Palestinian Authority

The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza war has risen above 74,000 since the conflict began, according to Gaza health officials cited by the AP. The figure was picked up by news outlets across the United States as part of a broader roundup of Middle East developments, underscoring the continued human cost of the war as fighting and humanitarian crises persist in the territory.

Israeli far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for war in the occupied West Bank. His comments come as Israeli authorities announce a week-long comprehensive military closure across the territory, citing the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Critics describe the remarks as incitement and possible war crimes, warning they signal escalation in the already tense Palestinian territories.

Palestinian officials report that the death toll in Gaza has risen to 74,018 since the war began in October 2023. The updated figure from Gaza's health authorities marks another grim milestone in the conflict, which has drawn sustained international attention over casualties, humanitarian conditions and ongoing ceasefire efforts.

Indonesian news agency Antara reports that the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip has reached 74,016 since the offensive began on 7 October 2023. The figures, cited from Gaza health authorities, are being widely shared as the conflict continues, with commentary describing the campaign as a genocide against Palestinians.

Israeli authorities have imposed a comprehensive closure on the occupied West Bank, closing border crossings for one week, citing the Jewish holidays, according to Palestinian media reports. Measures include tightened restrictions on Palestinian movement. The announcement is drawing criticism online, with commentary accusing Israel of using the holidays to justify further restrictions on Palestinians in the occupied territory.

Israeli authorities are currently imprisoning 39 Palestinian journalists, according to Palestinian media monitoring groups. Of those, 22 are being held under administrative detention, a practice that allows detention without formal charges or trial for renewable periods. Rights organisations say the figures highlight ongoing pressure on the press in the occupied Palestinian territories, while Israel maintains that its security measures are lawful and necessary.

Israel has revoked the diplomatic status of Dutch diplomats based in Ramallah, according to Reuters. The move affects the Netherlands' diplomatic representation to the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank and is likely to strain relations between Jerusalem and The Hague at a time of heightened European scrutiny of Israel's policies toward the Palestinians.