News roundup for Saturday, June 13, 2026, Day 981 since Israel began its 2023 genocide on the Palestinian people.
Compilation of news reports – IAK staff
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.
Three Palestinians were killed on Saturday in two Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, in the latest violation of an ongoing ceasefire agreement, a medical source said.
DEATH TOLL – GAZA GENOCIDE (tentative):
- At least 983 since ceasefire began Oct. 11, 2025 (247 children, 191 women)
- 72,991 killed (~22,000 children, 33,000 women and girls) since October 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 settlers* shoot, wound, disabled Palestinian man in West Bank: A Palestinian man with disabilities was shot multiple times and wounded by Israeli settlers on Saturday in the northern West Bank after he allegedly approached their settlement. Israeli forces cuffed the man by his hands and feet and kept him in their custody for over an hour, preventing medical teams from reaching him.
*NOTE: More than 700,000 settlers live illegally on Palestinian land in over 500 settlements and settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Some settler groups have a history of violence against Palestinians, often with the assistance of Israeli military forces. Learn more about Israeli settler violence here and here.
In a landmark advisory opinion on July 19, 2024, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian land “illegal” and demanded the evacuation of all settlements. Israeli settlers are sometimes referred to as “colonizers.”
Israeli Forces Shoot a Disabled Palestinian Man Near Nablus
Colonizers Invade Homes, Target Service Crews Across West Bank
DEATH TOLL – WEST BANK/EAST JERUSALEM (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 news 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.
Sama Safi, a 20-year-old American citizen and student at Birzeit University, remains in Israeli detention* after soldiers seized her from her family’s home near Ramallah on June 2. Safi, whose family lives in Florida, was taken without charge. She was one of five Palestinian women detained that week. The Israeli military said the women were suspected of “promoting terrorist activities.”
Rep. Rashida Tlaib and Sen. Chris Van Hollen have both demanded her release. “I am really sick and tired of the Israeli government taking American taxpayer dollars and then mistreating Americans,” Van Hollen said. Israel has not told her family or the U.S. embassy where she is being held. Rep. Tlaib said, “Her life is at risk—our government must free her now!”
*NOTE: The US State Department appears not to make much effort to assist American citizens who are detained by Israel. 15-year-old Mohammed Ibrahim was held for 9 months – 7 of which he had no diplomatic intervention – and finally released having lost 25 pounds.
At least fourteen American citizens have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers – with no criminal accountability.
Anti-government Protests Take Place Across Israel, Five Arrested
Israel Searches for a Red Sea Foothold in Somaliland: Israel is deepening its relationship with the breakaway state. Will military bases follow?
IRAN & LEBANON – NEWS & HEADLINES:
It can not be overemphasized that Israel is the impetus behind US policies and actions vis-a-vis Iran. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has been pushing the US to attack Iran for decades, using lies and deception. Under President Trump, he got his wish.
Israel has invaded Lebanon seven times in the last half century. Between 1978 and 2000, Israel maintained an 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon — Hezbollah was formed to fight that occupation.
A deal to end the Iran War would likely be finalized within the next 24 hours and signed shortly thereafter, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Saturday morning.
Trump says deal with Iran to be signed on Sunday: Strait of Hormuz will be immediately ‘open to all’ after deal is signed, US president posts on Truth Social.
The signing of a MOU with the US will not take place on Sunday, but may happen in the coming days. The Islamabad MoU focuses on ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, said a foreign ministry spokesman.
Israel will not withdraw from the so-called “security zone” in southern Lebanon as part of anticipated understandings between the US and Iran, Israeli security sources said Saturday, adding that Israel is prepared to reduce attacks deep inside Lebanon, but will continue strikes in south.
Israel would fail to achieve any of its war objectives under the emerging agreement between the US and Iran, former Prime Minister and opposition leader Yair Lapid said Saturday.
Iranian FM outlines the upcoming two-stage negotiation process: FM Abbas Araghchi said the first phase involves signing the memorandum of understanding, while the second phase would consist of negotiations on a final agreement. The second round of negotiations is expected to last 60 days, but could be extended. Issues related to sanctions relief, uranium, and a reconstruction fund for Iran would be addressed during the second stage.
Trump Floats ‘Ultimate Alternative’ [sounds like a nuclear threat] If Iran Talks Collapse: Commenting on the ceasefire deal, Trump said on Saturday ,”At the appropriate time, when all is calm, we will go in and get the Nuclear Dust, buried deep under the powerful sunken granite mountains, thanks to our beautiful B-2 Bombers and their brilliant pilots, and downblend and destroy it, whether in Iran, or the United States.”
Trump followed with a vague threat: “Hopefully, this process will all work out quickly, easily, and smoothly. If it doesn’t, we have the ultimate alternative, hopefully never to be used again!”
Israel Doubts U.S. Ability to Force Iran to Remove Uranium Stockpile, Government Sources Say
WATCH: Iranian negotiation team legitimately believe Trump is suffering from mental illness:
Jeremy Scahill from @DropSiteNews tells @BreakingPointsN that the Iranian negotiation team added senior psychologists to review draft communications to Trump because they legitimately believe Trump is suffering from mental illness. Other countries are also concerned.
Watch pic.twitter.com/VOsNXFDeNl
— GenXGirl (@GenXGirl1994) June 12, 2026
Israel’s continued attacks in southern Lebanon killed at least five people despite an ongoing ceasefire, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported on Saturday.
Israeli finance minister renews demand to destroy 10 Beirut buildings for every rocket fired at Israel*: Bezalel Smotrich apparently fears that that Hezbollah will exploit the world’s focus on the US-Iran agreement to attack northern Israel.
*NOTE: This Israeli military strategy of using massive, disproportionate force and deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure is known at the Dahiya Doctrine. International law expressly prohibits the use of disproportionate force and the targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure, which are war crimes – but obviously, Israeli leaders still openly call for it.
Read more about the Dahiya Doctrine here.
Vatican envoy’s aid convoy stopped by Israeli forces in south Lebanon: An aid convoy organized by the Vatican envoy to Lebanon that was headed for Christian villages in the country’s south on Thursday was reportedly stopped by the Israeli military and forced to change course. Members of the convoy heard tanks and machine guns firing toward the rear of the group of 25 trucks, but it was not clear “whether they wanted to intimidate us or they were targeting Hezbollah positions.”
*NOTE: For more of the many examples of Israeli persecution of Christians, go here.
DEATH TOLL – WARS ON IRAN & LEBANON (tentative):
- United States: 13 (or more) since Feb. 28, 2026
- Iran: at least 3,636 (1,701 civilians) since Feb. 28, 2026 (another source puts the number at 3,499)
- Lebanon: at least 3,756 people since March 2, 2026
- Arab states: at least 154 (including Palestine, excluding Lebanon)
- Israel: at least 54 people (Iran killed 20 civilians; Hezbollah killed 30 soldiers, 4 civilians)
MORE NEWS & HEADLINES:
The DOJ has signed off on Paramount’s $111 billion bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery: The merger will join Paramount+ and CBS with HBO Max and CNN, led by Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison, the son of Oracle co-founder and billionaire Larry Ellison*, creating the largest theatrical distributor in the US. Bari Weiss* will likely oversee editorial decisions at CNN as well as CBS. David Ellison is reportedly “smitten by Bari’s unwavering support of Israel and preoccupation with the rise of antisemitism.”
*NOTE: Larry Ellison is the largest private funder of the Israel Defense Forces, and is deeply tied to the Israeli national security state; he counts Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu among his closest friends.
Bari Weiss is a self-proclaimed “Zionist fanatic” who has, in partnership with the Israel’s uber-supporters the media giant Ellison family, transformed CBS into an overtly pro-Israel news outlet.
EU foreign policy chief compares Israel to apartheid* South Africa: Report: Kaja Kallas’ reported remarks contrast sharply with her public support for Israel.
*NOTE: Human rights groups have been speaking in some cases for years 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, the Israeli human rights groups B’Tselem, and Yesh Din, the UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine, the International Court of Justice, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), and Harvard Law School’s International Human Rights Clinic.
They Weren’t Convicted of Terrorism, But These UK Palestine Activists Got Sentenced as Terrorists Anyway: The defendants were not permitted to tell the jury that their actions were motivated by a desire to save Palestinian lives and prevent greater crimes of mass slaughter; they could not mention the genocide in Gaza or Elbit’s role in it. And they will spend significantly more time in prison than the majority of people arrested and convicted for participating in brutal white supremacist riots in recent years.
A flotilla of 25 boats gathered on Saturday in a symbolic protest against the G7 summit in the French city of Evian, with around 100 activists from 15 countries taking part. The boats assembled in the middle of Lake Geneva opposite Evian, where leaders of the Group of Seven countries are meeting this weekend, to protest Switzerland’s position on Gaza.
Palestinian Football Association president criticizes US over delayed visa for World Cup events: Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub criticized the US for failing to grant him a visa to attend World Cup-related events, saying the delay reflects disrespect for FIFA and the unifying role of the sport.
ICYMI, A SELECTION OF YESTERDAY’S HEADLINES:
The Israeli army moved yellow line blocks westward
As World Cup kicks off, Gaza amputee girls chase football dreams
“Israel will not withdraw from the security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza”
In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed is courting Jewish voters — without moderating his views on Israel
(Read yesterday’s daily update here.)
STATISTICS OCTOBER 7, 2023 – June 13, 2026*:
- At least 74,162 Palestinians killed, 185,896 injured – including:
- Gaza: at least 72,993 killed (~22,000 children, 33,000 women and girls), 173,230 injured
- West Bank/East Jerusalem: at least 1,169 killed (~244 children), 12,666 injured
*NOTE: Thousands of remains in Gaza have yet to be identified, and thousands more are still buried under rubble; others are reportedly missing.
Reported Israeli death toll from October 7, 2023 – June 13, 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 conflicts with Lebanon or Iran).
**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)
- Israeli Firm Accused of Launching Smear Campaigns During US, European Elections
- As World Cup kicks off, Gaza amputee girls chase football dreams
- Oxfam: More Palestinians killed by Israel across West Bank in last 3 years than previous 17 years combined
- The Issue of Israel Is Ending Democracy In Michigan
- Israel is stealing homes, livelihoods, and lives in West Bank
- Gaza is not an aberration – Israel planned this genocide decades ago
- Israel is changing the face of Lebanon, mainstream media is normalizing it – 3 articles
- Genocide lobby benefits from EU anti-racist fund
- Watching the World Cup from Gaza
- Israel to Blame for 56% of 22,600+ Civilians Killed by Explosive Weapons Globally Last Year
- Tucker Carlson and John Mearsheimer on Gaza, Ukraine, Iran, Russia & a Potential Nuclear Strike
- 88 attacks against Palestinian Christians recorded since start of year
- US administration investigating Iran war critic Trita Parsi, says report
- Senate wants to force US to share sensitive intel with Israel
