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 842nd day.)
Four Palestinians, including a child, were killed and several others wounded Monday in Israeli strikes targeting displacement tents and a shelter in Gaza despite a ceasefire, medical sources said.
Since the “ceasefire” began on October 11, Israel has killed at least 529 Palestinians. At least 1,462 have been injured. Death toll figures are tentative.
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.
Israel has so far violated the 11 October ceasefire deal in Gaza at least 1,450 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.
Just five medical patients leave Gaza after Israel reopens Rafah crossing
Israel has reopened Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt for limited traffic after almost two years of closure, but only five Palestinian patients were permitted to leave Gaza on the first day. Ambulances had waited for hours to ferry patients across the border, with the crossing finally happening after sunset. An additional 12 Palestinians entered Gaza.
Around 80,000 Palestinians who were forcibly displaced from Gaza during the genocide are seeking to return, and over 20,000 wounded and ill Palestinians who are in need of leaving the strip for urgent medical care.
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With Desalination Plants Destroyed, Families in Gaza Are Drinking Salty Water
Rahma Fadi, a mother of six living in a tent near Al-Maghazi refugee camp, told me: “When my children cry from thirst, I give them salty water and pray for God’s mercy. What else can I do?”
Since the beginning of the genocide, she has been unable to access clean water. With desalination plants out of service for many months, her daily routine — and that of her children — has become a long wait for a rare water truck that may or may not arrive. Even when the truck does arrive, the water is often unsafe to drink, stored in plastic jerrycans surrounded by flies. But she has no other choice (continue reading here).
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Going back to Gaza’s broken universities
Education is the place to start for anyone who wants to rebuild their lives and communities amid a genocidal war. Gaza proved this: we kept learning even as the bombs fell around us.
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UAE seeks to take over full civil administration in Gaza with Israeli backing
Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Sunday evening that the UAE has held talks in recent weeks with the United States and Israel about managing civilian matters in Gaza. The report said Abu Dhabi aims to oversee all civil affairs in the territory and plans to invest billions of dollars in Gaza.
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‘Red line’: Global NGOs working in Gaza defy Israel’s threats after MSF ban
Eight more charities say they will not hand Israel details about their Palestinian staff, fearing for their safety.
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The latest propaganda campaign targeting Palestinian detainee Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya reflects the long-standing Israeli strategy of misrepresenting Palestinian civil institutions, deliberately collapsing the distinction between civilian government workers and resistance fighters… pic.twitter.com/VBnFmazJ1U
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) February 1, 2026
IRAN NEWS AND HEADLINES:
The Trump administration’s (and Democrats‘ – and previous administrations‘) desire for regime change and military weakening of Iran is wholly in the interests of Israel. The bad blood between the US and Iran is due in great part to American meddling. The cost – in both lives and tax dollars – of a war with Iran on Israel’s behalf could be staggering.
Trump says ‘probably bad things will happen’ if deal not reached with Iran
‘We have ships heading to Iran right now, big ones, the biggest and the best, and we have talks going on with Iran. We’ll see how it all works out,’ says US president.
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Israel Predicts US–Iran Talks Will Falter Ahead of Planned Istanbul Negotiations
Israeli occupation officials and military analysts are openly casting doubt on the upcoming US–Iran negotiations scheduled to begin Friday in Istanbul, warning that the talks are unlikely to address what Tel Aviv considers its most pressing security concerns.
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.)
Israeli Forces Kill a Palestinian Near Qalqilia
Israeli forces killed a Palestinian man, Omar Zuhair Suweirki, from the Gaza Strip on Monday evening, while he and others were near the Apartheid wall, south of Qalqilia in the northwestern part of the occupied West Bank.
The army claimed that its forces opened fire towards four young men who were attempting to enter Israel over the Apartheid wall south of Qalqilia, resulting in the death of one of them.
Since the beginning of the Israeli military aggression against the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, occupation forces have killed 1111 Palestinian citizens in the occupied West Bank, including 230 children and 24 women.
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‘A violation of our history’: Palestinian uproar over Israel’s plan to seize historic West Bank site
The small town of Sebastia in the West Bank lies a hundred meters or less east of a Byzantine-era church, surrounded by Roman columns and even older ruins. ruins, everyone is very worried. Israel is about to seize the whole of the sprawling hilltop archaeological site next to the town – the largest ever seizure of land for an archaeological project since Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967.
“Unfortunately Sebastia has gone into a dark tunnel,” said Mahmud Azem, the mayor of Sebastia. “It is an aggression against Palestinian landowners, against olive trees, against tourist sites and it is a violation of the history and the heritage of Palestine” (continue reading here).
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Israel orders demolition* of 14 homes, affecting 120 residents, in Jerusalem
Israeli authorities informed residents of 14 homes in the al-Bustan neighborhood of Silwan, south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, on Sunday evening that their houses were to be demolished. The authorities said the homes had been built without permits and plan to replace the area with so-called “biblical gardens.”
*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.
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ALL IN A DAY’S WORK: MORE ISRAELI OCCUPATION ACTIONS ON MONDAY:
West Bank Invasions, Abductions And Violations, Monday
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.)
The new era of Israeli expansionism and the war economy that fuels it
Israel has entered a new era of territorial expansionism and military aggression beyond the borders of historic Palestine. Its belligerent actions have accelerated across Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran, Qatar, Libya, and most recently, Somaliland. These developments aren’t due to a change in Israeli strategic ambitions, but rather to the loosening of constraints that had kept it bounded before October 2023.
This expansionist turn reflects a structural recalibration of risk, leverage, and international tolerance rather than a sudden ideological shift. But it is also due to the way Israel’s economy is now structured: the military industry has been carrying the economy ever since Israel experienced a level of global isolation that decimated most other sectors over the past two years. The result? Israel now has an additional structural incentive to be in a perpetual state of war (continue reading here).
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Israeli police detain local officials suspected of pocketing aid sent after Oct 7 attack
Israeli authorities on Monday detained a group of local Israeli officials and businesspeople that investigators suspect siphoned off millions in Gaza-bound wartime aid, announcing a fraud inquiry involving donations that poured in after October 7, 2023.
Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Ministry said in a March 2024 report that at least $1.4 billion had been donated by that time, as local councils worked alongside nonprofits worldwide to strengthen social services to support evacuees. Local authorities and associated municipal businesses “received a substantial amount” of the funds, particularly the councils near the Gaza border.
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Israel violently bombs south Lebanon*, drops ‘unknown chemicals’
Israel carried out several violent attacks on southern Lebanon on 2 February, hitting at least 8 villages and resulting in at least one death.
UNIFIL, the United Nations mandated peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, said the Israeli military notified them that they would be dropping “a non-toxic chemical substance over areas near the Blue Line,” and peacekeepers should take cover. Israel has historically used illegal white phosphorus bombs in attacks on Lebanon, causing scores of casualties; the chemical also impacts agriculture.
*NOTE: 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, and killing over 300. Additionally, Israel continues to occupy five Lebanese hilltops seized during the latest war, and other Lebanese areas it has held for decades.
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.)
Israel Court Claims It Can’t Protect Palestinians Because Settlers* “Do Not Obey Orders”
Residents of the West Bank village of Ras Ein al-Auja filed a petition to Israel’s high court almost a year ago, demanding that Israeli security forces protect them from the constant settler harassment. The petition was not heard until after the last of the community’s residents were forced to flee their homes and after the court repeatedly denied their requests for various injunctions.
Their attorney said that now, the court must allow the Palestinian residents to return to their homes, but that even if the court rules in their favor, the order will not suffice because the settlers do not obey court orders (continue reading here).
*NOTE: Israel has illegally built around 280 settlements on Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, which are home to more than 700,000 illegal settlers. Some settler groups have a history of violence against Palestinians, often with the assistance of Israeli military forces (a phenomenon that has grown significantly worse since October 7th, 2023).
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 in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
(*NOTE: Learn about Israeli settler violence here and here.)
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Out-of-control Hooded Settlers: Jewish Outpost Was Evacuated 9 Times – and Rebuilt Immediately
Settlers keep returning to the latest illegal West Bank outpost of Kol Mevaser – sometimes in less than an hour. They also keep violently attacking a nearby Bedouin community.
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Israeli Law Enforcement Has Become Selective and Criminality Is Now State Policy
Police Commissioner Danny Levy continues to grovel before National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and the criminal government of which he is an honorary member, even at the cost of forsaking the police force’s basic duty to enforce the laws of the State of Israel.
Israel’s Communication Minister Wants a Compromised, Dependent, Biased Press
Israel Demands Hamas Disarmament, but No International Force Is in Gaza to Enforce It
The Israeli military had recently set up collection points across the Yellow Line where Hamas is supposed to hand over its weapons to international stabilization forces. However, the Israeli military notes that so far, there has been no sign that any handover process has begun.
Israeli Land Registration Drive in East Jerusalem Fuels Fears of Palestinian Dispossession
Palestinian residents feared land registration will be used to expropriate land and register it in the name of Jewish Israelis. ‘The Israeli government is once again exploiting the registration process to promote massive land grabs in East Jerusalem,’ says NGO Ir Amim.
EPSTEIN-ISRAEL NEWS & HEADLINES:
The Jeffrey Epstein saga expands every day with new anecdotes of intrigue, treachery, and depravity – one common, grossly underreported thread is the almost constant presence of Israel, Israeli, and pro-Israel players in Epstein’s orbit. Drop Site News and other alternative outlets have covered this story well; If Americans Knew has shared their work consistently. With every new Epstein-Israel revelation, mainstream media falls farther behind, and truth takes a hit. For more headlines on Epstein’s deep connections to Israel see recent IAK Daily Update here, and check here.
Epstein advised former Israeli PM Ehud Barak to ‘look at’ Palantir
In leaked audio recording, convicted sex offender promotes Peter Thiel’s tech company, which became crucial to Israeli war effort.
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Ex-Israeli premier Ehud Barak sought Epstein’s help to secure Trump interview with Israeli media, documents show
Email from former Israeli leader to Jeffrey Epstein proposed using media connections to persuade US President Donald Trump to speak to Israeli outlets.
OTHER NEWS & HEADLINES:
Trump Seeks $1 Billion From ‘Strongly Antisemitic Harvard’ as Two Sides Remain Far From Deal
‘We are now seeking One Billion Dollars in damages, and want nothing further to do, into the future, with Harvard University,’ Trump wrote. His administration has been threatening to withhold federal funds from Harvard over issues including pro-Palestinian protests.
*NOTE: Pro-Israel organizations consistently work to silence Palestine advocacy on campus – a free speech violation. One strategy they use is to pressure universities to officially adopt the IHRA “definition” of antisemitism, which defines legitimate criticism of Israel as antisemitic. Other strategies include blocking prestigious appointments of and events with supporters of Palestinian rights, threatening to withhold major donations (Trump’s lawsuit is a variation of this), and more.
Typically, any move by university administration that defies the standard pro-Israel position is followed by an apology like the one Sonoma State University’s president Mike Lee issued – an apology that recognizes only the sentiments of pro-Israel students and ignoring the actual issues of free speech and divestment from Israel.
Pro-Palestine demonstrations on college campuses have overall been peaceful and non-confrontational, and have notably included a significant number of Jewish students. When there has been violence, it has typically come from pro-Israel counter-protesters and police.
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Dockworkers from dozens of Mediterranean ports coordinate action against Israeli arms shipments
Dockworkers across Europe and North Africa plan a major strike under the banner ‘Dockworkers Don’t Work for War.’
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Australian charity funneling millions in donations directly to Israeli soldiers: Report
United Israel Appeal transfers donations to Keren Hayesod, which has a support program for diaspora Jews who enlist in Israeli army.
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France Issues Arrest Warrants Against Two Israeli-French Women for Blocking Gaza Aid Trucks*
According to a report in French newspaper Le Monde, the two women are suspected of aiding and abetting genocide in Gaza. The warrants were issued over the summer as part of an ongoing investigation into French citizens who delayed aid trucks during the Gaza war.
*NOTE: Israeli settlers have blocked aid trucks on many occasions throughout the war. A few examples are here and here.
ICYMI, A SELECTION OF YESTERDAY’S HEADLINES:
IDF Blocks Palestinian Bedouins From Rebuilding Their West Bank Homes Burned by Israeli Settlers
Israel Continues to Hold 776 Bodies of Identified Palestinians, Other Nationals
Partial release of Epstein files sparks panic among pro-Israel billionaires
(Read yesterday’s daily update here.)
STATISTICS OCTOBER 7, 2023 – FEBRUARY 2, 2026*:
- At least 72,914 Palestinians killed, 182,570 injured – including:
- At least 71,803 killed in Gaza (~22,000 children, 33,000 women and girls)
- At least 1,111 killed in the West Bank (~230 children)
- At least 171,570 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 10,000 more are still buried under rubble. 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.
Reported Israeli death toll from October 7, 2023 – February 2, 2026: ~1,661 – including ~1,139** on October 7, 2023 (~36 children), 471 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)
- Trump Again Bypasses U.S. Congress to Push $6 Billion in Arms Sales to Israel
- NBA Star Stephen Curry’s Ties To Israeli Military Intelligence
- ‘Apocalyptic wasteland’: Biden admin. blocked warning on deteriorating Gaza situation after Oct. 7
- Why Israeli counterterrorism tactics are showing up in Minnesota
- Israel Went to Extremes to Return Ran Gvili’s Body. Why Doesn’t It Accord Dead Palestinians the Same Respect?
- Across the West, speaking for Palestine is now a crime
- A West Bank Bus Trip Through ‘the Best Documented Ethnic Cleansing in History’
- Mike Huckabee’s distorted theology does not speak for Christians worldwide
- CBS Evening News” With Tony Dokoupil Is Ellisons’ & Weiss’s Pro-Israel Show
- A Generation on Hold: Inside Gaza’s Collapsing Education System
- Born Under Siege: A Gaza Family Waited 17 Years—Their Baby Survived Six Months
- “Emperor” Trump’s So-Called Board of Peace Erases Palestinians from Gaza Governance
- Playful Post on Tel Aviv Park Omits That It Was Built on Ruins of Palestinian Neighborhood
- Palestinian developer gains massive user support for app challenging censorship
