Don’t think for a second that the Gaza genocide is over – Daily Update

News roundup for Saturday, July 4, 2026, Day 1,002 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.

Israeli occupation forces killed four Palestinians* since dawn Saturday, as the army carried out extensive demolition operations targeting residential buildings in several areas of the southern Gaza Strip, in continued violations of the “ceasefire” agreement.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The number of Palestinians being killed in Gaza is lower since the October 2025 “ceasefire” began, 269 days ago – about 4 per day, vs. over 100 per day during the 733 days of the “war.” But Israel is actively working (with Trump’s “Board of Peace“) to ethnically cleanse Gaza of its Palestinian population, even as the low-level killing continues. Genocide experts, along organizations like the United Nations and Amnesty International, maintain that the genocide is ongoing.

READ MORE ABOUT THE CONTINUING GENOCIDE:

Could Israel really build settlements in Gaza? Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have offered the clearest signal yet that they are considering the establishment of new Jewish settlements on what remains of the Gaza Strip.

Last Monday, Smotrich told reporters that his ministry had prepared plans for three settlements in northern Gaza, and just needed the green light from Netanyahu.The following day, Netanyahu declined to rule out the prospect of settlements in Gaza: “The question is whether you prefer to do or to talk,” the prime minister replied cryptically when asked whether the establishment of settlements was a possibility. “And yes, I prefer not to address it.”

Gaza Hospital Director Jailed in Israel in Life-threatening Danger, Lawyer Says: Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya’s lawyer said he struggled to breathe and speak and seemed close to losing consciousness several times, during a Thursday visit, and said the doctor told him he fears he would be killed in Israeli custody.

DEATH TOLL – GAZA GENOCIDE (tentative):

• At least 1,066 since ceasefire began Oct. 11, 2025 (247 children, 191 women)
• 5 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire began – one by friendly fire, and four others incidents during the first three weeks of the ceasefire.
• 73,090 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.)

DEATH TOLL – WEST BANK/EAST JERUSALEM (tentative):

• At least 1,177 killed (~244 children) since Oct. 7, 2023
• More statistics below

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.

Israeli intelligence rejected Netanyahu’s request to back claim Iran’s nuclear program was completely destroyed: Report: Netanyahu’s office pressured security officials to endorse assessment contradicting intelligence findings, Israeli daily reports. “No intelligence official exercising a reasonable degree of professionalism believed that Iran’s nuclear program had been eliminated,” the report said. 

ISRAELI MEDIA: Netanyahu Denies Report That Israel Was Plotting to Kill Iran’s Top Negotiators: The New York Times said U.S. officials asked regional intermediaries to warn Iran that Israel could target Foreign Minister Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf during U.S.-Iran negotiations. The Prime Minister’s Office disputed the report.

Israel’s Ben-Gvir to skip UN police summit in New York amid legal pressure: Reports: Reported cancellation comes after rights groups urged US authorities to investigate, arrest Israeli national security minister over prison policies, ‘involvement in war crimes.’ (Original story here.)

To learn about the Jewish supremacist Israeli minister Itamar Ben Gvir, read: Let’s stop pretending Ben-Gvir is not the true face of Israel

IRAN, LEBANON, & SYRIA – 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.

Although Israel is not at war with Syria, the Israeli army has reportedly carried out over 1,600 violations inside Syrian territory since August 2025, and demanded the demilitarization of southern Syria – but also vowed to permanently occupy some areas.

IRAN

Trump says US gave Iran ‘a week off’ for funeral of Iran’ late supreme leader amid stalled talks: “We beat Venezuela in one day, and we knocked the hell out of Iran; they’re dying to settle. They want to settle so badly. We gave him a week off for a funeral because we’re nice.”

• 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 4,297 people since March 2, 2026
• Arab states: at least 154 (including Palestine, excluding Lebanon)
• Israel: at least 60 people (Iran killed 20 civilians; Hezbollah killed 36 soldiers, 4 civilians)

MORE NEWS & HEADLINES:

How Congress manipulates its own rules to make sure Israel still gets its weapons

🚨🇮🇹 The #HindRajabFoundation has filed a criminal complaint in Italy against Israeli soldier Arik Ben Asulin. Evidence shows Ben Asulin, currently believed to be present in Italy, participated in the demolition of civilian infrastructure in Gaza – a war crime he also publicly… pic.twitter.com/9i960oPDlj

— The Hind Rajab Foundation (@HindRFoundation) July 3, 2026

ICYMI, A SELECTION OF YESTERDAY’S HEADLINES:

Rights center documents 83 Israeli attacks on Christians in 3 months

Marwan Barghouti to Bid for Palestinian Presidency From Israeli Prison

It’s Hard to Be a Thinking Person in Israel Today. The Kids’ Test Scores Prove It

(Read yesterday’s daily update here.)

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STATISTICS OCTOBER 7, 2023 – July 4, 2026*:

• At least 74,267 Palestinians killed, 186,472 injured – including:
• Gaza: at least 73,090 killed (~22,000 children, 33,000 women and girls), 173,553 injured
• West Bank/East Jerusalem: at least 1,177 killed (~244 children), 12,919 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 – July 4, 2026: ~1,663 – 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.

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

• Human rights reports on Israel-Palestine (regularly updated)
• Archive of Israeli War Crimes Contains Over 64,000 Videos
• British Museum made false claims about its removal of ‘Palestine’ from displays
• Huckabee: Israel ‘the 436th congressional district’ of US
• The Gaza Ethnic Cleansing Agenda Continues To Roll Forward
• America’s Hard Left and Right Have Had It With Israel
• Massie Introduces House Resolution to Honor USS Liberty Crew & Declassify Files
• Palestinian Prisoner Society: Israel Normalizes Torture Through Public Abuse Videos
• EU hides secret Gaza files as UN says Israel is committing genocide
• Israeli forces kill Palestinian goalkeeper Saleem Al-Ashqar in Gaza
• US Presbyterian Church votes to recognize Gaza genocide
• NYT Reported Iran Deal From Pro-Israel, Pro-War Perspective
• How to Show That Israel’s Sexual Violence Against Palestinians Is Systemic — and Has Gone on for Decades
• 22 Democrats Join GOP to Block Lebanon War Powers Resolution, Enabling Netanyahu’s Sabotage of US-Iran Ceasefire
• Israeli land theft in West Bank since October 7 equal to previous 22 years