News roundup for Tuesday, June 23, 2026, Day 991 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.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza reported on Tuesday that four Palestinians were killed and twenty others injured during the past twenty‑four hours.
30% of Those Killed in Gaza Genocide Were Children, Many From ‘Deliberate’ Targeting: UN Commission: “By targeting children, Israel is attacking the very capacity of the Palestinian people to exist and to determine their future,” said the commission’s head.
The report highlights documented instances in which Israeli forces directly fired upon children, with medical professionals testifying that they treated kids with “direct gunshot and sniper wounds, often to the head and abdomen.” One sample of 168 children killed by gunshots found that 73 were shot in the head and 22 were shot in the chest, which the commission argued was evidence of intentionality.
The UN warned on Tuesday about dire situation for nearly 1.7 million displaced Palestinians: About 80% of Gaza’s population are living in extremely poor conditions across nearly 1,600 displacement sites, with acute shortages of water, shelter, and basic services. Around 38,500 people are sleeping in the open, and 600,000 lack sufficient access to drinking water, while 250,000 live in the vicinity of unexploded ordnance. Rodent infestations were recorded at 80% of sites.
Internal Documents Show Trump’s “Board of Peace“ Moving to Crush Palestinian Self-Determination: Gaza proposals obtained by Drop Site show Trump’s board attempting to force a Palestinian surrender that Israel could not achieve in war.
Palestinians in al-Maghazi refugee camp in Central Gaza rushed to collect wet cement that surfaced on streets after Israeli forces pumped it into a tunnel to seal it off, amid ongoing shortages and blockades of construction material pic.twitter.com/Ehdtq6yGK3
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) June 23, 2026
‘If we don’t save Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, he will die in prison’: released detainees say they saw Gaza doctor tortured in Israeli custody: Former detainees who spent time with the prominent Gaza doctor before his transfer to solitary confinement describe systematic beatings, dog attacks, and deliberate medical neglect, warning he may not survive.
ISRAELI MEDIA: ‘No Country Will Take Gazans*’ – Top Israeli Defense Official Calls Urgent Meeting on Plan to Displace Gazans: Israel’s new National Security Council chief convened senior defense officials to revisit the stalled ‘voluntary emigration’ plan for the Gaza Strip, even as Mossad representatives reiterated that no destination countries have been found and the idea has shown no practical progress.
A defense official who spoke with Haaretz could not rule out that the revival of this plan is connected to quiet agreements reached recently between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump, constituting “compensation for painful concessions” that Washington imposed on Israel as part of its deal with Iran.
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- Preventing Permanent Displacement: Arab leaders fear that if Palestinians leave Gaza, Israel will not allow them to return, resulting in a permanent displacement, as was the case in 1948.
- Protecting Sovereign Borders: Countries like Egypt refuse to host refugees in the Sinai Peninsula due to concerns that militant groups would move alongside the civilians, turning foreign soil into a base for future attacks and threatening regional peace treaties.
- Internal Stability Concerns: Host countries worry about economic burdens, internal unrest, and armed clashes. The US’s unrest about immigrants is similar: whether it is true or not, many worry about safety, job security, and economic ramifications of taking in needy migrants.
If world leaders truly want to offer Gazans a good life outside Gaza, the just solution would be to return them to their homes in historic Palestine.
DEATH TOLL – GAZA GENOCIDE (tentative):
- At least 1,027 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.
- 73,035 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.)
A new Israeli settlement project targets the archaeological site of Fasayel Pools in the occupied West Bank, through a plan to restore the site and turn it into a tourist resort and organized swimming area for settlers. The project will receive direct government funding of 3 million shekels (about $1million) allocated by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
RELATED: Israel preparing largest ever act of ‘archeological cleansing’ in West Bank
Israeli army arrests 21 Palestinians, including released detainees, in occupied West Bank
DEATH TOLL – WEST BANK/EAST JERUSALEM (tentative):
*NOTE: Most home demolitions ordered by Israel are due to Palestinians’ “building without a permit.” Israel admits that its construction permit system is highly discriminatory. Since 2016, 95% – 99% of Palestinian requests for building permits have been rejected, according to data provided by the IDF’s Civil Administration. According to UN data, at least 14,000 homes have been demolished, displacing over 22,000 Palestinians, since 2009.
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.
Israeli PM Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israel must reduce its dependence on foreign support and build an independent arms system* amid disagreements between his government and the Trump administration.
*NOTE: This statement appears to break with the recent direction Netanyahu has been trying to steer Congress – toward significantly greater coordination.
ISRAELI MEDIA: ‘New Covenant’: Bennett outlines plan to ‘build Israel from scratch’ in every major area of life: Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, shared a comprehensive plan detailing the steps he’d take as prime minister to “build Israel from scratch” in a press conference on Tuesday: “The agreement between the state and its citizens has been broken. The last government destroyed many state institutions, and they can no longer simply be repaired – they need to be dismantled and rebuilt,” Bennett said.
“We will dismantle the ultra-Orthodox state within a state and build one Jewish, democratic, prosperous, and strong state*.” he said, also describing plans to completely dismantle and rebuild the Education Ministry, and adopt a policy of zero tolerance regarding Israel’s enemies.
*NOTE: Bennett’s words here simply erase 21% of Israel’s population who are non-Jewish. This emphasis on Jewishness has contributed to Israel becoming an apartheid state, as has been documented by multiple human rights organizations, including: Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the Israeli human rights groups B’Tselem, and Yesh Din.
Former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett said on Tuesday that Israel had smuggled Starlink internet receivers into Iran to enable protesters to coordinate and ultimately topple the Iranian government. “Unfortunately, the current incompetent Israeli government stopped doing that,” he said. “And when the protest happened, that infrastructure was not there.” Starlink is not licensed to operate in Iran.
ISRAELI MEDIA: ‘Ten years of hell’: Netanyahu finishes testifying after 98 hearings on bribery, fraud charges: Traveling between the courthouse, security briefings, and a frayed coalition, Netanyahu attended 98 testimonies to hear his defense against the charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.
“The Americans are very naive if they think the Iranians will abandon their nuclear program* and cancel it, and give up their dreams of destroying Israel**,” Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s Minister of National Security, said in an interview. “It is Israel’s responsibility to confront this Iranian threat and act against it alone,” he added.
*NOTE: The IAEA and US intelligence have said that while Iran has not been building a bomb, the American-Israeli attacks could push Iran to decide to build one now. The state is already considering withdrawing from the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (Israel is not a member of the treaty, and is well-known to possess nuclear weapons, although it has never admitted it outright).
Israeli historian Avi Shlaim makes some excellent points:
“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.
MUST-READ: IAEA report didn’t say Iran is producing nuclear weapons
**NOTE: The idea that Iran is determined to “wipe Israel off the map” is built on a deliberate mistranslation.
MUST-READ: Iran Never Threatened to ‘Wipe Israel Off the Map’
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared Tuesday that Israel will not abide by the US-Iran deal. “Israel is not part of the negotiating talks with Iran by choice,” he said. “We will not hold talks with the devil.” He added, “We will continue operating in Lebanon fully. The Israeli army will not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon… as long as Hezbollah exists.”
IRAN, LEBANON, & SYRIA – 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.
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.
IRAN
Without its missiles, Iran would have ended up “just like Gaza,”Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday, insisting that its ballistics program was non-negotiable. “If the missiles we have for our defense did not exist, Israel and the United States would have ploughed Iran just like Gaza, showing no mercy to either the old or the young,” he declared, adding, “We will never negotiate with anyone, under any circumstances, ever, about our defensive capabilities.”
President Trump reiterated on social media Tuesday morning that the Strait of Hormuz is open, and that Iran has agreed to nuclear inspections; meanwhile Iran’s foreign minister said that Iran has no plans to allow the IAEA to inspect nuclear facilities.
LEBANON
Israeli fire kills 2 in southern Lebanese Nabatieh despite ceasefire: Reports: Attack comes as Israel, Lebanon hold fifth round of direct negotiations in Washington on Tuesday.
Lebanese municipalities have begun warning families of the dangerous presence of cluster bombs dropped by Israel. The deadly bombs can look like toys, often colored like soccer balls, and have been used by Israel in Lebanon for decades, often maiming and killing children.
SYRIA
Israeli tanks enter southern Syria’s Quneitra as forces detain, release local man
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:
‘Seismic Victory’ in New York as Mamdani-Backed Progressives Trounce Establishment Dems, AIPAC Cash: “Today we make it clear: The politics of the past end today,” said Darializa Avila Chevalier, who defeated five-term incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat.
Israeli newspaper says Turkey poses greater threat to Israel than Iran: An analysis published by the Hebrew-language newspaper Maariv argues that Turkey now poses a greater long-term challenge to Israel than Iran, citing Ankara’s expanding military capabilities and growing defense industry. The article highlights Türkiye’s position as the holder of NATO’s second-largest military force, and notes that the country has achieved approximately 80 percent self-sufficiency in its defense sector.
Jeremy Corbyn vows to expose Britain’s complicity in Gaza: Corbyn has revived his campaign for a public inquiry into Britain’s role in Gaza, telling The New Arab he will not rest until there is justice for Palestine.
ICYMI, A SELECTION OF YESTERDAY’S HEADLINES:
In remarks to Fox News, Trump said Hamas “isn’t causing a lot of problems right now”
The Palestinian Prisoner Society called Monday for the release of three pregnant Palestinian women
Israeli Cabinet minister rejects ceasefire, says Lebanon ‘should be Israel’s playground’
From Quneitra to Israel’s ‘Guantanamo’, Syrians recount detention ordeal
Israel is training Somaliland military, has been secretly collaborating for years
(Read yesterday’s daily update here.)
STATISTICS OCTOBER 7, 2023 – June 23, 2026*:
- At least 74,198 Palestinians killed, 186,054 injured – including:
- Gaza: at least 73,039 killed (~22,000 children, 33,000 women and girls), 173,388 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 23, 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)
- UN: Israel Continues to Commit Genocide and Other Atrocity Crimes by Deliberately Targeting Palestinian Children
- Bari Weiss, Free-Speech Fraud & Zionism Promoter, Would Rather Deport Than Debate
- ‘Doctor of the Poor’: Israeli Occupation Arrests Prominent Palestinian Physician
- Search for Your Church (and see if it has been targeted by the Israeli gov’t)
- Mark Levin Flying to Israel as Netanyahu Reportedly Seeks to ‘Leverage’ Levin to Trash Trump’s Iran Deal
- Watch: Zionist Brags about Israel’s Power to Get the World to Do What Israel Wants
- The Republican & Democratic Politicians Trying to Scuttle Iran Agreement
- Israel’s continued targeting of civilians in Lebanon renders ceasefire meaningless
- U.S. intelligence warns Israel is likely to undermine Iran peace deal, officials say
- In Gaza, Fathers Can’t Promise Their Children Food, Safety, or Even Survival
- This baby joins thousands of Gazans in need of medical evacuation
- Israel Kills Al Jazeera Journalist & Beloved Ecologist: 2 Articles
- Promoters of Israel: Leo Terrell, Ghana, Floyd Mayweather, Van Jones
- Gaza Soccer Player Who Dreamed of Competing in World Cup Can Now Barely Watch It
