In the West Bank, a Palestinian man succumbs to injuries sustained in an Israeli airstrike on Nur Shams refugee camp on 12/24/2024. Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian family in Deir Balut. Israeli settlers also assault Palestinian shepherds in al-Maniya. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers erect an outpost near Khirbet Samra. Israeli settlers also uproot 100 olive trees in Jaba’a. Israeli forces continue raids in Jenin and Jenin refugee camp for the 37th day in a row. Israeli forces also raid Tulkarm, Tulkarm refugee camp, and Nur Shams refugee camp for the 31st day in a row, issuing demolition notices for 11 homes in Nur Shams refugee camp. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian child in Qalqilya. Israeli forces also violently disperse Palestinians with tear gas during raids in al-Khader, Odala, and ‘Usarin. Meanwhile, Israeli forces demolish 18 residential tents in Khallet a-Dabe’ and issue stop-work orders for homes in al-Deirat in the Masafer Yatta area. Israeli forces also demolish a home under construction in Beit Ijza. Separately, Israeli forces issue an announcement saying Israel will seize 8 dunams (2 acres) of land in near the Karmiel settlement in the Masafer Yatta area. Israeli forces also raid a school in Dura, arresting 2 students, and arrest more than 50 Palestinians during raids in and around Hebron, Tulkarm, Qalqilya, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jericho, and Tubas. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, a Palestinian child dies of hypothermia in Gaza City. Israeli forces bomb a site in Gaza, claiming a rocket was fired from it. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Qasr, killing 1 person and injuring another. (AJ, AJ, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/26; UNOCHA 2/27)
More than 48,348 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 17,881 children and 12,749 women, and around 111,761 have been injured since 10/7/2023. In addition, 14,222 Palestinians who have been missing are presumed dead. 921 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 187 children. More than 6,500 people have been injured. Israel reports that 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,400 have been injured in Israel since 10/7/2023, including Israeli soldiers. In addition, 408 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 2,579 injured in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27/2023. Over 1.93 million Palestinians, nearly 85% of the population of Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7/2023. There has been a complete electricity blackout in Gaza since 10/12/2023 due to the Israeli blockade. 92% of all housing units in Gaza have been destroyed or severely damaged since 10/7/2023. (UNOCHA 2/26)
Israel releases 642 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Hamas releasing the bodies of 4 Israeli captives. The majority of the Palestinians should have been released on 2/22, but Israel delayed the release, citing dismay at the scenes around the release of Israeli captives. 445 of the Palestinians were forcibly disappeared from Gaza, 46 are women and children, and 115 are serving long sentences. 43 of the 115 serving long sentences are released to the West Bank and East Jerusalem, 97 are exiled, and 11 are returned to Gaza. Many of the released prisoners are emaciated and injured. The released Palestinians are forced to wear shirts with text in Arabic saying, “I pursue my enemies until they are eliminated.” (AJ, AJ, AP, AX, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU, WAFA 2/26; AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, AP, HA 2/27)
A 34-year-old Palestinian man abducted from Gaza dies in Israeli custody. Physicians for Human Rights in Israel issues the report Torture of Medical Workers in Israel, saying Israel arbitrarily detains Palestinian healthcare workers in Gaza, subjecting them to abuse, including sexual abuse. (AJ, PHRI, WAFA 2/26)
The PA says Israel is planning “a series of racist and provocative measures” for the month of Ramadan, including limiting the number of worshippers allowed at the Haram al-Sharif compound. It says that only Palestinian men over the age of 55 and women over the age of 50 will be allowed to travel from the West Bank to East Jerusalem for prayers. (AJ, WAFA 2/26)
UN high commissioner for human rights Volker Turk says at the presentation of a new human rights report on the Palestinian territory that Israel showed unprecedented disregard for human rights in its attacks on Gaza, noting that “[n]othing justifies the appalling manner in which Israel has conducted its military operations in Gaza which consistently breached international law.” (REU 2/26)
France expresses concern over the Israeli raids in the West Bank which have displaced more than 40,000 Palestinians. (AJ, WAFA 2/26)
UAE presidential advisor Anwar Gargash says there needs to be a path for a 2-state solution to raise funds for the reconstruction of Gaza. (AJ 2/26)
U.S. president Donald Trump posts an AI-generated video on his social media platform Truth Social, showing a vision of the future of Gaza called “Trump Gaza,” which resembles cities in the UAE and where Trump dances at a nightclub and sips drinks on a beach with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu while South African billionaire Elon Musk throws cash in the air. The soundtrack to the video features lyrics saying “Donald is coming to set you free. No more tunnels, no more fear. Trump’s Gaza is finally here.” (AJ, AX, HA, HA, NYT 2/26)
New York governor Kathy Hochul orders the City University of New York to remove a job listing for a Palestine studies lecturer. (AJ 2/26)
More than 500 media and film personalities condemn the BBC’s decision to remove the documentary Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone, calling the campaign against the documentary “racist” and “dehumanizing.” (AJ 2/26)