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Palestine

March 21, 2026

Ramallah 5:14 am

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Muslim worshippers break their fast outside the old city walls of Jerusalem on March 17, 2026, as the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound remains closed.

Wartime closures at Jerusalem holy sites raise fears of lasting shift among Palestinians

Palestinians say sweeping restrictions during Ramadan and ahead of Eid reflect security concerns, but there is concern they could ultimately reshape access to worship in the Old City.

Displaced Palestinians gather for a fast-breaking Iftar meal amid the rubble of destroyed buildings at the Jabalia refugee camp, in the northern Gaza Strip, during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, Feb. 23, 2026.

Analysis

Hamas sits out Iran war as Gaza, Gulf interests take priority

Hamas has so far stayed out of the escalating Iran war, despite its longstanding alliance with Tehran, reflecting a cautious strategic calculation.

Abeer Ayyoub

By Abeer Ayyoub

In Istanbul, reporting on Palestine

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez speaks during a United Nations Summit on Palestinians at UN headquarters during the United Nations General Assembly, New York, Sept. 22, 2025.

Spain recalls Israel ambassador, calls Iran war 'flagrant illegality': What to know

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the US-Israel war in Iran a "flagrant illegality.”

People walk through a heavily damaged street in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on Oct. 12, 2025.

'No meaningful protection': Israel’s new Gaza aid rules raise data, security risks

The guidelines expand Israeli authority to deny NGO registration in the Palestinian territories and visas for foreign aid workers as Gaza continues to reel from two years of war.

Latest News

Analysis

Why Turkey’s exclusion from Gaza force may be a strategic blessing

ANKARA, TURKEY - JANUARY 21: Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to MPs at his party's group meeting in the Turkish parliament on January 21, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is among world leaders that have been invited by United States President Donald Trump, to join the Gaza Board of Peace, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was also included as an appointed member. (Photo by Serdar Ozsoy/Getty Images)

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

How did FIFA become part of Trump’s Gaza reconstruction effort?

Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images

Billions pledged, but Hamas' grip clouds Trump’s Gaza plan

US President Donald Trump (C), flanked by US Vice President JD Vance (L) and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R), joins leaders for a group photo during the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace at the US Institute of Peace in Washington, on Feb. 19, 2026.

Trump touts pledges of troops, billions for Gaza at Board of Peace summit

US President Donald Trump attends the inaugural meeting of the "Board of Peace" at the US Institute of Peace in Washington, DC, on Feb. 19, 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

Smoke is seen billowing over Khan Yunis during Israeli bombardment, amid ongoing battles between Israel and Hamas, southern Gaza Strip, Jan. 15, 2024.

Gaza 100 days: humanitarian crisis worsens as death toll surpasses 24,000

Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis continues to deteriorate with no hopes for a cease-fire any time soon.

Orthodox worshippers attend a Christmas mass at the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Jan. 7, 2024.

Culture

Gaza 100 days: Palestinian heritage, churches, mosques decimated by Israeli strikes

Hundreds of heritage and other historical landmarks have been damaged in the ongoing Israeli offensive on Gaza.

Antalyaspor's Israeli forward Jehezkel displayed a bandage on the Gaza war after scoring a goal

Day 100 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Sunday, Jan. 14

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - JUNE 20: A car enters the drive-thru of a McDonald's restaurant on June 20, 2018 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Many U.S. chains, including restaurants, apparel brands and ice cream shops, are present across Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Viral boycotts serve up challenges and opportunities for global brands in Middle East

Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Demonstrators protesting Israel's bombardment of Gaza rallied in Washington during a global 'day of action' on January 13, 2024

Day 99 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Saturday, Jan. 13

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the 78th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City on Sept. 22, 2023.

Analysis

Middle East hopes to weather storm before the calm

Biden administration presses ahead with planning for "day after” Israel-Hamas war; Iran reaps dividends on penny stock Houthi investment.

Week in Review

Andrew Parasiliti

By Week in Review , Andrew Parasiliti

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 12: U.S. President Joe Biden walks to Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House January 12, 2024 in Washington, DC. President Biden is traveling to Allentown, Pennsylvania today, where he will visit small businesses and discuss his economic agenda. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Exclusive

US government employees plan walkout over Biden’s Gaza policies

Organizers of the effort told Al-Monitor they expect hundreds to join in their walkout after securing commitments from individuals at 22 federal agencies.

Joyce Karam

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Joyce Karam , Elizabeth Hagedorn

Amir Levy/Getty Images

Day 98 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Friday, Jan. 12

People raise flags and placards as they gather around a statue of late South African president Nelson Mandela to celebrate a landmark "genocide" case filed by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice, in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah on January 10, 2024.

How is Middle East reacting to South Africa's Gaza genocide ICJ case against Israel?

Several Arab countries have publically announced their support for South Africa’s genocide case filed against Israel at the ICJ.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at al-Ula in northwestern Saudi Arabia on January 8, 2024, during his week-long trip aimed at calming tensions across the Middle East.

Saudi-Israel normalization emerges as leverage for post-war Gaza

Dormant discussions of a two-state solution are back on the US and regional agenda as part of Israel-Saudi normalization talks shelved after Oct. 7.

The statue of late South African President Nelson Mandela.

Day 97 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Thursday, Jan. 11

In this handout photo provided by the U.S. Navy, Logistics Specialist 1st Class Ousseinou Kaba (left), from Silver Spring, Md., and Logistics Specialist Seaman Abigail Marshke, from Flint, Mich., attach cargo to an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter from the "Nightdippers" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5 from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) May 10, 2019 in the Red Sea.

Day 96 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Wednesday, Jan. 10