Compilation of news reports – IAK staff
As ten countries recognized Palestinian statehood, Israeli forces killed at least 68 Palestinians in Gaza on Sunday; no aid seekers were killed. In total, Israel has killed at least 2,523 aid seekers since May 27, 2025 (learn about aid seekers here).
The total known number of Palestinians who have died from malnutrition stands at 442, including 147 children.
For detail on Israeli attacks in Gaza on Sunday, go here.
GAZA NEWS:
(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.)
EIGHT KILLED IN ISRAELI BOMBING OF CIVILIAN GATHERING: Eight civilians, including four children and two women, were killed and 22 others, mostly women and children, were injured when Israeli occupation aircraft targeted a gathering of civilians in front of an UNRWA clinic in the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.
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Israeli army detonates 17 booby-trapped vehicles daily in Gaza City, each equivalent to a 3.7-magnitude earthquake
The Israeli army has converted decommissioned American-made M113 armored personnel carriers into booby-trapped robots, each loaded with no less than seven tons of explosives, and directed them to explode in the midst of densely populated neighborhoods.
This represents a more extreme and brutal adaptation of tactics once used by ISIS in Syria and Iraq, widely condemned at the time, yet now permitted for Israel to employ on a larger scale and with greater devastation, without accountability, reflecting stark double standards in the international system.
Booby-trapped vehicles fall under the category of indiscriminate weapons prohibited under international humanitarian law, as their wide-scale blast effects inevitably strike civilians and civilian property in violation of the principles of distinction and proportionality. Their use in populated areas constitutes a war crime, and when resulting in widespread killing, forced displacement, or deprivation of life essentials as part of a systematic attack against civilians, also constitutes a crime against humanity (continue reading here).
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Displaced Palestinians hounded by aerial surveillance, attacks
Israel is deploying advanced technology in the air. These quadcopters are patrolling within neighborhoods – they come close to windows and balconies, using loudspeakers with intimidating language to push them from their homes.
They’re threatened to leave immediately. They don’t get enough time to salvage any of their belongings.
The moment they step outside, they feel like running because they’re being chased by these quadcopters, exposed to aerial surveillance and attacks.
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‘No soap, no gloves’: Volunteer doctor in Gaza
A volunteer Australian doctor working in Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital has described the dire conditions she and her colleagues face treating severely injured patients amid critical shortages of supplies. “We are hardly surviving and hardly able to help anyone,” said Dr Nada Abu Alrub.
“There’s no equipment. They’re down to the very basics, running out of working scissors,” she said. “There’s no soap in the theatre rooms to scrub in, no gloves – nothing at all. We’re treating patients on the floor, mass casualty after mass casualty.”
The Israeli military has repeatedly struck close to the hospital, killing at least 15 people outside al-Shifa just days ago.
RELATED: Doctors won’t abandon patients at al-Shifa as Israel destroys Gaza City
OCCUPIED WEST BANK/EAST JERUSALEM HEADLINES:
(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.)
Illegal settlers storm Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque, hold prayers* for slain US activist Charlie Kirk
Scores of illegal Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Sunday and held prayers for US right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, who was killed earlier this month.
The Hebrew-language site Srugim reported that the ritual was led by far-right Rabbi and former Knesset member Yehuda Glick, a prominent advocate of expanding Jewish access to the site.
The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said illegal settlers entered the mosque in groups, performing rituals, singing and dancing inside the courtyards as preparations for the Jewish New Year gathered pace.
*NOTE: Anyone can visit the Al Aqsa Mosque grounds, but only Muslims are allowed to pray there, according to an understanding known as the ‘status quo agreement,’ which has existed since Israel captured the Old City of Jerusalem from Jordan in 1967.
RELATED: Charlie Kirk refused Netanyahu funding offer, was ‘frightened’ by pro-Israel forces before death, friend reveals
WEST BANK HEADLINES:
Israeli Army Abducts 18 Palestinians In West Bank
ISRAEL NEWS & HEADLINES:
(Get a glimpse inside Israel and the turmoil within its government. Often, our news items and headlines are taken from Israeli media.)
CNN: Four US citizens killed, including three children, in Israeli strike on Lebanon, says Lebanese government
Four US citizens, including three children, were among five people killed Sunday by an Israeli air strike on southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese government.
Israel’s military said it had “struck and eliminated” a Hezbollah operator in the southern town of Bint Jbeil, but acknowledged that “several uninvolved civilians” were also killed in the strike.
“The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals and operates to minimize harm as much as possible. The incident is under review,” it said in a statement.
Among those killed were a father and three of his children, who were US citizens.
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HERE’S WHAT ISRAELIS ARE READING:
Ha’aretz: Instead of Endlessly Trying to Explain Itself to the World, Israel Must Start Listening
Ha’aretz: Slippery Slope: How Gaza Militias Operated by Israel May One Day Replace Hamas as Its Enemy
Ha’aretz: Israeli Ambassador Says Starmer ‘Rewarding New Nazis’ by Recognizing Palestinian State
Times of Israel: Israel said scrambling to prevent Tuesday vote on expelling country from European soccer
Israel Hayom: Recognition of Palestinian state is an insult, not a strategic threat
Times of Israel: Doha is paying for harboring terrorists; Ankara could be next
PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD NEWS:
Ten countries set to recognize State of Palestine as international peace summit approaches
On the eve of the high-level international conference on a peaceful resolution to the Palestinian question and the implementation of the two-state solution, co-led by Saudi Arabia and France, global attention is turning to ten countries expected to announce formal recognition of the State of Palestine.
This wave of recognition would bring the number of countries recognizing Palestine to 159 out of 193 United Nations member states.
While the UK, Canada, Australia and Portugal formally recognized the state of Palestine on Sunday, Luxembourg, San Marino, Belgium, Andorra, France, and Malta are expected to follow suit at the UN General Assembly this week.
Recognizing Palestinian state ‘will not stop genocide’
Mohamad Elmasry, a professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, says impending moves by Western countries to recognize a Palestinian state are motivated by a desire to be seen to be doing something, but will not stop the genocide in Gaza.
Elmasry said he could think “of a dozen things these countries could do to actually affect conditions on the ground” – including closing off airspace to Israel, severing economic and diplomatic ties, or calling for a peacekeeping force or a no-fly zone.
“We’re all left to wonder why they think this particular action is the appropriate one when more than 140 countries have already recognized the Palestinian state – that hasn’t done anything – and at a time when Israel has basically rendered the possibility of a Palestinian state completely impossible.”
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Amnesty Int’l: Recognition of Palestinian state is ‘hollow gesture’ without meaningful action to end genocide
Kristyan Benedict, Amnesty’s Crisis Response Manager, in response to the UK government’s announcement that it will recognize a Palestinian state:
Recognition is no doubt significant but will be a hollow gesture if the UK does not also seek to end Israel’s genocide, illegal occupation, and system of apartheid against the Palestinian people. For recognition or any ‘political solution’ to be effective, it must be firmly rooted in respect for human rights and international justice.
The UK needs to take action now to ensure Israel lifts the blockade on Gaza, dismantles illegal settlements, ends apartheid, respects Palestinians’ right to return, and upholds the rights of victims on all sides to justice and full reparation…the UK must halt UK arms exports, divest from arms companies that continue to sell arms to Israel, sanction Israeli officials implicated in crimes under international law, and stop trade with settlements.
The occupation and apartheid system must be ended, and justice must be delivered – anything less while Palestinians continue to be slaughtered by Israeli forces in an ongoing genocide is just empty words.
RELATED: At UN, western powers push phantom ‘Palestine’ recognition to safeguard Israel
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Israel fumes over Western recognition of Palestinian state, pushes for West Bank annexation
“A Palestinian state will not be established,” Netanyahu vowed, noting that he has prevented it for years, by strengthening settlements in the West Bank and “will continue to do so.”
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called on the Israeli government to take what he called immediate countermeasures by annexing the West Bank and “a complete crushing of the Palestinian Authority.”
Extremist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also called for the annexation of the occupied West Bank in retaliation to the Western recognition of Palestinian statehood (continue reading here).
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Israeli Government divided over response to Western recognition of Palestinian State
Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Sunday that internal disagreements within the Israeli government are deepening after key ministers were excluded from sensitive discussions on how to respond to recent moves by Western countries to recognize the State of Palestine.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly held an unscheduled emergency meeting earlier in the day to discuss possible responses. Notably, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich were not invited to take part.
Ben Gvir and his allies are reportedly pushing for a more hardline approach, including speeding up steps to apply full Israeli control over the West Bank and ending the role of the Palestinian Authority. In contrast, Netanyahu is said to be aiming for a more balanced response that would maintain the unity of his political coalition and avoid further tensions at home and abroad (continue reading here).
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European officials warn Israel over West Bank annexation plans: Israeli media
FLOTILLA NEWS:
(Read about the Gaza Freedom Flotilla 2025 missions here and here; learn about the deadly mission in 2010 here; and find out about the global flotilla here. Get live updates on the Global Flotilla from Al Jazeera here.)
Gaza-bound aid flotilla says drone spotted flying over one of its ships
A drone flew over a ship in the Maghreb Sumud Flotilla late Saturday night as the convoy of activists continued its voyage toward the blockaded Gaza Strip.
The incident was captured in footage released from the Deir Yassin, one of the Tunisian vessels taking part in the mission.
Wael Nawar, a member of the fleet’s steering committee, said participants remained unfazed. “No one panicked. We are prepared for every scenario,” he said, adding that the flotilla had cleared Italian waters off Sicily and was now heading into international waters near Greece.
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A Symbol of Global Resistance: Why Israel Fears the Gaza Flotillas
One needs only to examine the actions and rhetoric of the Israeli government to fully appreciate the profound significance of the solidarity flotillas bound for Gaza. As the latest and most significant of these efforts, the Global Solidarity Flotilla sets sail, Israel’s hostile discourse has intensified, articulated most forcefully by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
The extremist minister has ominously declared that all the volunteers on board the Flotilla are “terrorists,” vowing that they will be treated as such. To grasp the chilling meaning of treating non-violent activists as terrorists, one must consider a recent investigation by The Guardian newspaper.
The report exposed that of the 6,000 Palestinians detained in Gaza during the first 19 months of the genocide, all were held under a law that classifies them as “unlawful combatants,” thus terrorists, allowing for indefinite imprisonment (continue reading here).
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Libyan hospital ship sets sail to join Gaza-bound aid flotilla
The Libyan vessel Omar al-Mukhtar set sail Sunday to join the Global Sumud Flotilla aimed at breaking Israel’s blockade on the Gaza Strip after being equipped with an intensive care unit to provide health services for the fleet.
The ship’s spokesperson, Nabil al-Soukni, told Anadolu that the ship is carrying tents for displaced Palestinians, medicines, baby formula and various supplies for all age groups in the enclave.
“The popular and moral support we received from some parties in Libya was a strong message to raise the morale of the crew aboard the Omar al-Mukhtar,” he added.
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New flotilla seeking to break Gaza siege set to embark from Italy
The International Committee for Breaking the Siege of Gaza announced Sunday that a new wave of ships will set sail from southern Italy next Wednesday to challenge the blockade of the Palestinian enclave, adding to the efforts of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
In a statement, the committee said: “The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), in partnership with the Thousand Madleen to Gaza (TMTG), has announced the launch of the next wave of blockade-breaking ships.”
OTHER NEWS:
Hundreds of Jewish Health Professionals Say ‘End the Genocide’ in Gaza
“As Jewish professionals in medicine, public health, and related fields, we cannot remain silent in the face of a genocide being carried out against the Palestinians in Gaza by the state of Israel,” wrote healthcare workers, some of whom have also served in Gaza, in a letter published on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.
Their letter adds to the mounting international pressure on Israel, as several members of the US Congress, the United Nations Commission of Inquiry, and world-renowned figures declare Israel’s war on Gaza a genocide.
In the letter, the healthcare workers reflect on how the Jewish High Holidays call upon them to act, including: “Desisting from destructive deeds – immediate ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access; Regret – over the destruction we have been complicit with; Confession – listing the wanton destruction wrought in our name; and Resolution for the future – that we no longer will participate in the suffering we cause to another people” (continue reading here).
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America is already complicit in Netanyahu’s campaign of ethnic cleansing in Gaza, and now Trump wants to send him $6.4B more in offensive weapons.
Our priority should be ending the war and returning the hostages — not funneling MORE taxpayer dollars to Netanyahu to bomb… pic.twitter.com/VxxmN4EKQL
— Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) September 21, 2025
MORE HEADLINES:
Blair’s ‘GITA’ Plan for Gaza is a Continuation of British Treachery against Palestinians
Björk Pulls Most of Her Music From Israeli Streaming Services Amid Boycott Campaign Over Gaza War
ICYMI (IN CASE YOU MISSED IT) – A SELECTION OF YESTERDAY’S HEADLINES:
(Read yesterday’s daily update here.)
Israel Gives Evacuation Orders Before a Bombing. Many Gazan Families Can’t Afford to Leave.
Bill to Block Arms Sales to Israel Endorsed by Congressional Progressive Caucus
TAKE ACTION FOR GAZA
If Americans Knew has prepared a whole set of resources for educating and informing the public on the situation in Gaza: short videos, statistics, links, and downloadable flyers that you can print and hand out.
Watch this introductory video, and visit the website. Then pitch in to make a difference!
STATISTICS OCTOBER 7, 2023 – SEPTEMBER 21, 2025*:
- At least 66,387 Palestinians killed, 176,795 injured – including:
- at least 65,344 killed in Gaza (~20,000 children)
- at least 1,043 killed in the West Bank (~212 children)
- at least 166,795 injured in Gaza
- more than 10,000 injured in the West Bank
- at least 442 have died from malnutrition in Gaza, including 147 children
At least 2,523 Palestinians have been killed while trying to access aid parcels from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which started operating on May 26, 2025.
Since the Israeli army unilaterally broke the January ceasefire on March 18, 2025, it has killed at least 12,785 people. 62 Israeli soldiers (most recent Sept. 18) have been killed during the same time period.
*NOTE: Thousands of those killed in Gaza have yet to be identified, and an estimated 14,000 more are still buried under rubble. Additionally, the numbers of injured and starved are very conservative estimates.
Reported Israeli death toll from October 7, 2023 – September 21, 2025: ~1,629 – including ~1,139 on October 7, 2023 (~36 children), 464 military forces since the ground invasion began in Gaza, about 52 military and civilians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Israel.
By one count, Israeli attacks have killed approximately 268 Palestinian journalists and media workers; Palestinians have killed 4 Israeli journalists (other groups have tallied between 201 and 320 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)
- Total communication blackout in Gaza City as Israeli tanks push in
- Reps. Elise Stefanik, Brian Mast introduce legislation to protect Netanyahu and Israel
- In Gaza, the So-called ‘Evacuation of Civilians’ Is a Trail of Bombs and Death
- ‘United States of Israel’: Bipartisan US delegation draws backlash for largest-ever foreign trip
- Israel to flood Gaza City with explosive-laden robots, report says
- California governor set to sign bill restricting teaching of Palestinian history in schools
- Skewering History: The Dark Politics of Counting Gaza’s Dead – 680,000 In Total?
- Top UN legal investigators conclude Israel is guilty of genocide in Gaza
- Top Democrats dodge questions on Israeli attack hitting Qatar
- 15K Gaza Students Have Been Killed. Survivors Are Denied Their Education.
- NYTimes: This Is What Malnutrition Does to Children’s Bodies
- Faith, politics and armed resistance: A Palestinian-Christian perspective
- Israel carries out systematic erasure of Gaza’s historical landmarks and cultural heritage
- ’A Man With 10 Children Who Worked in Israel for More Than 30 Years – How Can Soldiers Kill Him So Easily?’
- People in 100 cities around the world to go on hunger strike for Gaza
- The Disappearance of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya
- I Helped Israel Propagandize American Christians
- New York state sends police chiefs to Israel for ‘counterterrorism’ training
- New owner of CBS coordinated with former Israeli military chief to counter the country’s critics, according to leaked emails
- Local JCRC’s Latest IRS Filing Shows 100% Increase in Revenue – and over $5 Million Spent On Pro-Israel “Program Activities”. Why Isn’t This Considered Lobbying?
