Compilation of news reports – IAK staff
(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 861st day.)
One Palestinian was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza on Monday, in spite of the “ceasefire.”
Since the “ceasefire” began on October 11, Israel has killed at least 615 Palestinians. Over 1,651 have been injured. Death toll figures are tentative.
Israel has so far violated the 11 October ceasefire deal in Gaza at least 1,620 times (as of Feb. 1, 2026). More statistics below.
GAZA NEWS & HEADLINES:
(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.)
Gazans mark Ramadan without hundreds of imams killed in Israeli war
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, Israel killed 312 preachers, imams, religious instructors, and Quran teachers during Israel’s two-year war, and destroyed 1,050 out of 1,275 mosques completely and 191 partially.
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This Winter, 39 Dead, Including 22 Children, as Gaza Infrastructure Collapses — B’Tselem
A new report published by the Israeli rights group B’tselem on Monday reveals how severe winter storms in December 2025 and January 2026 turned into a death sentence for dozens of Gaza residents: 39 people were killed, including 22 children, as wind, rain and flooding battered homes, displacement camps, and partially-destroyed neighborhoods.
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Israeli Soldiers Killed Gaza Aid Workers at Point Blank Range in 2025 Massacre
A minute-by-minute reconstruction of the massacre by Earshot and Forensic Architecture found Israeli soldiers fired over 900 bullets at the aid workers, killing 15. The report, based on eyewitness testimony and audio and visual analysis, shows that the aid workers were executed and that at least one was shot from as close as one meter away.
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Israeli finance minister warns ‘plans in the making’ for new war on Gaza*
“It is estimated that in the coming days, Hamas will be given an ultimatum to disarm and fully demilitarize Gaza,” Bezalel Smotrich said Monday. “If Hamas does not comply, the Israeli army will receive international legitimacy and American backing to do it itself. The army is already preparing for this and making plans…One thing is certain: The army will enter and conquer Gaza if Hamas does not disarm.”
*NOTE: Critically, Hamas has made clear that it will not surrender its weapons as long as the occupation remains in place, because it would leave them defenseless against further attacks by Israel or others.
RELATED: Smotrich: ‘In the end,’ Israel will occupy Gaza and establish settlements there
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Board of Peace said looking into ‘stablecoin’ to boost economy of postwar Gaza
Israeli tech entrepreneur spearheading project to set up a US dollar-pegged cryptocurrency for use in the enclave, where shekels have become scarce.
OCCUPIED WEST BANK/EAST JERUSALEM NEWS & HEADLINES:
(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.)
KKK-style Israeli lynching in occupied West Bank leaves American teenager dead
Details have emerged of the killing of a 19-year-old American from Philadelphia who was shot dead by an armed Israeli settler during a raid on the Palestinian village of Mukhmas in the illegally occupied West Bank.
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West Bank: Israeli settlers set fire to mosque near Nablus
Dozens of Muslim worshippers heading for prayers at around 3:30am reportedly noticed smoke and flames at the Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Mosque, and rushed to put out the blaze. The fire damaged the mosque’s entrance and spread to parts of the interior before it was extinguished, amid a spate of attacks on mosques and churches in the occupied West Bank.
Settler gangs, under the protection of Israeli occupation forces, targeted 45 mosques last year.
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ALL IN A DAY’S WORK: MORE ISRAELI OCCUPATION ACTIONS ON MONDAY:
Israeli Army Abductions and Invasions Sweep West Bank
Israeli Forces Injure Four Palestinians In West Bank
Israeli Colonizers’ Violations in West Bank, Monday
Soldiers Shoot A Palestinian Near Bethlehem
ISRAEL NEWS & HEADLINES:
(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 passes along only factual reporting.)
Israeli settlers join ‘safari’ tour of Palestinian prisoners*
The head of the Israel Prison Service (IPS), Kobi Yaakobi, has invited a group of settlers on a so-called “safari tour” to view Palestinian detainees while they are lying on the floor and handcuffed. The IPS has long been selective about who enters its premises, including restrictions on family and lawyer visitations as well as bans on rights groups from conducting investigations.
*NOTE: The vast majority of the 9,000+ Palestinians being held in Israeli prisons are political prisoners; nearly 3,400 are administrative detainees, being kept behind bars without charge, trial, or access to a lawyer. A growing number are children. Administrative detention is intended to be used only in “exceptional” circumstances, but Israel uses it widely. (Read more here.)
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Israel designates five Palestinian media outlets as ‘terrorist* organizations’
Israeli Channel 12 reported, “Defense Minister Israel Katz signed an order designating these platforms as terrorist organizations,” adding that the outlets “are accused of incitement by focusing on developments in (East) Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque.” The outlets are Alasima News, M3raj Network, Al-Quds Albawsala Network, Maydan Al-Quds, and Plus Quds Network.
*NOTE: The use of the word “terrorist” for an individual or group that resists occupation and oppression, or reports on the resistance, 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.
On October 7th, Hamas was exercising – albeit imperfectly – its internationally recognized right to resist the oppressor and occupier of its people. Hamas fighters attacked Israel after years of oppression and many nonviolent attempts to call attention to the injustice. The UN has passed hundreds of resolutions demanding justice – to no avail.
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Israel’s Netanyahu appears in court for 79th time in ongoing corruption trial
Netanyahu faces charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three cases known as Cases 1000, 2000 and 4000. Prosecutors filed indictments in the cases in late November 2019.
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How Modi ‘broke down walls’ between India, Israel – at Palestine’s expense
Under Modi, India has weakened its longstanding support for the Palestinian cause to embrace Israeli leader Netanyahu, amid the genocide.
NEWS & HEADLINES FROM ISRAELI MEDIA:
(You can learn a lot about a country from its headlines. Get a glimpse inside this country that is rife with turmoil and contradictions that receives $63 million a day from America.)
Against the Law, Ben-Gvir Uses the Police and Prison Service to Promote Death Penalty* for Palestinian “terrorists**”
The national security minister shared videos of himself from police facilities, on police boats and in prisons as part of a campaign to promote the death penalty for terrorists bill, in violation of elections legislation and court orders to stop.
The draft bill in its current form establishes a mandatory death sentence for certain crimes for Palestinians tried in military courts, and removes any possibility for a pardon or commutation of the sentence.
The draft bill passed its first reading in November 2025 in Israel’s Knesset, and is now with the National Security Committee for further deliberation. Itamar Ben Gvir, head of Jewish Power and Minister of National Security, called the bill “the most important bill in the state of Israel’s history.”
*NOTE: Ben Gvir’s push for the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners only 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, 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.
**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.
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Netanyahu’s coalition backs bill putting ultra-Orthodox in charge of Western Wall
Members of his coalition are pushing legislation in the Knesset that would prohibit any religious services or activities at the Kotel that do not meet the approval of the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) chief Rabbinate. Under the bill, anyone who publicly leads or engages in prayer contrary to the Rabbinate’s directive would face up to seven years in jail.
NEWS AND HEADLINES ON IRAN:
Trump Iran airstrikes* decision to be guided by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff’s advice**
Donald Trump’s decision to order airstrikes against Iran will hinge in part on the judgment of Trump’s special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, about whether Tehran is stalling over a deal to relinquish its capacity to produce nuclear weapons, according to people familiar with the matter.
*NOTE: It can not be overemphasized that Israel was behind Trump’s attack. 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 and making America a pariah.
For more background on Israel’s role in American wars, watch IAK’s short film, “The Israeli Hit List.”
**NOTE: The Hill points out: Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and crypto-bitcoin partner Steve Witkoff have been leading the talks over Gaza, Ukraine and now with Iran. Before working with the Trump administration, each had no prior experience as diplomats. And to any reasonable observer, both are deeply conflicted, with outside business interests that would normally be disqualifying.
RELATED:
Only 20 percent of US adults support Trump’s war on Iran: Poll
China supplies Iran with radar, surveillance tech to track US stealth aircraft
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U.S. military buildup can sustain only 4-to 5-day aerial assault against Iran
Israeli intelligence suggests the United States can maintain only four to five days of sustained aerial assaults against Iran. Despite the imminent arrival of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in the region, the report suggests the U.S. military has the capacity for only one week of low-intensity strikes or several days of high-intensity bombardment.
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Report: Joint Chiefs Chairman Warns Trump of Significant Risks if US Attacks Iran
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, the highest-ranking US military officer, has warned President Trump that there would be significant risks that come with attacking Iran, including the possibility of a protracted war, Axios reported on Monday, a report President Trump later denied.
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Trump Admits War Would Be Disastrous for Ordinary Iranians as He Weighs Military Assault
Trump’s acknowledgment that a US military assault would likely be devastating for ordinary Iranians runs counter to the narrative pushed by supporters of war, who claim conflict and regime change is necessary to aid Iran’s population.
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If You Think The US Wants To Bring Democracy To Iran, Watch What They’re Currently Doing To Iraq
President Trump has been aggressively threatening to cut off Iraq’s oil revenue if it allows the return to office of former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki, whom the Trump administration views as too sympathetic to Iran.
‘Complete gamechanger’: Iran close to buying supersonic anti‑ship missiles from China
Deal for purchase of CM‑302 missiles, with range of 180 miles, is nearing completion, though delivery date and quantity unclear; expert says they are ‘very difficult to intercept.’
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The Multibillion-dollar Arms Deals Driving India’s Modi’s Visit to Israel
Indian media estimate the deals could total $10 billion and are expected to focus on air defense systems against missiles and drones. ‘The mini-war with Pakistan last year led to a shift. India woke up.’
NOTABLE QUOTE: “Iran does not pose an existential threat to Israel”
Israeli historian Avi Shlaim, on Israel’s faux fear of being destroyed by Iran:
Benjamin Netanyahu’s propaganda war against the Islamic Republic of Iran overlooks a few basic facts.
One, Iran has never attacked any of its neighbors; Israel never stops attacking its neighbors in all directions.
Two, Iran has signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; Israel has not.
Three, Iran has submitted to inspection of its facilities by the International Atomic Energy Agency; Israel has not.
Four, Iran has no nuclear weapons and has repeatedly disavowed the intention to produce them, while Israel has nuclear weapons.
It follows that Iran does not pose an existential threat to Israel as Netanyahu keeps insisting; Israel, by virtue of its nuclear monopoly, poses an existential threat to Iran.
OTHER NEWS & HEADLINES:
House Democrats introduce bill to bar U.S. weapons if Israel violates Gaza cease-fire
More than two dozen House Democrats backed legislation introduced Monday that would ban the use of U.S.-origin weapons in Gaza and the West Bank if Israel violates the Trump administration’s 20-point plan, violates the October 2025 cease-fire, or fails to combat settler violence against Palestinians.
RELATED:
AIPAC Lobbies Against a Bill to Ensure Israel Complies With the Ceasefire
I created the Leahy Law. It should be applied to Israel.
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Backing Israel cost Democrats 2024 election, post-mortem reveals
Support for Israel was a key factor in the 2024 loss in the presidential election, an internal Democratic autopsy has found, according to a report by Axios. Senior party officials have concluded that Joe Biden’s unwavering backing of Israel’s genocide on Gaza cost the Democrats critical support among younger and progressive voters.
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Francesca Albanese is a powerful voice for justice, which is why the Israel lobby is trying to silence her
Israel lobby groups have spread doctored quotes by UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Francesca Albanese to defame her. Their desperate campaign is a testament to her work and the threat she poses by holding Israel accountable for genocide.
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Huckabee Accused of Inciting Murder After Israeli Settlers Kill Palestinian-American Teen
“The US ambassador to Israel is engaging in empowering and allowing for actions that lead to the targeted lynching and killing of US citizens,” said one group (read about Amb. Mike Huckabee’s highly problematic interview last week with Tucker Carlson here and here).
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South Africa calls on UN member states to recognize Palestinian statehood
Pretoria reiterates its unwavering support and solidarity with Palestinian people at Geneva meeting of UN Human Rights Council.
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Paramount Skydance reportedly increases bid for Warner Bros Discovery*
*NOTE: Why is this article listed, even though Palestine and Israel are not mentioned? Israel and its advocates have spent enormous sums in recent months, in a scramble to rehabilitate Israel’s genocide-tarnished image: pro-Israel billionaires (including Paramount Skydance owner David Ellison) have bought social media corporations and TV networks in order to control their content; Israel has hired influencers to whitewash its image, media creators to manipulate artificial intelligence chatbots, and enlisted organizations to target groups with pro-Israel propaganda.
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“I know that those 100,000 will not all be Hamas members,” TV journalist Zvi Yehezkeli said, after estimating Hamas only had around 20,000 members in the besieged strip. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says he is still considering whether to deny Yehezkeli a visa for an upcoming fundraising tour.
ICYMI, A SELECTION OF YESTERDAY’S HEADLINES:
Over 100 Palestinians arrested by Israel in West Bank since start of Ramadan, rights group says
(Read yesterday’s daily update here.)
STATISTICS OCTOBER 7, 2023 – FEBRUARY 23, 2026*:
- At least 73,190 Palestinians killed, 182,749 injured – including:
- At least 72,073 killed in Gaza (~22,000 children, 33,000 women and girls)
- At least 1,117 killed in the West Bank (~230 children)
- At least 171,749 injured in Gaza
- About 11,000 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; 3,000 more are reportedly missing, with no information about their fate.
Additionally, the numbers of injured and starved are very conservative estimates. Only the dead who are brought to hospitals are included in the official fatality count.
At least 25 Palestinians in Gaza have died due to the extreme cold, including 21 children, since the start of Israel’s genocidal war in October 2023. At least 11 Palestinian children have died of extreme cold this winter.
Reported Israeli death toll from October 7, 2023 – February 23, 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.
By one count, Israeli attacks have killed approximately 281 Palestinian journalists and media workers (as of Jan. 21, 2026); Palestinians have killed 4 Israeli journalists (other groups have tallied between 215 and 333 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)
- Footage Shows Israeli Troops Waiting in Ambush, Then Opening Fire on a Palestinian Teen
- The US is on the brink of a major new war that Trump has not even bothered explaining
- Latest Epstein document dump is one more cover-up
- No Protection, No Justice: US Citizens Killed with Impunity by Israel
- Maria Farmer: Epstein Victim Reveals Explosive Information Covered Up by Media
- ‘Christians Out’: Jerusalem Church Tagged With Hate Graffiti, Police Investigating
- Israeli Settlers Kill American Teen
- ‘We returned from hell’: Palestinian journalists recount torture in Israeli prisons
- Tucker Carlson interrogated in Israel, has passport seized after interviewing US ambassador
- 6,000 Amputees in Gaza Face Impossible Recovery amid Israeli War Ultimatum
- Compliant aid: Who are the Israel-approved NGOs scaling up in Gaza?
- Israel’s Favorite American President
- Israel’s “Yellow Line” Is a Death Trap for Palestinians. We Drove Into It.
- Why Israel’s expanding occupation in Syria presents a critical legal test
