevented medical crews from reaching him, and later taking his body to an undisclosed location.
Israeli forces also killed Abdul-Rahman Hamza Abdul-Rahman Abu Ar-Rob, 31, after opening fire on his vehicle. Again, medics were blocked from the scene and his body was confiscated. The Israeli army claimed that the young man attempted to carry out a car-ramming attack against its soldiers, while admitting that there were no injuries among them.
Israeli policies pose an existential threat to Palestinians in the West Bank. Why isn’t there more resistance? Israeli settler pogroms, annexation, and economic strangulation are eroding Palestinian life in the West Bank. So, why aren’t we seeing more Palestinian resistance to the existential threat erasing their communities?
Jerusalem Governorate warns of settler plans for animal sacrifices at Al-Aqsa Mosque: The Jerusalem Governorate has warned of attempts by settlers to bring animal sacrifices into Al-Aqsa Mosque, describing the move as a dangerous escalation aimed at Judaizing the Al Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam’s holiest places. So-called Temple Mount organizations plan to bring lambs and goats into the compound during Passover (2-9 April) to slaughter.
Israel faces global backlash after blocking Palm Sunday Mass at Holy Sepulchre: Church leaders slammed the move by Israeli police as “an extreme departure” from freedom of worship; world leaders including Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, said the move “constitutes an offense not only to believers, but to every community that recognizes religious freedom” (original story here).
More than 500 illegal Israeli settlements and outposts are spread across the occupied West Bank, with over 780,000 settlers (or colonizers); settlement-related measures affecting roughly 42% of the territory, a Palestinian government report said. The report was issued to mark the anniversary of Land Day, observed annually on March 30 to commemorate events in 1976 when Israel confiscated large areas of land from Arab citizens, sparking protests that left dozens killed and wounded.
Israel demolishes* 2 Palestinian houses in occupied East Jerusalem
*NOTE: Most home demolitions undertaken by Israel are due to Palestinians’ “building without a permit.” Israel admits that its construction permit system is highly discriminatory. Between 2016 and 2020, 99.1 percent of Palestinian requests for building permits were rejected, according to data provided by the IDF’s Civil Administration. According to UN data, at least 13,800 homes have been demolished, displacing over 22,000 Palestinians, since 2009.
Steadfast And Resilient, Palestine Marks Land Day
RELATED: Land Day and the Palestinian struggle after 30 months of genocide
Colonizers Burn Vehicles, Steal Livestock In West Bank
Army Conducts Widespread West Bank Invasions and Abductions
More Israeli Violations In West Bank, Monday
Army Conducts Widespread Invasions and Abductions in West Bank, early Monday
DEATH TOLL – WEST BANK (tentative):
NEWS & HEADLINES FROM ISRAEL:
(Israel is a tiny country, about the size of New Jersey, with a population smaller than the US state of Georgia – about 10 million (of which about 20 percent are Palestinians), yet it is in the news constantly. As has been demonstrated again and again, however, mainstream media rarely covers Israel accurately. IAK gets the facts – sometimes from Israeli media sites, where we can get a glimpse inside this country that is rife with turmoil and contradictions, and that receives $63 million a day from America.)
Israel Attorney General blocks funding to Haredi schools after controversial budget vote: Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara on Monday said she would block the transfer of $255 million to ultra-Orthodox educational institutions, after a clause was “secretly” added to the budget bill shortly before it was voted on in the Knesset. Israeli opposition mistakenly backed the bill.
HA’ARETZ OPINION: The Netanyahu Coalition’s Passing of the 2026 Budget Epitomizes Their Mission to Destroy Israel: The coalition did not even try to pretend that it was trying to reduce unnecessary spending. So-called coalition funds in the 2026 budget reached a record of more than 6 billion shekels, including amounts that were previously classified as coalition funds and were “smuggled” into the year’s base budget.
US raises concerns with Israel over restrictions* at Jerusalem holy sites during Holy Week: “I did speak with Secretary Rubio this morning, and we did express our concerns with Israel with respect to these holy sites being shut down,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. “We want worshipers to be able to access these holy sites,” she said, adding that security remains a priority. Background to this story here.
MORE NEWS & HEADLINES:
What Would We All Say If Iran Razed M.I.T. Because of Military-Related Research? Over the weekend, the U.S. and Israel bombarded two universities in Iran, claiming that the attacks were justified, because they said the schools were connected to Iran’s weapons programs. In response, Iranian authorities said on Sunday that American university facilities in the region would be considered legitimate targets, should the U.S. not condemn the strikes on Iranian educational institutions.
Spain closes airspace to US planes involved in Iran attacks: Madrid maintains that the US-Israeli war on Iran is ‘illegal’ and refuses to support offensive operations.
ICYMI, A SELECTION OF YESTERDAY’S HEADLINES:
IRGC declares US, Israel-linked universities ‘legitimate targets’
Officers, Girl, Among Eight Killed In Israeli Strikes in Khan Younis
What Does Israel’s Final Vote on Death Penalty for Palestinians Mean?
Japanese atomic bomb survivors send letters to US, Israel urging peace amid Iran war
(Read yesterday’s daily update here.)
STATISTICS OCTOBER 7, 2023 – MARCH 30, 2026*:
- At least 73,424 Palestinians killed, 183,714 injured – including:
- At least 72,281 killed (~22,000 children, 33,000 women and girls), 172,014 injured in Gaza
- At least 1,143 killed (~232 children), 11,700 injured in the West Bank
*NOTE: Thousands of those killed in Gaza have yet to be identified, and an estimated 8,000 more are still buried under rubble (some sources put the number of missing as high as 14,000); 3,000 more are reportedly missing. Only the dead who are brought to hospitals are included in the official fatality count. Additionally, the numbers of injured are very conservative estimates.
Reported Israeli death toll from October 7, 2023 – March 30, 2026: ~1,661 – including ~1,139** on October 7, 2023 (~36 children), 472 military forces since the ground invasion began in Gaza, about 52 military and civilians (by one count, there have been 59 victims) in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Israel (these numbers do not include deaths from the conflict with Lebanon or the war with Iran).
By one count, Israeli attacks have killed approximately 282 Palestinian journalists and media workers (most recent March 9, 2026); Palestinians have killed 4 Israeli journalists (other groups have tallied between 215 and 351 Palestinian journalists killed – depending on the criteria used).
**NOTE: It is unknown at this time how many of the deaths and injuries of Israelis on October 7 were caused by Israeli soldiers.
- Human rights reports on Israel-Palestine (regularly updated)
- Will Trump Go Kamikaze?
- Is the University of Florida Shutting Down College Republicans over Israel Criticism?
- Jewish extremist arrested over alleged plot to firebomb Palestinian activist Nerdeen Kiswani’s home
- More than half of Palestinian child detainees have no charges
- The More Murderous Israel Gets, The More We Hear About “Antisemitism”
- Land Day and the Palestinian struggle after 30 months of genocide
- The Iran War Is About Palestine
- Israeli soldiers echo settler ideology, talk of revenge after targeting Palestinians and detaining CNN crew in the West Bank
- Israeli Policies Threaten Future of Christian Schools in Jerusalem
- Former US soldiers argue Israeli policy is now guiding US interests
- Israeli police block Catholic cardinal from entering Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday
- Researchers at Human Rights Watch Resign Over Blocked Report on Palestinian Refugee Return
- Jewish Groups Are Backing a War Americans Don’t Want
- Eric Fingerhut Thinks He’s the President of the Jews
- Top Jewish Philanthropists, Rabbis Urge Israeli President to Take Action Against ‘Jewish Extremists’
