News roundup for Saturday, June 20, 2026, Day 988 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.
At least 10 people, including four from one family, were killed in Israeli attacks Saturday on Gaza.
Al Jazeera cameraman Ahmed Wishah killed in Israeli attack in Gaza*: He was among two people killed in a raid on Bureij refugee camp. Al Jazeera condemned Israel’s ‘deliberate’ targeting of Wishah, the network’s 12th media worker killed in Gaza since October 2023. Ahmed’s brother Mohammad (a journalist) was killed by an Israeli attack in April. Al Jazeera affirmed its plan to take legal measures against the perpetrators of the crimes, and will not allow Israel to silence the voice of truth.
The Israeli military claimed that Ahmed Wishah was a “terrorist” and a “sniper operative” for Hamas, doubling as a photojournalist. It added, “Due to his recent military activity and the threat he posed to IDF troops operating in the area, he was eliminated in a precise aerial strike.” His brother Mohammad had supposedly worked in Hamas’ rocket and weapons production headquarters, posing as a journalist. This alleged linking of media workers with Hamas has been shown over and over to be Israeli propaganda.
*NOTE: By one count, Israeli attacks have killed approximately 283 Palestinian journalists and media workers; other groups have tallied between 212 and 366 Palestinian journalists killed – depending on the criteria used). Palestinians killed 4 Israeli journalists, all on October 7, 2023.
‘Reproductive genocide’: Rapid decline in birth rates, rise in abortions amid Israel’s war on Gaza: Gazan women report health issues related to toxic fumes from the heavy Israeli bombardment, and lack of access to medical services early on due to the shelling and damage to healthcare centers.
DEATH TOLL – GAZA GENOCIDE (tentative):
- At least 1,007 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.
- 73,018 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 dumping and burning of electronic waste in West Bank causes rise in cancer, birth defects: Strict laws in Israel regulate how waste is collected, processed, and disposed of, while there are no Israeli laws that explicitly prohibit the transfer of waste from Israel to the West Bank.
Israeli occupiers injure 3 Palestinians in occupied 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.
Widespread protests in Israel demand Netanyahu’s departure, criticize his policies: Several Israeli cities witnessed demonstrations Saturday against the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, while police in Jerusalem confiscated sound equipment used by protesters.
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.
Iran’s central military command announced the re-closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday morning, citing Israel’s continued bombing of Lebanon as violations of U.S. ceasefire commitments. “In view of the United States’ bad faith and its clear breach of its commitments by failing to implement the first article of the memorandum ending the war, and in response to the continuous and ongoing violation of the ceasefire by the Zionist regime in southern Lebanon… the Strait of Hormuz will be closed to the passage of vessels,” the statement said.
Israel killed at least 29 people in Lebanon on Saturday, following airstrikes on Friday which killed at least 83 people, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. At least some of the Friday strikes occurred after the declared renewal of the ceasefire.
The Israeli army claimed on Saturday that its attacks on Lebanon over the past two days were in response* to “flagrant violations” by Hezbollah, while the Lebanese group said it remains committed to the ceasefire despite Israeli violations.
*NOTE: This framing of Israel’s actions as “retaliatory” enables Israel to portray itself as the victim – although it has killed over 4,000 Lebanese since the “ceasefire” began.This is part of Israel’s perpetual use of “self-defense” as an excuse for attacking.
RELATED: Is “Israel Has a Right to Defend Itself” Code for “We Are Killing the Geneva Conventions”?
The Israeli army has reportedly halted fire in Lebanon while keeping its forces in areas it seized inside southern Lebanese territory, amid continued tensions along the border. Israel’s Channel 12 said the move came on the instructions of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich promises that Israel will stay in the security zone it is holding inside Lebanon for years to come, and won’t withdraw even in the face of an explicit US demand to do so.
Israeli attack kills famed turtle sanctuary ecologist in Lebanon
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 4,057 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:
Somaliland mulls possibility of Israeli military base on its territory: The prospect of a military base was raised in meetings between Somaliland’s president and Israeli defense minister Israel Katz, with Israel very interested due to Somaliland’s strategic location near the Bab al-Mandab Strait. (Read the background of Israel and Somaliland’s relationship here and here.)
ICYMI, A SELECTION OF YESTERDAY’S HEADLINES:
Fatalities From Israel’s Vast Gaza Genocide Deliberately Undercounted
Israeli settlers launch coordinated 24-hour rampage across occupied West Bank
‘Psychopath’ Ben-Gvir Slammed for Demand That ‘All Lebanon Must Burn’
(Read yesterday’s daily update here.)
STATISTICS OCTOBER 7, 2023 – June 20, 2026*:
- At least 74,187 Palestinians killed, 185,909 injured – including:
- Gaza: at least 73,018 killed (~22,000 children, 33,000 women and girls), 173,273 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 20, 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.
- Human rights reports on Israel-Palestine (regularly updated)
- Israelis Invaded Lebanon And Then Cried Victim When Their Soldiers Got Killed
- FARA Docs: Israel is Spying On Millions Of Christian Americans In Their Churches
- Why US presidents from both parties end up cursing Benjamin Netanyahu
- Israel Asked Facebook to Censor Iran War Content, Internal Documents Show
- 15 articles a day: The extent of the Israeli army’s media interference
- Greek Orthodox Patriarchate denounces Israeli seizure of church land in Jerusalem
- How Hillel International uses antisemitism training and ‘campus climate’ concerns to attack Palestine solidarity
- Trita Parsi on the Iran deal, Israel, and how Iran has been a ‘cash cow’ for AIPAC
- Unmasking Axios, its Israeli ties and agenda
- Israel Is Bleeding Support in the U.S. – and Pouring Tens of Millions Into Trying to Change That
- Israeli army included on UN blacklist for 3rd year over ‘grave violations’ against children
- Trita Parsi on the Iran deal, Israel, and how Iran has been a ‘cash cow’ for AIPAC
- What Ceasefire? Israel Has Now Killed Over 1,000 Palestinians in Gaza Since October
- U.S. Whole-of-Government Takeover by Israel
