Israel forces Gazans to live in constant peril – Daily Update

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Israel forces Gazans to live in constant peril – Daily Update
The damaged al-Najma building is among the structures at risk of collapse in Gaza. Notice spraypainted on the column says, "Building is dangerous, Gaza municipality" (Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera)

News roundup for Saturday, September 26, 2026, Day 1,088 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.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The number of Palestinians being killed in Gaza is lower since the October 2025 “ceasefire” began, over 345 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 with organizations like the United Nations and Amnesty International, maintain that the genocide is ongoing.

Israeli forces continued violating the Gaza “ceasefire” on Saturday for the 352nd consecutive day, killing three Palestinians, including a child, and wounding several others while firing live rounds and carrying out aerial and artillery attacks across the besieged coastal enclave.

262 Palestinian journalists killed by Israel since Gaza war: Media office: Israeli offensive injured 433 journalists, with losses on media sector exceeding $800 million, Government Media Office says.

Hamas slams Board of Peace for refusal to work with UNRWA* in Gaza: The US-created Board’s decision is “a complete alignment with the Zionist [Israeli] position”, aimed at ending UNRWA’s operations, preventing it from delivering aid to Palestinians and eliminating the right of return, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said on Saturday.

*NOTE: UNRWA, the United Nations body with a mandate to help Palestinian refugees, has been serving nearly 6 million registered Palestine refugees refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, and elsewhere for decades as they wait for their internationally recognized right of return to be activated.

After a years-long campaign to dismantle UNRWA, Israel outlawed the organization following an unsubstantiated accusation that 12 employees (out of a staff of 13,000) were part of the October 2023 attack. Israel’s brief dossier, allegedly proving their guilt, offered no compelling evidence. As of June 2026, Israel has still failed to provide evidence to back up its accusations against UNRWA.

To learn the real reason why Israel is targeting UNRWA, read this.

‘Nowhere else to go’: Gaza families shelter in buildings that may collapse: Three years of Israel’s war has left families in Gaza living in damaged buildings, with few safe alternatives available.

Israeli restrictions on the entry of tents, tarpaulins and other essential shelter materials* are making the situation more difficult, leaving Gaza in a state of limbo, unable to move on from the war, particularly as Israel can choose to escalate the conflict at any time.

*NOTE: In August 2026, the UN said Israeli authorities had twice rejected requests for delivery of nearly 37,000 pieces of timber and 660 emergency shelter kits on security grounds. OCHA warned that this would severely restrict efforts to improve makeshift shelters and carry out emergency repairs to damaged homes ahead of winter.

UNICEF estimates that nearly 84 percent of Gaza’s population, more than 1.76 million people, are living in overcrowded displacement sites or damaged and inadequate shelters, with little protection from cold, heavy rain and flooding.

GAZA DEATH TOLL (tentative) since “ceasefire” began Oct. 11, 2025:

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.)

After Months-Long Settler Invasion, Palestinian Family Still Unable to Return Home Despite Court Orders: Despite a High Court order, the state postponed securing the family’s return to their homes near the West Bank village of Jalud, as settlers continue encroaching on Palestinian property in the area.

The family watched security camera footage showing settlers entering their homes. Settlers had also been filmed there Wednesday evening, while access roads were again blocked with stones. Witnesses said the sound of damage being caused inside the homes could be heard from the village.

Israeli occupiers (i.e. settlers) establish new settlement outpost* in occupied West Bank: Rights group: Occupiers raid Palestinian area near Hebron as Israeli forces uproot olive trees near Jenin, according to Palestinian sources.

*NOTE: More than 780,000 settlers live illegally on Palestinian land in over almost 600 Jewish-only 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. It is noteworthy that settlers are only rarely prosecuted for their crimes. 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 divert West Bank spring water as Israel backs ‘heritage site’ takeovers: Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are losing access to springs and ancient pools vital to farming and tourism as Israeli settlers increasingly take control.

Israeli army raids university campus in occupied West Bank: Raid comes while students were taking exams amid Israeli military escalation in West Bank.

Israeli Forces Invade Several West Bank Communities

Palestine opens registration for Nov. 28 legislative vote

DEATH TOLL SINCE OCT. 7, 2023 – 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.

Israel bans Arab parties from election: Who they are, why it matters: Israeli politicians under ICC arrest warrants or international sanctions remain eligible to run.

Israel Imprisons 39 Palestinian Journalists, 22 Under Administrative Detention

5 Israeli opposition leaders agree to coordinate campaign to replace Netanyahu government in next month’s elections: Party chiefs pledge to halt mutual attacks, form joint teams on election turnout, government platform, and media coordination.

ISRAELI MEDIA: Opposition Leaders Agree to Decide Who Will Lead Next Government Only After Elections: The five party chiefs pledged to form joint teams on voter turnout, government guidelines and disinformation, after weeks of infighting and as polls show their bloc narrowing the gap with Netanyahu’s.

ISRAELI MEDIA: Gadi Eisenkot, the main rival to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in next month’s general election, said in an interview that Netanyahu is a “pathological liar” and accused him of possible “treason.”

ISRAELI MEDIA: Four Years of Eroding Women’s Rights in Israel. Can the Election Reverse the Trend? Under Israel’s current government, women have lost political power, gender segregation has expanded and female soldiers increasingly face restrictions to accommodate ultra-Orthodox troops.

ISRAELI MEDIA: Hamas Out, Ireland In: Israel’s Next War Is on the Soccer Field: Ireland’s national team coach, Heimir Hallgrímsson, quipped: “We’re not playing with genocide, we’re playing against genocide. We’re playing against Israel, we’re not playing with Israel.”

Netanyahu blocking inquiry into Oct. 7 events, says former Israeli intelligence officer: Israeli premier was ‘warned, alerted’ before Oct. 7 but ‘he ignored it all,’ says Barak Seri.

Egypt’s Warning to Israel: Israeli, Arab, and U.S. officials all experienced the same phenomenon in 2023: an arrogance on the part of Netanyahu that Israel had the upper hand against Hamas. When presented with the prospect that something unprecedented was in the works, “They were confident—even cocky—that they had the situation under control.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN Headquarters in New York, United States, on September 24, 2026.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN Headquarters in New York, United States, on September 24, 2026. (Selçuk Acar – Anadolu Agency)

IRAN, LEBANON, & SYRIA – NEWS & HEADLINES:

IRAN

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.

President Donald Trump told reporters Saturday that he had rejected a proposal for a week-long ceasefire with Iran and expects to resume the air war after the November midterm elections.

LEBANON

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.

ISRAELI MEDIA: IDF Strikes Hezbollah in Lebanon After Explosive Drone Fired at Israeli Troops Overnight

SYRIA

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.

DEATH TOLL – WARS ON IRAN & LEBANON (tentative):
  • United States: 22 since Feb. 28, 2026 (the Trump admin denies this number)
  • Iran: at least 3,636 since Feb. 28, 2026
  • Lebanon: at least 4,386 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 40 soldiers, 4 civilians)

MORE NEWS & HEADLINES:

‘War criminals’ belong in courtrooms, not at UN rostrum: Turkish president

NAZA film-makers address threats at documentary’s New York City premiere: Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor defend findings on Israel’s killing of Palestinians amid threats from Israeli officials.

Huckabee blames ‘biblical illiteracy’ for waning support for Israel in US: In an interview with NewsNation, the ambassador suggested there were three sources of declining support for Israel: disinformation and foreign propaganda, a hatred of those who believe in God, and not knowing the Bible*. “You add all that together, I guess you just want to be mad at Israel and blame them for everything,” he said.

Huckabee claimed that accusations of genocide in Gaza and that Israel is an apartheid state** are false, and Americans would have a more favorable view of Israel if they would “look at the truth”.

*NOTE: Many Christians don’t know what the Bible says about Israel and God’s chosen people; many others think they know. Both groups owe themselves an honest look at the themes and patterns of the Bible as a whole, which might reveal a few surprises. Start here.

**NOTE: 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.To read an Israeli perspective, see A regime of Jewish supremacy from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea: This is apartheid.

 

Canadian MP demoted for supporting restrictions on arms exports to Israel: Despite a 2024 announcement that arms shipments to Israel would be suspended, independent investigations have found that military cargo from Canada to Israel has continued to flow ‘uninterrupted.’

Palestinian hunger strikers hospitalized in Brussels as protest continues: Five Palestinians have been on hunger strike for two weeks, seeking the evacuation of their wives and children from Gaza. The families have reportedly been stranded in Gaza since the beginning of the war, despite having received Belgian family reunification visas last year.

According to the activists, around 1,500 Palestinians in Gaza who hold Belgian visas remain unable to leave because the borders are closed.

Irish footballers to wear black armbands in Sunday game against Israel: Amid calls for withdrawal, Irish team intends to wear black armbands ‘in recognition of all lives lost in the conflict,’ says Football Association of Ireland CEO.

Palestinian careers adviser who was allegedly told to stop wearing keffiyeh at Sydney school sues for racial discrimination: Wasim El-Haj alleges NSW government school ordered him to stop wearing symbolic garment as it ‘may cause discord.’

ICYMI, A SELECTION OF YESTERDAY’S HEADLINES:

Netanyahu just incited genocide in his UN speech. Here’s what you missed

Inside Gaza’s ‘widows camp,’ where women now support their families alone

UN says Israel’s 942 checkpoints, barriers in occupied West Bank

What’s in Iran’s seven-day plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz?

(Read yesterday’s daily update here.)

Palestinians struggle to survive as Netanyahu claims the moral high ground
Palestinians struggle to survive as Netanyahu claims the moral high ground (Saeed M. M. T. Jaras – Anadolu Agency)

STATISTICS OCTOBER 7, 2023 – SEPTEMBER 26, 2026*:

  • At least 75,221 Palestinians killed, 188,068 injured – including:
  • Gaza: at least 74,016 killed (~22,000 children, 33,000 women and girls), 175,068 injured.
  • West Bank/East Jerusalem: at least 1,205 killed (~251 children), 13,000 injured

*NOTE: Thousands of remains in Gaza have yet to be identified, and as many as 15,000 more are still buried under rubble; others are reportedly missing. 

Reported Israeli death toll from October 7, 2023 – September 26, 2026: ~1,663 – including ~1,139** on October 7, 2023 (~36 children), 472 military forces during the ground invasion of 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

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