Palestine - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Palestine cover image

Palestine

September 8, 2026

Ramallah 12:37 pm

31°C

Israeli soldiers take positions during a military operation in the town of Qalqiya, in the occupied West Bank, Dec. 4, 2025.

Katz warns PA against 'Oct. 7-style' attack as West Bank violence rises

After a West Bank stabbing of an Israeli settler, Defense Minister Israel Katz warns the Palestinian Authority against launching an “Oct. 7-style” assault.

A woman walks past a model of a Lora missile, Israel's long range artillery missile at the Israel defence stall at the international DefExpo 2008 defence fair, in New Delhi on February 16, 2008. India kicked off South Asia's largest defence fair, with hundreds of global weapons firms offering their latest hardware to the country's technology-hungry military. About 450 weapons companies from 30 countries are present at the four-day "DefExpo" in New Delhi, with several big-ticket announcements expected. AFP P

Analysis

LORA missile test reveals limits of Germany’s Gaza criticism of Israel

The German navy tested Israel’s LORA ballistic missile as Berlin considers acquiring the system, deepening defense ties with Israel despite criticism of the Gaza war.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Israeli soldiers arrive in the village of Qusra, south of Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which has faced escalating Israeli settler violence over the past month, on Aug. 29, 2026.

Analysis

As Israeli settler attacks mount, Trump avoids public pressure on Netanyahu

President Donald Trump has stayed silent amid a spate of settler attacks on Palestinians and their property in the West Bank.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Evan Vucci / Getty Images

Analysis

Why Palestinians see success of Trump talks as contingent on Israeli elections

Some view the channel to Jared Kushner as necessary for reaching a political settlement, but others see a US effort to secure Palestinian acquiescence to Trump’s Gaza plans.

Mohammed Najib

By Mohammed Najib

Latest News

Israel, Hamas bide their time as Gaza peace plan stalls

A boy walks carrying a table on his back past salvage workers scrapping the rubble of a building that was destroyed during Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza City on Aug. 16, 2026. — Photo by Omar Al-Qattaa / AFP via Getty Images

Ex-defense minister: Israel in ‘worst possible’ Gaza situation as Hamas gains strength

Palestinian militant group Hamas police officers stand guard as people attend the opening of the Fatah party's eighth general conference at Al-Azhar University in Gaza City on May 14, 2026.

Beatrice Farhat

Associate Editor (Lebanon)

In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict

Daoud Kuttab

Palestine Columnist

In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics

Rasha Abou Jalal

In Gaza City, reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Abeer Ayyoub

In Istanbul, reporting on Palestine

Naima Morelli

In Rome, reporting on Middle East culture

Fatima AbdulKarim

In Ramallah, reporting on the West Bank

Erdogan pushes Abbas to reconcile with Hamas

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan calls for inter-Palestinian reconciliation as part of his attempts to portray himself as the savior of Gaza.

Israel faces the unknown in post-Abbas era

While Israel’s political leadership waits impatiently for the post-Abbas era, the country’s top security experts warn that Israel will miss the Palestinian leader.

People wait to travel into Egypt, after the Rafah border crossing was opened for three days for humanitarian cases, in the southern Gaza Strip April 13, 2018. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa - RC13FB0C8DD0

Fatah accuses Hamas of manipulating border crossings

Since Palestinian protesters set the Kerem Shalom border crossing on fire, there's been speculation that Hamas is trying to replace that Israeli-controlled passage with the Rafah crossing in Egypt.

Israel’s policies threaten to spark religious war

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s settlement policies and President Donald Trump’s decisions on the nuclear deal and the American Embassy play into the hands of religious zealots in Iran and in the Gaza Strip.

(COMBO) This combination of pictures created on April 1, 2018 shows a file photo taken on November 19, 2017 of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) attending the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem and a file photo taken on December 15, 2017 of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the inauguration ceremony of Turkey's first automated urban metro line on the Asian side of Istanbul.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Benjamin Netanyahu on April 1, 2018 of being "a terrorist" a

Turkish-Israeli gap widens with bitter exchanges

Turkey’s ties with Israel could be heading for a historic breakdown as tensions with the United States groan under ever greater weight.

Israeli art students protest Gaza killing

Israeli Science Minister Ofir Akunis, displeased with artwork by students at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design commemorating the 62 Palestinians recently killed by the IDF in Gaza, is denying all students from the school the opportunity to present artworks at an upcoming conference.

Hamas focused on ending the blockade

Hamas repeats the same strategy of violent demonstrations that it has used before in order to put pressure on Israel and Egypt to ease the Gaza blockade.

Gaza response shows Israel hasn’t learned from the past

The Israeli government’s handling of the demonstrations on the Gaza border this week by using live fire against the protesters illustrates the continued blindness of its decision-makers.

A Palestinian woman walks next to a banner that reads "Thanks and gratitude to Iran" in Gaza City November 27, 2012. Senior Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar showed how fragile the ceasefire between Israel and Palestinians remained, with defiant remarks to reporters recently of how the Islamists would go on smuggling in weapons "by all possible means", including via Israel's arch-foe Iran. REUTERS/Ahmed Zakot (GAZA - Tags: CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT) - GM1E8BR1MY501

Will new US sanctions affect Iran’s support for Hamas?

While some believe new US sanctions will affect Iran’s economy and subsequently its financial support for Palestinian factions, others say this support is atop Iran’s priorities and won't stop.

Bill would spend Palestinian taxes on Israeli families

An Israeli bill designed to restrict how the Palestinian Authority spends its revenues is on the fast track in the Knesset.

Dignity and death on Gaza's border

Palestinians in Gaza risking their lives protesting on the border with Israel say living conditions have become unbearable inside the besieged enclave, which has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007.

People take part in the March of the Nations, in which Christians from around the world and Israelis protest against anti-Semitism and in support of Israel, in Jerusalem, May 15, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun - RC17EC9CD0C0

Israelis divided after tumultuous week

Israelis were caught in a storm of emotions this week, with many rejoicing the relocation of the US Embassy to Jerusalem and other wins while others are sickened by celebrations while Gazan protesters are killed.