18 stories for 2026-02-23 · Israel/Palestine
Israeli settlers set fire to a mosque south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank on February 23, 2026, during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The attackers also sprayed racist graffiti on the mosque's walls and charred its entrance. The Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs condemned the attack, describing the perpetrators as Jewish settler gangs.
The head of Israel's Prison Service invited settlers on a tour of a facility holding Palestinian prisoners, where the service provided lunch to the visitors. Palestinian prisoner rights groups have raised alarms about ongoing starvation conditions among detainees, particularly during Ramadan. The tour has drawn criticism from rights advocates monitoring conditions in Israeli detention facilities.
Israeli forces have detained more than 100 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since the beginning of Ramadan, according to a report. The intensified arrest campaign coincides with Israeli authorities banning the display of religious decorations for the Islamic holy month in Jerusalem. The detentions represent an escalation in military operations in Palestinian territories during this period.
Despite a ceasefire agreement signed in October 2025, Gaza continues to experience Israeli military operations that have killed over 600 Palestinians, according to reporting from February 2026. An infant died after being denied medical evacuation, and a 27-year-old woman was shot by Israeli forces north of the enclave. The World Health Organization reports approximately 15,600 patients remain awaiting medical evacuation from Gaza, including 3,800 children, while about 42,000 people suffer from injuries that have disrupted their daily lives. Palestinians are observing Ramadan amid displacement, destroyed homes, lack of access to basic utilities including gas and fuel, and widespread environmental damage that threatens long-term habitability in southern Gaza.
A report reveals that between 2015 and 2026, Palestinian residents received only 66 building permits in the West Bank, while approximately 22,000 permits were granted for Israeli settlers in the same territory. The disparity underscores the stark difference in construction authorization policies affecting the two populations in the occupied West Bank.
An American teenager has been killed in the occupied West Bank. Details regarding the circumstances of the death remain limited in available reporting. The incident marks a significant development in ongoing tensions in the region.
Foreign ministers from 20 Arab, Islamic, and Western countries issued a joint statement condemning Israeli decisions to expand illegal control over the West Bank. The countries called for an end to settler violence and accountability for those responsible. The statement was coordinated by Saudi Arabia and supported by multiple international organizations.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry stated the Palestinian Authority is prepared to assume control of government and security in Gaza with Arab and international backing. The ministry called for international intervention to halt violations in Gaza and the West Bank.
According to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Britain is pursuing legal action against an alliance described as Palestinian. The report indicates prosecution proceedings have been initiated, though specific charges, defendants, and details of the alleged violations remain unclear from the available excerpt.
Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reports on tactics and strategies of displacement operations aimed at achieving demographic change. The article analyzes methods employed in what is characterized as a systematic approach to altering population composition in affected areas.
International donors have pledged $17 billion toward Gaza's reconstruction, falling significantly short of the estimated $60 billion needed to rebuild infrastructure damaged during ongoing conflict. The funding gap highlights the substantial financial challenge facing Gaza's recovery efforts. Reconstruction needs encompass housing, healthcare, education, and other essential services across the territory.
A convoy of humanitarian assistance from Saudi Arabia's King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Works arrived in Gaza on Sunday, carrying food aid. The delivery represents continued international humanitarian efforts to address civilian needs in the territory.
According to Asharq Al-Awsat, Israeli officers are alleged to have engaged in torture practices against Palestinian detainees. The report indicates that abusive practices against Palestinians have become normalized among Israeli personnel and are increasingly reflected in internal Israeli military relations, following a pattern described as "the strong eating the weak."
Residents of the demilitarized zone between Israel and Palestine face severe hardship as border crossings periodically close, leaving people stranded in what is described as a stateless area. When crossing points shut down, the buffer zone transforms into an uninhabitable space where civilians are forced to survive in liminal conditions, unable to access either territory. The situation creates humanitarian challenges for those caught between the two sides.
Approximately one year ago, the Israeli military began a military operation called "Iron Wall" aimed at restructuring refugee camps in northern Gaza and eliminating the concept of Palestinian right of return. The operation has involved the dismantling of established camp infrastructure in the region.
Israeli military operations in Gaza on February 23 included airstrikes and shelling that killed two Palestinians and wounded three others, according to Palestine Today. A UN report warned of fire risks to displacement camps as humanitarian conditions deteriorate. Occupation authorities have blocked water supply to Gaza City since February 10. Fourteen Arab and Islamic states criticized statements by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee made on February 21.
Escalating tensions reported in northern Gaza with plans announced for construction of 1517 settlement units. Al-Akhbar reports on renewed military operations in the northern sector and ongoing settlement expansion activities in the region.
Al-Akhbar reports on rising emigration from Israel in the period following the October 2023 conflict referred to as 'Al-Tufan.' The article presents statistics on Israelis leaving the country, though specific figures and destinations are not detailed in the available excerpt.