Gaza and West Bank: A Crisis Unfolding

A series of significant developments across Gaza and the occupied West Bank have been reported in recent days, encompassing recovery operations, unexploded ordnance threats, settler violence, international diplomatic negotiations, and ongoing humanitarian concerns.

Body Recovery Operation in Beit Lahia

A recovery crew in northern Gaza conducted one of its first missions to unearth bodies from a collapsed building in Beit Lahia. The building was destroyed by an Israeli strike in late October 2024, killing over 132 members of the Abu Naser family, according to an NPR investigation. Gaza's health ministry estimates that approximately 8,000 bodies remain buried under debris across Gaza.

The three-day mission was carried out by Gaza's Civil Defense team, which has only one functioning excavator available for body recoveries, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. A Red Cross spokesman stated that a second machine was recently repaired and will be used in the coming weeks. An Israeli security official, speaking anonymously, said that Israel restricts rehabilitation efforts until Hamas is disarmed, citing security concerns about machinery use.

Over the three days, 50 bodies were recovered. Victims were largely skeletons with clothing intact. No DNA testing was available; identification relied on visual recognition by family members.

• Day 1: 4 bodies recovered, including 60-year-old Shawqi Abu Naser.
• Day 2: 20 bodies recovered, including a mother with a baby and a 16-year-old boy.
• Day 3: 26 bodies recovered.

Twenty family members remain missing under the rubble.

At the time of the strike, the Israeli military stated it was targeting an "enemy spotter" on the building's roof, without providing visual evidence.

"Approximately 8,000 bodies remain buried under debris across Gaza." — Gaza Health Ministry

Unexploded Ordnance Threats

Two children, 8-year-old Joud Ahmad Al Angar and 12-year-old Zain Nour, sustained injuries after an item they found in rubble near their tent in Gaza City exploded. The children had brought the item back to their tent, and it detonated when tossed away after adults instructed them to return it. They were admitted to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, where they received initial care and are awaiting further surgical procedures to remove remaining shrapnel.

The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) estimates that between 5% and 10% of weapons deployed in Gaza over the past two years failed to detonate. This has led to at least 328 fatalities from UXO, with 24 occurring since the ceasefire commenced on October 10. Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for Civil Defense in Gaza, confirmed daily reports of unexploded bombs found in various locations and estimated the presence of tens of thousands of tons of unexploded bombs. He also reported that 90% of the Civil Defense's bomb disposal specialists have been killed in recent Israeli actions.

Nick Orr, chief of operations for the nonprofit Humanity and Inclusion in Gaza, noted significant challenges in UXO clearance due to the dense population. He projected that clearing the surface-level UXO in Gaza could take 20 to 30 years, with residual discoveries potentially continuing for two to three generations.

Under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire plan, unexploded bombs are being addressed as part of Hamas disarmament efforts. An unnamed high-ranking official within Gaza's interior ministry stated an agreement for Egyptian teams to manage the cleanup of Gaza's unexploded ordnance.

"Clearing the surface-level UXO in Gaza could take 20 to 30 years." — Nick Orr, Humanity and Inclusion

West Bank Settler Violence and Killing of Palestinian American

A 19-year-old Palestinian American, Nasrallah Abu Siyam, was reportedly shot and killed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank village of Mukhmas on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry and a witness. Raed Abu Ali, a Mukhmas resident, stated that a group of settlers attacked a farmer, leading to clashes with residents. Israeli forces subsequently arrived. During the events, armed settlers killed Abu Siyam and injured several others.

Abu Ali reported that the army used tear gas, sound grenades, and live ammunition. The Israeli military stated it used "riot dispersal methods" after receiving reports of Palestinians throwing rocks but denied its forces fired during the clashes. Abu Siyam's mother confirmed his American citizenship, making him the second Palestinian American killed by Israeli settlers in less than a year. A U.S. embassy spokesperson condemned the violence.

The killing is part of a rise in violence in the occupied West Bank. United Nations figures indicate Israeli forces and settlers killed 240 Palestinians in the prior year, while Palestinians killed 17 Israelis, including six soldiers.

Israel's president and high-ranking military officials issued condemnations regarding recent attacks by Jewish settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank. President Isaac Herzog characterized the attacks as "shocking and serious." The Israeli army's chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, condemned the West Bank violence, stating the military "will not tolerate the phenomena of a minority of criminals." Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth added that addressing an "anarchist fringe" diverts significant resources from security and counterterrorism efforts.

On Tuesday, masked Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian villages of Beit Lid and Deir Sharaf in the West Bank. Vehicles and other property were set on fire, leading to clashes with Israeli soldiers. Police reported four Israelis were arrested in connection with the incidents, while the military confirmed four Palestinians were wounded. On Wednesday, police announced that three suspects had been released, while one minor was ordered by a judge to remain in custody for an additional six days.

The U.N. humanitarian office reported that October saw over 260 Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, marking the highest monthly total since data collection began in 2006.

UN Human Rights Reports

The U.N. human rights office accused Israel of war crimes and stated that practices leading to the displacement of Palestinians and altering the demographic composition of the occupied West Bank raise "concerns over ethnic cleansing." Findings collected from November 2024 to October 2025 indicated a "concerted and accelerating effort to consolidate annexation" and a system "to maintain oppression and domination of Palestinians."

Approximately 45 Palestinian communities have been entirely emptied since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, attributed to Israeli demolition orders and settler attacks, according to the Israeli rights group B'Tselem. The U.N. office also reported that Israeli military operations in the northern West Bank used "means and methods designed for warfare," including lethal airstrikes and forced transfers of civilians. The report also noted that the Palestinian Authority engaged in "intimidation, detention and ill-treatment of journalists, human rights defenders and other individuals deemed critical of its rule." Neither Israel's Foreign Ministry nor the Palestinian Authority provided comments on the report.

The report also warned of demographic shifts in Gaza raising concerns of ethnic cleansing. Last year, the U.N. human rights monitor issued a warning about "an unfolding genocide in Gaza."

"A concerted and accelerating effort to consolidate annexation... to maintain oppression and domination of Palestinians." — U.N. Human Rights Office

Journalist Detentions

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) documented that dozens of Palestinian journalists detained in Israel during the Gaza war experienced conditions including physical assaults, forced stress positions, sensory deprivation, sexual violence, and medical neglect. CPJ recorded the detention of at least 94 Palestinian journalists and one media worker, with thirty still in custody. Half of these journalists were reportedly held under Israel's administrative detention system without charges. Israel's prison services did not respond to a request for comment regarding this report.

Humanitarian Situation and Aid

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) estimated that removing the rubble across Gaza would require at least seven years. Alexander De Croo, a former Belgian prime minister and UNDP representative, stated that only 0.5% of the rubble has been removed, describing living conditions in Gaza as "the worst I have ever seen." De Croo reported that 90% of Gaza's 2.2 million people live in "very, very rudimentary tents" amidst rubble. The UNDP has constructed 500 temporary housing units and has 4,000 more available but estimates the total need to be between 200,000 and 300,000 units.

Israel reopened a crossing into the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, which had been closed for two months. United Nations officials welcomed this move but reiterated concerns that Israel has been slow in increasing humanitarian aid to the territory since a ceasefire commenced last month. The U.N. reports that approximately a quarter of families in Gaza consume only one meal per day, and essential medicines, such as antibiotics, remain largely unavailable.

Recent severe storms in Gaza have resulted in flooding and damage to tarpaulin shelters and tents. Gaza's Health Ministry reported that at least two infants died from the cold during the storm, and at least 11 others were killed due to a house collapse.

"Only 0.5% of the rubble has been removed... the worst I have ever seen." — Alexander De Croo, UNDP

International Force Deployment and Ceasefire Status

A 10-year-old, identified as Bayan Al-Ankah, was reported by her family to have been killed by the Israeli military in a displaced persons camp in Gaza. This occurred during a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, a period during which several hundred Palestinians have been reported killed. Mediators Qatar and Egypt have expressed concern that the truce is challenged by Israeli military actions in Gaza.

The viability of the U.S.-backed ceasefire is linked to two subsequent phases: the deployment of an international force in Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas. However, countries engaged in this phase are discussing the specifics of implementation, and the U.S. objective of deploying international forces by early 2026 faces obstacles.

A U.S. State Department document outlines the concept for international troops, which includes "supporting the demilitarization of Gaza, dismantling terrorist infrastructure" and "decommissioning weapons used by terrorists." However, multiple countries have indicated they will not contribute troops for direct confrontation with Hamas over its weaponry.

Last month, the United Nations Security Council authorized international troops to operate in Gaza until the end of 2027, though the specific mandate of these forces remains undefined. The U.S. hosted representatives from numerous countries in Doha, Qatar, this week to discuss plans for an International Stabilization Force (ISF). Countries reportedly considered for troop contributions include Italy, Egypt, Indonesia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that Turkey could "play a leading role" in deploying troops to Gaza but specified that Turkish military personnel should serve as peacekeepers along a border zone rather than participate in disarming Hamas. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty conveyed that the ISF's mandate should be "peacekeeping, rather than peace enforcing."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed skepticism regarding an international force's capacity to achieve what Israel views as the primary objective: disarming Hamas. Israel has voiced objections to Turkey's involvement in the ISF and has stated it will not withdraw its troops from Gaza until the territory is demilitarized.

Hamas negotiator Bassem Naim stated that Hamas is open to disarmament but that "disarmament or decommissioning of weapons have to be connected to a serious political track, which has to end with a Palestinian state." Hamas leadership has indicated acceptance of the ISF as a peacekeeping buffer between Israeli forces and Palestinians, provided international forces do not operate within Palestinian population centers.

"Disarmament... have to be connected to a serious political track, which has to end with a Palestinian state." — Hamas negotiator Bassem Naim

Casualty Figures

Gaza health officials report over 73,000 Palestinians killed during the war. The conflict was initiated by a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, that killed over 1,200 people and involved taking hostages, according to Israeli authorities. Israel states its military campaign was necessary to defeat Hamas. Israel denies accusations of genocide.