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Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses. |
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7 Palestinians Killed, 22 Bodies Retrieved, 10 Injured, Mostly Children and Women,
Which Brings the Death Toll of the Israeli Genocidal War on the Gaza Strip to 67,967 and the Injuries to 170,179
by October 16, 2025
***
Editor's Notes:
Here are
some initial
(not final) statistics, which show the Israeli war
crimes against humanity, during the current Israeli genocidal war on the
Gaza Strip, based on the
By
October 16, 2025, the
initial death toll of Palestinians who have been killed by the Israeli
genocidal war on Gaza
Strip is 79,020.
This includes the accounted for deaths (67,967) and those who are still missing under the rubble (an estimate of at least 11,053+).
***
Note about the number of Palestinians, who were kidnapped by the Israeli occupation forces in the Wet Bank:
Palestinian Prisoners’ institutions reported that 662 Palestinians, including 39 children and 12 women, were kidnapped by the Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank, including Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem), during July 2025.
The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS), and Al-Dhameer Association for Human Rights stated in a report issued Sunday that the total number of kidnappings of Palestinians in the West Bank, since the start of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, has risen to more than 18,500, including over 570 women and about 1,500 children.
Source: Palestine Information Center, August 10, 2025.
***
Note About the Missing Palestinians in the Gaza Strip:
On February 26, 2025, the Palestinian Center for Political and Development Studies announced that the number of the missing in the Gaza Strip has exceeded 14,000 people, including 2,000-3,000 held in Israeli occupation prisons, without releasing any information on their fate.
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 |
 |
|
7 Palestinians Killed, 22 Bodies Retrieved, 10 Injured, Which Brings the Death Toll of the Israeli Genocidal War on the Gaza Strip to 67,967 and the Injuries to 170,179, by October 16, 2025. |
Palestinian detainees from Gaza, released from Israeli prisons, were found emaciated, some missing limbs, others on wheelchairs, bearing the marks of years of torment and torture, October 16, 2025. |
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Palestinian young man, Mahdi A'hmed Kameel, 20, was killed by the Israeli occupation forces during their raid on the town of Qabatya, south of Jenin, on October 16, 2025. |
Palestinian child, Mu'hammed Bahjat El-'Hallaq, 11, died of wounds he sustained when the Israeli occupation forces opened fire at a group of children playing football in the village of El-Ri'hiya, Hebron, October 16, 2025. |
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Palestinian Authority Prime Minister, Mu'hammed Mustafa, giving a keynote speech at the High-Level meeting on the situation in Gaza, October 16, 2025. |
The Palestinian child, Mu'hammed Bahjat El-'Hallaq, 11, was shot dead by the Israeli occupation forces, during their raid on the town of Al-Ri'hiya, south of El-Khaleel, Hebron, October 16, 2025. |
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| Horrifying scenes appearing on the bodies of the Palestinian martyrs handed over by the Israeli occupation army, showing clear signs of torture, abuse, and field executions, October 16, 2025. | Many of the 120 Palestinian martyrs, whose corpses have been returned by the Israeli occupation forces, showed signs of torture, burns, physical abuse, and even being run over by vehicles, October 16, 2025. |
| Grieving the death of the 11-years-old Palestinian child, who was killed by the Israeli occupation forces, who opened fire at a group of children playing football in El-Ri'hiya, north of El-Khaleel, Hebton, on October 16, 2025 |
Part of the ceasefire deal, Red Cross vehicles carrying the corpses of 30 Palestinian martyrs, which were in the Israeli captivity, raising the total number of the corpses of returned Palestinian martyrs to 120, by October 16, 2025. |
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"æóãóäú íóÞúÊõáú ãõÄúãöäðÇ ãøõÊóÚóãøöÏðÇ ÝóÌóÒóÇÄõåõ Ìóåóäøóãõ ÎóÇáöÏðÇ ÝöíåóÇ æóÛóÖöÈó Çááøóåõ Úóáóíúåö æóáóÚóäóåõ æóÃóÚóÏøó áóåõ ÚóÐóÇÈðÇ ÚóÙöíãðÇ" (ÇáäøöÓóÇÁõ ¡ 4: 93).
"Åöäú ÃóÍúÓóäÊõãú ÃóÍúÓóäÊõãú áöÃóäÝõÓößõãú ۖ æóÅöäú ÃóÓóÃúÊõãú ÝóáóåóÇ ۚ ÝóÅöÐóÇ ÌóÇÁó æóÚúÏõ ÇáúÂÎöÑóÉö áöíóÓõæÁõæÇ æõÌõæåóßõãú æóáöíóÏúÎõáõæÇ ÇáúãóÓúÌöÏó ßóãóÇ ÏóÎóáõæåõ Ãóæøóáó ãóÑøóÉò æóáöíõÊóÈøöÑõæÇ ãóÇ ÚóáóæúÇ ÊóÊúÈöíÑÇð ý(ÇáÅÓúÑóÇÁõ ¡ 17: 7).
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
"Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul, unless for a soul, or for corruption in the land, it is as if he had killed humankind entirely" (The Holy Quran, Al-Ma-ida, 5: 32).
"And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally, and Allah has become angry with him, and has cursed him, and has prepared for him a great torment" (Al-Nisa, 4: 93).
"If you do good, you do good for yourselves; and if you do evil, (you do it) to yourselves. Then, when the latter (final) promise came, they (your enemies) will sadden your faces, and to enter the Masjid (in Jerusalem), as they entered it the first time, and will destroy what they had taken over with (total) destruction (Al-Isra, 17: 7).
***
While brutal force has been used to create Zionist Israel and sustain it thus far, Zionist claims to Palestine are false. Actually, from the five thousand years of known written human history, there has been a continuous Palestinian-Canaanite presence in the Holy Land. Despite the Zionist false claims, the ancient Israelites ruled part of the land for only 85 years (during the reign of Prophets David and Solomon , peace be upon them, and Solomon's son).
After that, the Egyptians conquered Palestine-Canaan in 925 BC, followed by Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, before the Arab Muslim rule, starting from 636 AD.
By the Time Jesus, peace be upon him, started his mission, the three population groups of Canaanites, Palestinians, and Israelites were melted together in religion and language. Most of them became Christians when Constantine converted in 313 AD. Then, most of them became Muslims in the 7th and 8th centuries AD.
So, Palestinian Muslims, Christians, and Jews are the ones who have the right to claim descent from ancient Israelites, Palestinians, and Canaanites, not Zionists from other continents.
No matter what the Zionists and their supporters do, they cannot change the will of God, Who promised the Holy Land to Abraham and his descendants, basically the Palestinian Muslims and Christians.
No matter how much persecution and aggression the Zionists and their supporters inflict upon the Palestinian people, they will never be able to force them out of the Holy Land, which Allah, praise to Him, promised for them, and kept His promise ever since.
This is a necessary brief background to understand the US-Backed Zionist Israeli continuous wars against the Arab nation generally, and the Palestinian people in particular, which included the wars of 1948, 1956, 1967, 1978, 1982, the brutal crushing of the two Uprisings (1987-1993 and 2000-2004), 2009, 2012, 2014, 2021, and the current genocidal war on Gaza (Since October 7, 2023), which has culminated a blockade of Gaza since 2007. In addition, the Israeli occupation and apartheid regime launched so many covert operations, raids, and air strikes on many Arab states since 1948.
The following news stories are just examples, not a systematic record, of the Israeli occupation government abuse, mistreatment, and violations of Palestinian human rights, on daily basis.
http://english.wafa.ps/, https://english.palinfo.com/, https://imemc.org/, https://paltoday.ps/ar/
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Impacts and Aspects of the Israeli Genocidal War on the Gaza Strip***
UN official: UNRWA is the backbone of humanitarian operation in Gaza
RAMALLAH, October 16, 2025 (WAFA) –
UNRWA spokesperson 'Adnan Abu 'Hasna confirmed on Thursday that the agency is the backbone of humanitarian action inside the Gaza Strip and must lead the response there.
He pointed out that it has not been able to bring in any of the humanitarian supplies allocated to Gaza, even though the ceasefire went into effect several days ago.
According to the United Nations Information Center, Abu Hasna said that Israel has not yet allowed UNRWA to bring in food and non-food aid, which is contained in 6,000 trucks waiting at the gates of the Gaza Strip. He explained that these trucks contain enough food for the residents of the Gaza Strip for three months.
He added, "We have hundreds of thousands of blankets, tents, and clothing, as well as large quantities of medicine, and these must be brought in so that we can truly address the harsh and dangerous conditions in the Strip, which are still deteriorating." He indicated that the war has ended, but the suffering continues.
Abu 'Hasna confirmed that the agency currently has 12,000 employees working inside the Gaza Strip, and 8,000 teachers working on a plan developed by UNRWA in cooperation with partners on how to re-engage and engage 640,000 students who have been completely excluded from the educational process for two years.
He pointed out that health sector operations are continuing, with more than ten million medical visits to UNRWA clinics since October 7, 2023. He confirmed that solid waste collection operations continue, along with the provision of essential supplies to shelters and the drilling of wells inside camps.
He said that psychological support services continue to be provided without interruption, with approximately 800,000 psychological consultations provided through UNRWA. He emphasized that all operations are ongoing, with the exception of food distribution, which has been halted due to the Israeli occupation authorities preventing this task.
He explained that approximately 90% of the agency's facilities have been destroyed or severely damaged, and that the overall situation in the Gaza Strip is dire, as Israel still controls 53% of the Strip's area. Furthermore, the roads are filled with rubble, making it difficult to move around, and that there are many other essential items in the Strip.
He called for increased Arab support for the agency to ensure the continuation of its services in Gaza and the West Bank, including Jerusalem, noting that the agency's Commissioner-General is conducting intensive contacts with several parties to ensure the entry of aid and enable its international staff to enter the Strip.
Y.S.
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Gaza’s Water Authority launches urgent operations to provide water for residents in Khan Younis
GAZA, October 16, 2025 (WAFA) –
Gaza Water Authority crews continue urgent relief operations to provide water to Palestinians returning to their homes in the southern city of Khan Yunis.
The Authority said in a statement, said its technical teams are distributing limited quantities of water via tankers as part of an emergency response plan aimed at meeting the basic needs of residents after the massive destruction of water networks led to a complete interruption of drinking water in the city.
It also affirmed that its efforts continue in cooperation with international organizations, despite significant field challenges and a lack of equipment and technical resources. It noted that the priority at this stage is to ensure access to safe and usable water.
The Water Authority called on the international community and humanitarian organizations to provide the necessary support to accelerate the rehabilitation of water infrastructure in Khan Yunis and other affected areas in the Gaza Strip, warning of a worsening humanitarian crisis if the water shortage continues.
Y.S.
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MSF: Health situation in Gaza remains extremely critical
LONDON, October 16, 2025 (WAFA) –
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned on Thursday that the health situation in Gaza remains extremely critical, noting that the ceasefire has not been accompanied by the opening of crossings or the delivery of humanitarian aid.
In a statement, MSF said it has seen no improvement in its ability to bring in aid, citing the same obstacles that have blocked assistance.
The organization emphasized that aid must reach Gaza before any discussion of rebuilding hospitals can take place.
MSF pointed out that the healthcare sector in Gaza is facing the largest structural and humanitarian disaster in modern history, pointing to some 70 million tons of rubble and around 20,000 unexploded ordnance remaining across the territory.
M.N.
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Israel hands over dozens of Palestinian bodies to Gaza amid torture evidence
Thursday 16-October-2025
GAZA, (PIC)
The Israeli occupation forces (IOFs) have delivered dozens of bodies of Palestinian fighters and detainees to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as part of the ongoing ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal based on US President Donald Trump’s post-war plan for Gaza.
According to media reports, the IOF transferred the remains of 45 members of Hamas’s elite al-Qassam Brigades, who were martyred during the 7 October 2023 “Al-Aqsa Flood” attack. The handover reportedly ended a months-long standoff over the return of their bodies, which the IOF had withheld since the beginning of the genocide in Gaza.
A senior Hamas official involved in the negotiations told El-'Araby El-Jadeed that the Movement insisted on forensic tests to verify the identities of the bodies, after evidence emerged that the IOF had stolen and tampered with civilian graves in Gaza. The ICRC’s office in Jerusalem conducted DNA testing using samples from the fighters’ families, the official said.
Gaza’s Health Ministry Director Dr. Muneer El-Bursh confirmed that the initial medical examinations of the delivered bodies revealed horrific signs of abuse, including torture marks, shackling, dismemberment, and organ removal. Some bodies were found stuffed with cotton, while others bore clear traces of dissection and mutilation.
In a separate statement on Thursday, the Ministry of Health in Gaza announced it had received an additional 30 bodies of Palestinian detainees through the ICRC, bringing the total number of retrieved bodies to 120. Many showed evidence of field executions, tied hands and blindfolded eyes, as well as tank tread marks, suggesting that some victims were crushed by IOF military vehicles.
The IOF transfer of the remains coincides with Hamas’s handover of the bodies of two Israeli captives to the ICRC. The al-Qassam Brigades said it was working to “close the file of Israeli prisoners” but emphasized that retrieving the remaining bodies required specialized equipment and considerable effort due to the destruction caused by Israel’s war on Gaza.
Under the Trump plan’s first phase, which includes a ceasefire, prisoner exchange, opening of crossings, and unrestricted humanitarian aid to Gaza, Israel is obligated to release 15 Palestinian bodies for every Israeli body returned.
The handovers come ahead of a planned Hamas delegation visit to Cairo, led by senior officials Khaleel El-'Hayya and Khalid Mish'al, to attend a ceremony for the 154 Palestinian prisoners who were deported to Egypt after their release, pending relocation to other countries.
For the past two years, IOFs has withheld hundreds of Palestinian bodies, including detainees executed under torture in prisons, keeping their fate hidden.
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Freed Gaza prisoners reveal horrific abuse and torture under Israeli custody
Thursday 16-October-2025
GAZA, (PIC)
The Asra Media Office (AMO) reported that the condition of Palestinian detainees from Gaza who have recently been released from Israeli jails under the “Flood of the Free III” prisoner exchange deal is catastrophic. Many were found emaciated, some missing limbs, others on wheelchairs, bearing the marks of years of torment and torture.
In a statement, AMO said that physical assaults on detainees continued for four consecutive days before their release, which prison guards cynically referred to as a “farewell gift.” Their frail bodies were covered with bruises and swelling, and they were subjected to constant threats and beatings.
According to testimonies, several prisoners were threatened that their families would be killed, others were told their wives and children had been killed during the war. One released detainee recounted that prison authorities repeatedly struck his old injury until his arm fractured five times, a glimpse into the brutality they endured.
On Monday, the Israeli occupation forces (IOFs) released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as part of the exchange deal linked to the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel. The release came hours after al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, handed over 20 Israeli captives alive to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza and Khan Younus.
Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem welcomed the freed prisoners with mixed feelings of joy and grief, joy for their return and deep sorrow for the losses suffered during two years of genocide in the Gaza Strip.
The exchange included 1,716 detainees from Gaza, 250 from the West Bank and Jerusalem serving life sentences, most of whom slated for relocation abroad.
Israeli prison authorities had classified Gaza prisoners captured during the genocide as “unlawful combatants.” According to AMO, 2,673 Palestinians were held under this category, not including those detained in military camps operated by the IOFs. This classification also extends to Arab detainees from Lebanon and Syria.
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'Hamas: Tortured martyrs’ bodies expose Israel’s fascism
Thursday 16-October-2025
GAZA, (PIC)
The 'Hamas Movement affirmed that the horrifying scenes appearing on the bodies of the Palestinian martyrs handed over by the Israeli occupation army, showing clear signs of torture, abuse, and field executions, clearly reveal the criminal and fascist nature of the occupation army.
In a statement on Thursday, Hamas said that these scenes “expose the moral and humanitarian depravity that this entity has reached, as it makes no distinction in its aggression between the living and the dead among our people.” Such acts, the statement added, constitute a heinous crime that amounts to genocide against the Palestinian people.
The Movement called on international human rights institutions, foremost among them the United Nations and the Human Rights Council, to document these atrocious crimes, launch an urgent and comprehensive investigation, and bring the Israeli leaders to trial before the relevant international courts, holding them accountable for unprecedented crimes against humanity in modern history.
The Palestinian Government Media Office (PGMO) in Gaza announced the completion of the reception of 120 bodies of Palestinian martyrs that the Israeli occupation army had withheld during the genocidal war it waged against the Palestinian people. The handovers took place in three consecutive batches: 45 bodies on Tuesday, 45 on Wednesday, and 30 today, Thursday, including dozens of unidentified bodies that have not yet been recognized.
In a statement, the PGMO said that official examinations and field evidence show that the occupation army committed crimes of killing, field execution, and systematic torture against a large number of the martyrs whose bodies were recovered. The following findings were documented:
-Clear marks of hanging ropes around the necks of several bodies. -Direct gunfire from very close range, confirming deliberate field executions. -Hands and feet bound with plastic ties, documenting restraint before killing. -Blindfolded eyes and facial features indicating that the victims were detained before being executed. -Bodies crushed under the tracks of Israeli tanks, in blatant violation of all international laws. -Signs of severe physical torture on many bodies, including fractures, burns, and deep wounds.
The statement stressed that these crimes constitute a flagrant violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention and international humanitarian law, proving that the occupation army has pursued its criminal policies of extrajudicial killings and physical liquidation of detainees and Palestinian civilians.
It called for the formation of an urgent, independent international committee to investigate these heinous crimes committed by Israel and to hold its leaders accountable for the war crimes perpetrated against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
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PPS: Evidence indicates execution of Gaza detainees after arrest
Thursday 16-October-2025
GAZA, (PIC)
The Palestinian Prisoners Soceity (PPS) reported that initial testimonies provided by doctors in the Gaza Strip, following the Israeli occupation’s return of 120 bodies, strongly suggest that many of the individuals were executed after being taken into custody. Some of the victims may have been detained in Israeli detention camps.
The PPS noted that many of the bodies still had hand restraints. Some bore visible marks from blindfolds commonly used by Israeli forces during arrests. The bodies also showed signs of torture, burns, physical abuse, and even being run over by Israeli armored vehicles.
The rights group added that these findings align with earlier medical reports pointing to the theft of organs from martyrs’ bodies, an ongoing practice by the Israeli authorities.
According to doctors who examined the victims’ bodies, these revelations constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The PPS emphasized that throughout the two years of this genocide-level war, dozens of detainees from Gaza have been confirmed as martyred, many of whom remain forcibly disappeared. Some were executed in the field after arrest and before they could be transferred to detention centers.
It further stressed that the crimes continue even after the return of the bodies. There are significant challenges in identifying the remains, especially after the corpses were held for years and months in Israeli morgues.
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Israel evades its obligations under ceasefire deal, refuses to open Rafa'h crossing
Thursday 16-October-2025
GAZA, (PIC)
The Israeli occupation apartheid regime continues to evade its responsibilities under the ceasefire agreement by making the reopening of the Rafa'h border crossing and the flow of humanitarian aid conditional on the return of their soldiers’ remains held in the Gaza Strip.
The Hebrew media quoted an official source as saying that the Israeli government has decided not to proceed with the second phase of the agreement until “all the bodies of the captives are handed over.”
The Israeli official added that the Rafa'h crossing would remain closed until “'Hamas intensifies its efforts to retrieve the bodies.”
However, El-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said it handed over all the bodies it had and was able to find, reiterating its need for heavy equipment to lift the rubble and recover the remaining bodies.
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Qatar opens land corridor to Gaza as Türkiye steps in to coordinate relief efforts
Thursday 16-October-2025
GAZA, (PIC)
Qatar has launched a land corridor to deliver large-scale humanitarian aid to Gaza, while Türkiye appointed Ambassador Mehmet Güllüoğlu as general coordinator for humanitarian assistance to Palestine. The twin moves come amid intensified regional relief efforts following the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
Qatar’s state television announced on Thursday that the country had inaugurated a land route for humanitarian convoys into the besieged enclave, beginning with 86,000 tents designed to shelter over 450,000 displaced Palestinians, nearly a quarter of Gaza’s population.
Gaza City Mayor, Ya'hya El-Sarraj, confirmed that municipalities across the Strip, in coordination with the Qatari Committee for Gaza Reconstruction, have begun reopening main roads, clearing rubble, and facilitating the return of residents to their neighborhoods.
The campaign aims to restore life to devastated areas after two years of Israeli genocide and to reestablish minimal public services destroyed by the war machine amid dire humanitarian conditions. Bulldozers, trucks, and cranes provided through Qatari aid have started clearing key thoroughfares, particularly as thousands of displaced Palestinians continue returning from southern Gaza to the north following the halt of Israeli attacks.
“This month-long operation, led by Qatari assistance, will open major roads and improve daily life for Palestinians trying to return home, reviving what remains of Gaza City,” El-Sarraj said.
Meanwhile, Türkiye appointed Ambassador Mehmet Güllüoğlu as its general humanitarian coordinator for Palestine, tasked with overseeing on-the-ground relief efforts and ensuring coordination among agencies and institutions operating in Gaza.
According to sources in Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry, quoted by Anadolu Agency, Ankara has mobilized all available resources to expedite the delivery of aid, establish temporary shelters, and contribute to Gaza’s reconstruction process.
Güllüoğlu and his team arrived in Gaza on Wednesday to assess urgent needs, identify relief priorities, and coordinate with UN agencies active in the territory.
He will also oversee Turkish institutions working in the field to ensure aid reaches those most in need, while holding consultations with local authorities on shipments entering via Egypt and Jordan. His responsibilities include strengthening Turkish medical support and organizing patient evacuations.
At the same time, the 17th Turkish “Ships of Goodness” vessel, carrying 900 tons of food supplies for Gaza’s population, was approaching Egypt’s Port of Al-Arish on Thursday.
Humanitarian operations to Gaza have accelerated sharply since the ceasefire agreement took effect on October 10, as part of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, which includes a phased cessation of hostilities, a prisoner exchange, and unrestricted humanitarian access.
The deal, announced on October 9, was reached after indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel in Sharm el-Sheikh, with participation from Türkiye, Egypt, and Qatar, and under US supervision.
Since October 8, 2023, Israel, backed by the United States, has waged a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip that has killed 67,938 Palestinians and injured 170,169 others, most of them women and children. The conflict also triggered a man-made famine that claimed 463 additional lives, including 157 children.
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Gaza’s hospitals receive bodies of 29 martyrs
Thursday 16-October-2025
GAZA, (PIC, WAFA)
During the past 24 hours, hospitals in the Gaza Strip received at least 29 martyrs, including 22 people whose bodies were retrieved from different areas, as well as 10 people suffering from different injuries, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, on Thursday morning.
The new fatalities increased the death toll from the Israeli genocidal war on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Stirp, which started on October 7, 2023, to 67,967 martyrs, the health ministry said. The Ministry added that the total number of the wounded also surged to 170,179 people.
Meanwhile, efforts are underway to recover the bodies of more martyrs who are still missing in different areas of the Gaza Strip.
***
Gaza health authorities receive 30 more bodies of Palestinians returned by Israel
GAZA, October 16, 2025 (WAFA) –
Medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported on Thursday that 30 bodies of Palestinians were handed over by Israeli authorities through the International Committee of the Red Cross, bringing the total number of bodies received to 120 since the ceasefire agreement.
The sources confirmed that medical teams are continuing to process the bodies according to established procedures and protocols, in preparation for completing the examination and documentation processes and handing them over to their families.
They affirmed that some of the bodies showed signs of abuse, beatings, handcuffing, and blindfolding. So far, the identities of four of the victims have been confirmed by their families.
Y.S.
***
In breach of ceasefire, two brothers killed in Israeli airstrike east of Khan Younus
GAZA, October 16, 2025 (WAFA) –
Two Palestinian brothers were killed on Thursday in an Israeli airstrike targeting the area east of Khan Younus in southern Gaza, marking the latest breach of the ceasefire agreement.
WAFA correspondent reported that the brothers, from the Abu Mustafa family, were killed south of the town of 'Abasan El-Kabeera. Ambulance teams were unable to evacuate the bodies due to the danger posed by continued Israeli attacks on civilians.
Earlier today, medical sources announced that the overall toll of the Israeli aggression on Gaza since October 2023 has risen to 67,967 killed and 170,179 injured.
M.N.
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Two Gazans killed, others injured in Israeli attacks in Khan Younus
Thursday 16-October-2025
GAZA, (PIC)
Two Palestinian citizens were martyred and two others sustained injuries in Israeli attacks in the east of Khan Younus on Thursday.
Local sources said that a citizen identified as Mu'hammed Quwaidir was martyred in a drone strike in the Ma'an area of Khan Younus.
Another citizen was shot dead by the Israeli occupation forces in the east of El-Buraij refugee camp in central Gaza.
Earlier, an Israeli drone attacked a group of citizens in Bani Suhayla town, east of Khan Younus, injuring two of them.
The Israeli occupation forces also opened heavy fire towards the neighborhoods of Qizan El-Najjar, Jorat El-Lout, Ma'an, and the eastern areas of 'Abasan and El-Qarara in Khan Younus.
Israeli shooting and artillery attacks reported in Gaza City’s El-Shuja’iya neighborhood.
Meanwhile, two citizens were pronounced dead after they succumbed to injuries sustained in previous Israeli attacks in separate areas of the besieged enclave.
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PPS: Evidence on bodies of Gaza victims confirms they were executed after detention by Israeli forces
RAMALLAH, October 16, 2025 (WAFA) –
The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) said Thursday that preliminary medical examinations of the 120 bodies recently handed over by Israel to Gaza indicate that many of the victims were executed after being detained, with some possibly among those imprisoned inside Israeli military camps.
According to PPS, doctors in Gaza who examined the bodies confirmed that many of them still had their hands tied, while others bore marks of blindfolds commonly used by Israeli soldiers during detention, as well as signs of severe torture, burns, mutilation, and being run over by armored vehicles.
The Society said these findings add to mounting evidence of organ theft from the bodies of Palestinians killed by Israel — a practice repeatedly reported by medical teams — noting that such acts constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity under international law.
PPS added that over the past two years of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, dozens of detainees have been confirmed killed while in custody, while many others remain forcibly disappeared. Several were executed in the field immediately after detention and before being transferred to detention centers.
The organization further noted that Israel continues to obstruct the process of identifying the victims, as many of the bodies had been held in Israeli morgues for months or even years before being returned to Gaza.
M.N.
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Killing, Injuring, and Abduction of Palestinians in the West Bank by Israeli Occupation Regime Forces
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11-year-old Palestinian child shot dead by Israeli forces south of Hebron
El-Khaleel (Hebron), October 16, 2025 (WAFA) –
An 11-year-old Palestinian child, Mu'hammed Bahjat El-'Hallaq, was pronounced dead on Thursday evening after succumbing to wounds sustained earlier in the day when the Israeli occupation forces opened fire in the village of El-Ri'hiya, south of El-Khaleel (Hebron).
WAFA correspondent reported that the Israeli occupation soldiers fired live bullets toward a group of children who were playing football in the yard of El-Ri'hiya Girls Secondary School. The child was struck by a bullet that penetrated his pelvis and was transferred to a nearby hospital in critical condition before he was later pronounced dead.
El-'Hallaq was a fourth-grade student.
Rights organizations have repeatedly condemned Israel’s use of live ammunition against civilians, particularly minors, describing such incidents as clear violations of international humanitarian law and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
M.N.
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Palestinian child killed by IOFs gunfire, south of El-Khaleel (Hebron)
Thursday 16-October-2025
WEST BANK, (PIC)
A Palestinian child was killed on Thursday evening after being shot by Israeli occupation forces (IOFs) during a military raid on the village of Al-Ri'hiya, south of El-Khaleel (Hebron).
The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed that Mu'hammed Bahjat El-'Hallaq, 11, was shot dead by the IOFs in the town of Al-Ri'hiya, south of El-Khaleel (Hebron).
According to the PIC correspondent, the child was wounded by live ammunition during the raid near Al-Fawwar refugee camp. During the raid, the IOFs reportedly fired live bullets and tear gas canisters.
The child was transported in critical condition to the Yatta Government Hospital after suffering severe bleeding from the gunshot wound to his pelvis. The child was later proclaimed dead.
Additionally, the IOFs stormed the town of El-Dthahiriya, patrolling its streets with military vehicles and firing tear gas canisters toward citizens’ homes.
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Palestinian youth killed by Israeli occupation forces in Qabatya, near Jineen
Jineen, October 16, 2025 (WAFA) –
A Palestinian youth was killed by Israeli occupation forces on Thursday evening during a raid on the town of Qabatya, south of Jenin, according to the Ministry of Health.
The Ministry reported that 20-year-old Mahdi A'hmed Kameel was fatally shot after Israeli occupation soldiers opened fire while storming the town. Troops had earlier deployed infantry units in the streets, searched several homes, and detained another resident.
Earlier in the day, the Israeli occupation forces shot and killed 11-year-old Mohammad Bahjat El-'Hallaq in the town of Al-Ri'hiya, south of Hebron, after opening fire on a group of children playing football in the yard of a local girls' school.
With Kameel's killing, the number of Palestinians killed in Jenin governorate since the Israeli assault on the province began on January 21 has risen to 51, according to medical sources.
M.N.
***
Palestinian injured by Israeli occupation forces in Kafr I'qab, north of Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem)
Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem), October 16, 2025 (WAFA) –
A Palestinian was injured on Thursday evening after being shot by Israeli occupation forces in the town of Kafr I'qab, north of Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem).
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that its teams treated a youth who sustained a gunshot wound to the lower leg during the raid.
Eyewitnesses said that a joint force of Israeli police and soldiers stormed Kafr I'qab, pursuing several young men and firing live ammunition and stun grenades.
During the incursion, Israeli forces also closed several roads in the town and prevented the movement of residents and vehicles.
M.N.
***
Eight Palestinians injured, others detained during IOFs raid in Nablus City
Thursday 16-October-2025
NABLUS, (PIC)
At least eight Palestinian citizens, including four children, suffered bullet injuries and others were detained after the Israeli occupation forces (IOFs) stormed Nablus City and raided buildings on Wednesday evening.
According to local sources, the Israeli occupation forces stormed the city from multiple directions, fired live ammunition and tear gas canisters at local residents and encircled a house.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces stormed the Nablus City‘s fire department building and forced the employees to leave the facility.
The Israeli occupation forces reportedly kidnapped a young firefighter from the fire department building and confiscated his car.
They also broke into and ransacked the trade union headquarters in the city, detained all those who were inside and interrogated them.
***
IPA extends administrative detention of MP 'Hasan Yousuf
Thursday 16-October-2025
RAMALLAH, (PIC)
The Israeli prison service (IPA) has extended the administrative detention of senior Hamas official and lawmaker 'Hasan Yousuf for an additional four months.
Local sources said that this was the fifth consecutive extension of his administrative detention since MP Yousuf was kidnaped at the beginning of the Israeli genocidal war on the Gaza Strip two years ago.
MP Yousuf, 69, has spent over 20 years in Israeli jails, mostly in administrative detention.
He suffers from multiple health issues, and his family says he has not been examined by doctors since his last detention.
***
IOFs kidnap several Palestinians, razes home in the West Bank
Thursday 16-October-2025
WEST BANK, (PIC)
The Israeli occupation forces (IOFs) kidnapped a number of Palestinian citizens and demolished a house during raids in the West Bank last night and on Thursday morning.
According to local sources, the IOFs kidnapped Murad Ishtaiwi, director of the "Illegal Settlements and Wall Resistance Commission," after raiding his home in Kafr Qaddoum town, east of Qalqilya.
According to local sources, the Israeli occupation forces stormed at dawn Kafr Qaddoum town, kidnapped three other citizens and used some homes as military posts.
The sources added that the IOFs closed the town’s entrances and informed the local residents of its decision to impose a curfew until 8:00 p.m.
In Nablus, two citizens were taken prisoner during IOFs raids in the city and Rafeedya area.
In Bait La'hm (Bethlehem), the IOFs stormed different areas of the province, without making kidnappings.
In Ramallah, the IOFs demolished a Palestinian house in El-Mughayyir village, northeast of Ramallah, claiming it had been built with no permit.
In Toulkarm, two young men were kidnapped from their homes in 'Illar town.
In northern El-Quds (occupied Jerusalem), two workers sustained bullets injuries after the Israeli occupation soldiers opened fire at them and others during their presence near the Apartheid Wall, in the towns of El-Ram and Qalandya.
8 kidnapped.
2 injured.
***
Palestinian families threatened with eviction by Israeli authorities east of Toubas
TOUBAS, October 16, 2025 (WAFA) –
Israeli occupation forces threatened on Thursday evening to forcibly remove several Palestinian families from their homes in a hamlet located east of Toubas, in the northern occupied West Bank.
Mokhlis Masa'id, head of the Yerza Village Council, reported that the occupation forces raided the hamlet and its surrounding areas, threatening to evict more than 10 families from their homes.
Some of these families had already been displaced earlier this year from their homes in the northern Jordan Valley due to attacks by Israeli colonists.
These threats and raids are part of an ongoing campaign by Israeli forces and colonists to intimidate Palestinian communities in the region, seize land, and restrict access to homes and resources, creating a climate of fear and instability for residents.
M.N.
***
Israeli occupation forces continue raid on Kafr Qaddoum village, impose military restrictions
QALQILYA, October 16, 2025 (WAFA) –
Israeli occupation forces have continued their raid since early Thursday morning on the village of Kafr Qaddoum, east of Qalqilya, carrying out extensive house searches and patrols.
Local sources reported that, in addition to raiding and searching homes, the soldiers fired live ammunition and stun grenades indiscriminately across the village neighborhoods, spreading fear among residents.
During the ongoing incursion, Israeli forces have restricted the movement of residents, forcing shops, health facilities, and other establishments to close, effectively turning the village into a military zone.
Palestinians across the occupied West Bank regularly face harassment, arbitrary detentions, and restrictions on movement by Israeli occupation authorities, causing fear and constant disruptions to daily life.
M.N.
***
***
Aggression and Attacks by Illegal Israeli Settlers and Soldiers
***
Note: Despite the Trump administration support for the Israeli occupation apartheid regime, the U.S. official policy is still considering the Israeli settlement activities in the Palestinian territories as illegal.
***
Israeli occupation army and illegal settlers lunch attack on Palestinian olive pickers in Jineen
Jineen, October 16, 2025 (WAFA) –
The Israeli occupation forces and illegal settlers lunched a separate attack on Thursday against Palestinian olive pickers in the town of Kafr El-Ra'i, south of Jineen, according to a local official.
Kafr El-Ra'i Mayor, Ghassan Daraghma, told WAFA that dozens of colonists from the illegal colonial outpost of Dotan, under the protection of the Israeli occupation army, attacked Palestinian farmers who were trying to reach their lands to harvest olives.
Daraghma affirmed that the Jenin Governorate, in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Wall and Settlement Authority, organized an event today to help olive pickers in the town reach their lands that are restricted by Israeli authorities.
He also said that Israeli forces fired live ammunition and tear gas canisters at the Palestinian farmers and participants in the event.
Daraghma noted that the participants in the event, included Jenin Governor Kamal Abu al-Rab, his deputy Mansour El-Sa'di, the head of the Wall Resistance Authority, Mu-ayyad Sha'ban, and members of the Kafr El-Ra'i municipality.
Y.S.
***
Illegal Israeli settlers attack olive farmers in southeastern Bait La'hm (Bethlehem)
Thursday 16-October-2025
Bait La'hm (Bethlehem), (PIC)
A horde of the armed illegal Israeli settlers launched an attack on Palestinian farmers as they were harvesting olives in the southeast of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank.
According to local sources, the settlers attacked the farmers with sticks and stones in the Umm Zuwaiteena area in the east of the village of Kisan.
Local residents said that the farmers tried to defend their olive groves and clashed with the settlers, who received support from Israeli soldiers.
They added that Israeli soldiers spread in the area, prevented other farmers from reaching the olive groves and fired tear gas canisters and stun grenades at them.
The agricultural areas of Kisan and El-Rashayda, located in the southeast of Bethlehem, are repeatedly targeted by the illegal Israeli settlers, according to Palestinian officials.
***
Israeli forces raid Beer Zait, deploy around University campus
RAMALLAH, October 16, 2025 (WAFA) –
The Israeli forces stormed on Thursday the town of Beer Zait, north of Ramallah, according to local sources.
They said that several Israeli military vehicles stormed the town and stationed around Beer Zait University.
Y.S.
***
***
News Related to the Israeli Genocidal War on the Palestinian People
***
Keynote address by Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa at the High-Level meeting on the situation in Gaza
RAMALLAH, October 16, 2025 (WAFA) –
After more than two years of devastating war, Gaza has suffered widespread destruction, mass displacement, and deep humanitarian suffering.
Yet, the Government of Palestine stands firm in its resolve to lead a nationally owned process of recovery and reconstruction that restores dignity and hope to our people.
In partnership with Arab states and international partners, we have prepared a comprehensive plan (with implementation programs and detailed projects) for Gaza’s early recovery and long-term reconstruction.
Our vision is clear: Gaza shall be rebuilt as an open, connected, and thriving part of the State of Palestine, in line with UN relevant resolutions and the New York Declaration.
Recovery will not only restore homes, schools, hospitals, and infrastructure but above all it will restore hope for our people and will strengthen governance, empower communities, and build resilience against future shocks.
The Government has put in place a unified framework for recovery through the Gaza Recovery and Reconstruction Implementation Program (GRRIP). This program builds directly on the Arab Plan for Recovery, Reconstruction, and Development of Gaza, adopted by the Extraordinary Arab Summit in Cairo in March 2025. The Arab Plan confirmed Arab commitment to Palestinian leadership and mobilization of coordinated resources for recovery.
Updated International estimates put damages, losses, and needs to over US$ 67 billion. The Program defines therefore a five-year framework valued at US$ 67 billion, covering 56 sub-programs across 18 sectors, including housing, social services, infrastructure, economy, and governance. This program will be implemented in close coordination with line ministries, national institutions, and international partners.
The five-year program is structured in three sequential phases: the first phase: a six-month emergency phase focused on early recovery valued at $ 3.5 B; the second phase: a three-year reconstruction and recovery phase valued at around US$ 30 billion; and the third phase will be the reconstruction phase.
Together, these phases provide a coherent pathway from relief to sustainable development, ensuring that immediate interventions are linked to institutional recovery, economic revival, and durable reconstruction.
The first phase will begin immediately following a ceasefire, with the Government launching a six-month Early Recovery Plan with an estimated investment of US$ 3.5 billion. This plan focuses on:
▪︎ Debris removal and restoration of basic infrastructure and services.
Transitional housing;
▪︎ Cash assistance and cash-for-work programs to provide income and create jobs.
Support for small enterprises and agriculture to revive livelihoods;
▪︎ Reactivating the Banking System.
Provision of psychosocial support, education, and health services;
▪︎ Assistance for persons with disabilities, including rehabilitation and assistive devices.
One month after the ceasefire, Egypt will convene the Gaza Reconstruction Conference in Cairo. This conference will serve as the central platform for mobilizing international resources and partnerships, while reaffirming that all efforts are anchored in Palestinian national ownership and leadership.
The Government of Palestine reaffirms that effective governance in Gaza is an essential pillar of recovery and stability. Without strong and unified national institutions, the risks of inefficiency, duplication, and eventual collapse of basic services would be dangerously high.
The re-activation of legitimate Palestinian institutions in Gaza will therefore proceed in full alignment with national laws and the Palestinian Authority’s public administration institutions.
Palestine already possesses unified systems in key sectors such as health, education, water and sanitation, land and civil registry, public finance, and taxation.
These systems, recognized by international partners, must be empowered and strengthened, not replaced by parallel or temporary structures that would be incapable of sustaining effective service delivery on the ground.
This process will be implemented as part of the ongoing national reform program focused on transparency, accountability, and institutional performance, with the active support and audit of international partners. It will also reinforce the political and territorial unity between Gaza and the West Bank and contribute to restoring a credible governance framework for the State of Palestine.
The Palestinian National Authority approaches the issue of security in Gaza as a central pillar of its broader national vision for unity, sovereignty, and the realization of the independent State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The Government therefore reaffirms that effective security and governance in Gaza must be nationally owned and led, rooted in national institutions and consistent with international law.
The PNA remains open to coordination with, and support from Arab and international partners in support of stabilization and civilian protection, including, where necessary, a temporary and clearly defined international or regional presence mandated by the United Nations Security Council and implemented in coordination with the State of Palestine.
Such arrangements must be time-bound, and fully subject to Palestinian sovereignty and legal authority.
Police Training programs, initiated with Egypt and Jordan, are already underway. Recruitment and training can be scaled up according to operational needs. The Palestinian police and security forces will gradually operate in Gaza after the war, but always in accordance with Palestinian laws and under the full command and coordination of the Palestinian Authority’s leadership.
The Government is ready for the phased reactivation of Gaza’s borders with Egypt in close coordination with Egypt and the EU. Technical discussions are advancing with the EU on secure crossing operations, customs systems, and integrated policing units.
In conclusion, The Government of Palestine has built a coherent, technically grounded, and institutionally led framework for Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction. The Gaza Recovery and Reconstruction Implementation Program (GRRIP), the Arab Plan, and the established operational structures, and financing mechanisms, we are ready to move from planning to implementation the moment post ceasefire arrangements are finalized.
Our message to the international community is clear: Gaza’s reconstruction must be Palestinian-led, Arab-backed, and internationally supported, ensuring not only the rebuilding of Gaza but also the restoration of hope, dignity, and stability for its people.
Y.S.
***
===============================================================================================================================
Editorial
Notes about terms
& names of
people and places:
1. Names of people and places have been standardized to
match standard Arabic grammatical rules.
2. Underlined
letters and letters preceded by an apostrophe are
references to Arabic letter sounds, which does not exist in the English
alphabet.
3. The English letter i is
equivalent to the Arabic short vowel known as kasra,
as in Ibraheem
and Qasim
as well as in the English words sit and bit. So, it is incorrect to use
it as a long vowel for such Arabic names as Jameel and Jibreel.
4. The English letter e is
equivalent to the Arabi short vowel known as fat'ha,
as in A'hmed
and Mu'hammed.
5. It is more accurate to refer to the
land-grabbing Israelis,
who establish illegal settlements in the Palestinian territory of the
West Bank, as illegal
Israeli settlers, than referring to them as colonists.
The term colony is
a reference to a large entity or a country, such as American states before
independence. It was also a reference to Egypt, and India,
when they were British colonies.
In addition, the term "colony"
represents a positive
nostalgic theme, in the minds of native speakers of
English, particularly in America and Britain.
6. It is more
accurate to use the verbs "abduct"
and "kidnap"
than the verbs "detain"
and "arrest,"
in reference to taking Palestinian citizens by force to prisons and
interrogation centers, by Israeli occupation regime soldiers. This is
because the presence of the Israeli occupation regime forces is illegal
in the Palestinian territories, and they have no jurisdiction over the
Palestinian people.
Click here for more about using the apostrophe and the underlining of
letters in the transliteration of Arabic names.
***
Names of some of the Palestinian cities, as pronounced in standard Arabic, and their foreign names in parentheses:
Al-Khaleel (Hebron)
Al-Nusayrat
Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem)
Aree'ha (Jericho)
Al-Zaytoun (al-Zeitoun)
Bait (Beit)
Bait La'hm (Bethlehem)
Dair El-Bala'h
Jineen (Jenin)
Khan Younus (Khan Younis)
***
Person's names as pronounced in standard Arabic:
A'hmed, 'Hasan, Mu'hammed, Younus, Yousuf,
'Hasan Mulai'hat,
***
Conflict terminology
The Israeli occupation apartheid regime (the Israeli government)
Illegal Israeli settlers (instead of settlers, colonists)
A group of the illegal Israeli settlers
***
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