Compilation of news reports – IAK staff
NOTE: The Gaza Health Ministry’s daily casualty figures are based on the number of dead and wounded Palestinians brought to hospitals, and does not include victims that are under the rubble or elsewhere, where ambulance and civil defense crews can not reach them.
Medical sources report that at least 31 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza throughout Thursday.
Also killed on Thursday was 29-year-old Alaa Shawkat Ahmad Khdeir, in the West Bank town of Beita, south of Nablus. He was shot in the chest by Israeli forces and died soon after.
Four people were killed on Thursday in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon as Israel continues its ceasefire violations.
Israeli legislator admits to weaponizing of humanitarian aid
⚡️Israeli MK Tally Gotliv:
“The breaking of the siege was, in my opinion, a terrible decision. Without hunger & thirst among the Gazan population we won’t be able to recruit collaborators, we won’t be able to bribe people with food, drinks or medication”
pic.twitter.com/dfdRCz5PvU— Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) May 1, 2025
Drones hit ‘Freedom Flotilla’ Gaza aid ship in international waters
A ship carrying aid to Gaza in a bid to break Israel’s blockade has been hit by drones in international waters off Malta, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), the group that organised the mission.
The FFC said in a statement on Friday that the vessel, now located 14 nautical miles (25km) from Malta, was the target of two drone strikes while on its way to Gaza. The ship had been seeking to deliver aid to the besieged enclave, where aid groups warn people are struggling to survive following a two-month total blockade by Israel.
“Armed drones attacked the front of an unarmed civilian vessel twice, causing a fire and a substantial breach in the hull,” the group said.
The statement did not directly accuse Israel of carrying out the attack.
However, it did demand that “Israeli ambassadors must be summoned and answer to violations of international law, including the ongoing blockade and the bombing of our civilian vessel in international waters”.
Israel has not commented on the drone strikes.
Nicole Jenes of the FFC told Al Jazeera that the attack on the Conscience at 12.23pm local time (10:23 GMT) on Friday morning blew a hole in the vessel and set the engine ablaze (continue reading here).
This is an unfolding story.
RELATED: From USS Liberty to Rachel Corrie: Israel’s Attacks on U.S. You Probably Didn’t Know About
Israel battles wildfires, as what goes around comes around
The largest wildfires in Israel’s history swept through the country on April 30, burning down invasive pine forests that Israel planted on top of Palestinian villages it destroyed during and after its creation.
The Jewish National Fund (JNF), in cooperation with the Palestine Jewish Colonization Association (PICA), began planting forests made up of pines, cypresses and other nonnative trees in 1920 saying they wanted to make Palestine look more like Europe.
By 2024, the JNF had planted over 240 million trees on 100,000 hectares of land.
Israel has also consistently bulldozed or uprooted olive trees owned by Palestinians, which are mostly native to the land – as well as resistant to drought and fire.
RELATED: How Israel Weaponizes Tree Planting to Displace Palestinians
Israel honors Gaza war soldiers in ‘secret ceremony’ amid fear of int’l prosecution
Israel held a secret ceremony to honor 120 soldiers involved in the genocide in Gaza Thursday, concealing the soldiers’ identities and faces amid fear of international prosecution for violations they committed against the Palestinians in the enclave.
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said President Isaac Herzog hosted the annual Outstanding Soldiers Ceremony and awarded 120 soldiers Presidential Medals for their “service”.
The paper said the ceremony was held under extreme restrictions for the first time, with the soldiers’ identities not being made public due to safety concerns as a result of the prosecution of Israeli occupation army soldiers around the world for their part in the genocide in Gaza.
The newspaper added that due to the restrictions, after the main live broadcast ends, the certificates will be awarded only in front of the soldiers’ families and will not be broadcast live as is the case every year.
The paper reported that President Herzog and Israeli army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir participated in the ceremony.
Palestinian and international human rights organizations, most notably the Hind Rajab Foundation have been documenting violations committed by Israeli soldiers during the war on Gaza and urging governments to prosecute them when they visit for vacation.
RELATED: The Hind Rajab Foundation: Pursuing Israeli soldiers worldwide for Gaza war crimes
Day 4 of Int’l Court of Justice hearings against Israel
The five-day process that started on Monday is addressing Israel’s obligations in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Gaza and the West Bank.
The ICJ’s 15-judge panel will hear from at least 40 countries and organizations to draw up a so-called advisory opinion on Israel’s humanitarian obligations to Palestinians, 60 days in to the total Israel blockade of aid entering war-ravaged Gaza.
Below are a few highlights from Thursday’s testimonies.
Pablo Arrocha Olabuenaga, representing Mexico, told the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Thursday, “This is a pivotal moment, not only for the protection of the role of the United Nations and of international law, the preservation of our shared humanity is on the line. The world should not and cannot normalize the dehumanization of an entire people…No conflict can come at the cost of human dignity.”
Ahmed Usham, speaking for the Maldives, declared, “The issues before the court in these proceedings could not be of higher importance. They arise in a context of utmost desperation and suffering in the occupied Palestinian territory…The Maldives has long stood at the forefront of advocacy for the people of Palestine…the right to self-determination, the right to dignity and the right to life.”
Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, said on behalf of Norway, “Israel has obligations under the charter to take all necessary and effective measures to ensure, without delay, in full collaboration with the United Nations and third states, the unhindered provision at scale of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance.”
Syed Haider Shah, representing Pakistan, stated, “Israel’s conduct towards UNRWA reflects one of the most significant breaches of the privileges and immunities of an international organization in the history of the UN. If Israel is not stopped, that conduct will become an invitation and a blueprint for governments around the world to use the power of the state to remove international scrutiny.”
Patrycja Grzebyk, representing Poland, argued, “It is unimaginable that…basic rules are still violated. The situation where people die because at the border, food is rotting, medicine is expiring, and vital medical equipment has stopped cannot be accepted … cannot be understood.”
Mutlaq Al-Qahtani, speaking for Qatar, said, “The court’s advisory opinion of 19 July 2024 confirmed that Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful and must be brought to an end as rapidly as possible. Unfortunately, Israel did not end its occupation. It has continued its genocide of war against the Palestinian people, especially in Gaza,” adding, “Israel has long seen the UN as a thorn in the side of its colonial project.”
UK representative Sally Langrish told the court, “It is unacceptable that Israel has blocked humanitarian support from entering Gaza for nearly two months, meaning that Palestinian civilians, including one million children, are facing starvation, disease, and death,” and affirmed that the UK regards UNRWA as an “impartial humanitarian organization” and supports its mandate.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu preemptively declared of Israel’s blockage of humanitarian aid, “Nobody will stop us.”
Palestine calls for prompt world intervention to halt Israel’s plans to demolish 106 West Bank buildings
Palestine called for immediate international intervention on Thursday to halt the Israeli army’s demolition of 106 Palestinian-owned buildings in the Tulkarem and Nur Shams refugee camps in the northern West Bank.
The army issued a formal notice, accompanied by maps identifying the targeted homes, and delivered a copy to the Palestinian liaison office, which is the official point of contact with Israel.
The Arabic-language version of the order, signed by the Israeli army commander in the West Bank, Avi Bluth, reads: “Under my authority as military commander (…) and as I believe this measure is necessary for purely military purposes, I order the demolition of the buildings marked in red on the attached map.”
The order states: “The demolition of the buildings will begin within 24 hours of the signing of this announcement, dated May 1, 2025.”
Tulkarem Governor Abdullah Kamil called for immediate international action to stop Israel’s decision to demolish 106 buildings in the Tulkarem and Nur Shams camps.
In a post on X, he said: “The occupation plans to demolish 58 buildings in Tulkarem camp and 48 homes in Nur Shams camp in the northern West Bank,” adding that residents will only be allowed to remove their furniture before the demolitions begin.
Meanwhile, the popular committees, institutions, and community groups of Tulkarem and Nur Shams camps issued a joint statement urging the UN Security Council, the United Nations, and international human rights organizations “to take action and pressure the Israeli occupation authorities to immediately stop the aggression.”
US claims it wants resumption of aid to Gaza as Israeli blockade continues
The US on Thursday said it wants humanitarian aid to resume in the Gaza Strip as Israel continues to block the entry of aid since March 2.
“We want the aid to resume. We want humanitarian supplies and assistance to resume as long as it can be safely moved in and there’s no looting and people aren’t getting mugged and it’s not being stolen,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters during a daily press briefing.
NOTE: Israeli officials have provided no evidence that Hamas is stealing aid. On the contrary, Israeli news outlets have reported that the Israeli military itself is behind the looting of aid trucks.
The Biden State Department similarly made public statements demanding that Israel bring aid into Gaza, but never took any action when Israel ignored those demands.
RELATED: Biden Officials Admit They Never Pressured Israel for Ceasefire
NEWS ON PROTESTS, ARRESTS, DEPORTATIONS, CRACK-DOWNS:
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IMEMC Daily Reports
STATISTICS OCTOBER 7, 2023 – MAY 1, 2025:
- At least 53,366 Palestinians killed, 126,407 injured – including:
- at least 52,400 killed in Gaza (~15,600 children)
- at least 966 killed in the West Bank (~187 children)
- at least 118,014 injured in Gaza
- at least 8,393 injured in the West Bank
According to Palestinian authorities, during the ceasefire Jan. 19- March 18 2025, Israeli attacks killed at least 150 Gazans, and Israel committed at least 962 ceasefire violations.
Thousands of those killed in Gaza have yet to be identified, and an estimated 14,000 more are still buried under rubble.
Reported Israeli death toll from October 7, 2023 – May 1, 2025: ~1,595 – including ~1,139 on October 7, 2023 (~36 children), 410 military forces since the ground invasion began in Gaza, 46 military and civilians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Israel.
NOTE: It is unknown at this time how many of the deaths and injuries of Israelis on October 7 were caused by Israeli soldiers.
- Human rights reports on Israel-Palestine (regularly updated)
- Regarding New JFK Disclosures, State Department Refuses to Acknowledge Israel’s Nukes
- They staged protests for Palestine. The consequences have been life-changing
- Biden Officials Admit They Never Pressured Israel for Ceasefire
- Commentary: Are You Tired of Hearing About Antisemitism?
- Israeli Opposition Leader Accuses Netanyahu of Plotting Assassinations
- How the creation of the ‘New Antisemitism’ was used to shield Israel and attack the Left
- Israel attacks make over 90 percent of Gaza’s agricultural land ‘unusable’
- The Starvation of Gaza
- How Israel’s war on Gaza has cut Palestinian life expectancy
- Why Hamas will not surrender
- War Dust and Collateral Inhalation: Israel Breathes in Gaza’s Dust
- Freedom for My One and Only Brother
- Pope prays for an end to all violence, from Gaza to the Sahel
- A nation behind bars: Why has Israel imprisoned 10,000 Palestinians?
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- Freedom for My One and Only Brother
- War Dust and Collateral Inhalation: Israel Breathes in Gaza’s Dust
- The Real Story of How Israel Was Created
- The High Price of War with Iran: $10 Gas and the Collapse of the U.S. Economy
