In Occupied Palestine
Zionism in practice
Israel’s Daily Toll on Palestinian Life, Limb, Liberty and Land
08:00, 16 August 2025 until 08:00, 17 August 2025
Gaza Strip
Sanction Israel
Merciless blitz on starving Gaza — growing numbers
of dead and injured
Victims 16-17 August 2025:
47 more killed and 226 wounded
Since dawn, Israeli air strikes, missile launches and gunfire on homes, as well as medical and other facilities, have resulted in 47 dead and 226 wounded. Civil Defence crews retrieved nine more bodies from underneath bomb-damaged property, bringing the total number now killed in Gaza, since 7 October 2023, to at least 61,944. The total wounded is now at least 155,886. The daily average number of men, women and children killed in Gaza is at least 91 and, that of those injured, is more than 229. A UN report states that, as of 14 January 2025, around 70% of those killed in Gaza were women and children.
Imperialist Zionism aims for a “Greater Israel“
Not only the whole of Palestine — the Zionist reach goes far beyond.
On 12 August 2025, Benjamin Netanyahu appeared in an interview on Israel’s i24 TV network with interviewer, Sharon Gal, who gifted him a pendant depicting an extended Israel. “This is my vision,” said Gal, before asking Netanyahu: “Do you connect to the vision?” Netanyahu responded “very much” and Gal then stressed that the map “is Greater Israel.”
While i24 has cut this exchange from the video of the interview on its Hebrew or English language YouTube channels it can still be viewed on i24’s Hebrew-language website.
As the Times of Israel explains:
The term Greater Israel refers to Israel in expanded borders in accordance with biblical or historical descriptions, and has many versions, some of which include parts of today’s Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Iraq and Saudi Arabia . . .
It is still adopted by some far-right figures in Israel who express a desire to annex or eventually control many of those territories.
The idea of colonising other parts of the Arab world according to historic Jewish texts is popular among the far-right portion of Netanyahu’s governing coalition. Religious Zionist Party leader, Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s Minister of Finance, has said he wants a Jewish State “according to the books of our sages” that will “extend to Damascus,” the capital of Syria, and suggested Israel will “slowly” conquer the other side of the Jordan River.
At a conference in March 2023, before Israel’s current military assault on the Gaza Strip began, Smotrich spoke at a conference behind a podium depicting a map of “Greater Israel”, which encompassed parts of Jordan, Syria and Saudi Arabia.
Defending free speech:
The pioneering UK green energy company, Ecotricity, reaffirms its commitment to fly the Palestinian flag at its headquarters.
West Bank
Israeli Army attack – 1 wounded: Jerusalem – 12:00, Israeli Occupation forces opened fire from the Annexation Wall, wounding one person, near the village of Sheikh Saad.
Israeli Army attack – 2 wounded: Jerusalem – 10:00, Israeli forces, at the Annexation Wall in the Wadi al-Humus area, opened fire towards people making their way to work in the city, wounding two of them: Saeed MuhammadaOmar Abu Qubaita and Mahmoud Omar Ibrahim Abu Qubaita.
Israeli Army attack – youngster killed: Ramallah – 14:15, the Israeli Army, firing live ammunition, stormed the village of al-Mughayir, killing a youngster, Hamdan Musa Muhammad Abu Aliya (aged 18).
Israeli settler attack: Ramallah – 16:00, armed Israeli Occupation settlers opened indiscriminate fire in an Atara town archaeological area and set up camp.
Israeli Army attack – refugee camp: Jenin – Israeli Occupation forces, continue storming and firing live ammunition in both the city and the refugee camp.
Israeli Army attack – home invasions – refugee camps: Tulkarem – the Israeli Army, firing live ammunition, continue to storm the city as well as the Tulkarem and Nur Shams refugee camps, invading and occupying homes.
Israeli settler attack: Bethlehem – 07:20, armed Israeli settlers, firing live ammunition, drove a vehicle through the village of al-Manshiya.
Home invasion and arson: Jenin – 21:10, Israeli Occupation forces raided the village of Kafr Dan, searching a house and then setting it on fire.
Home invasion and robbery: Jenin – 21:30, Israeli forces raided the town of Ya’bad, searched a house and plundered an amount of cash from inside it.
Home invasions: Tubas – 24:00–04:40, the Israeli Army raided the city and searched two homes.
Home invasion in refugee camp: Nablus – 02:55–05:15, Israeli troops raided the Askar refugee camp and searched a house.
Home invasion: Jericho – 00:10–01:55, the Israeli military raided the city and searched a house.
Home invasion: Bethlehem – 10:25-12:30, Israeli soldiers raided the village of al-Rashaydeh and searched a house.
Home invasions: Hebron – 09:30, Israeli Occupation forces raided the village of Imreish and searched two homes.
Occupation settler arson, agricultural sabotage and population–control: Ramallah – 13:00–15:00, Israeli Occupation settlers raided Palestinian agricultural land, between the villages of al-Mughayir and Khirbet Abu Falah, closing the road between the two villages and setting fire to olive trees, vehicles and mobile homes.
Occupation settler stoning: Ramallah – 14:45-16:00, Occupation settlers invaded the outskirts of the villages of al-Mughayir and Kafr Malik, stoning people’s homes.
Occupation settler arson and pastoral sabotage: Ramallah – 15:25-16:50, Israeli settlers set fire to a sheep farm, on the outskirts of Turmusaya.
Occupation settler terrorism: Tubas – 15:00-16:00, Israeli Occupation settlers invaded the al-Farisiya area, terrorising and patrolling around a home.
Occupation settler vandalism and water crime: Tubas – evening, Israeli settlers raided the Ghazal Spring area in the North Jordan Valley, emptying water-storage tanks of their contents and cutting water pipelines serving tent-dwellings.
Occupation settler agricultural sabotage: Tulkarem – 09:00, a settler, from the Avnei Hefetz Occupation settlement, grazed cattle on crops growing on Shufa village agricultural land.
Occupation settler stoning – 3 injured, including 1 child: Nablus – 18:20, stone-throwing Israelis, from the Shavei Shomron Occupation settlement, targeting passing vehicles near the entrance to the settlement, injured and hospitalised with a head injury, a five-year-old child: Jawad Bassam Shalabi.
Occupation settler stoning: Salfit – 01:15-02:15, Israelis, from the Barkan Occupation settlement, stoned nearby passing vehicles.
Occupation settler agricultural and pastoral sabotage: Bethlehem – 16:15, Israeli Occupation settlers invaded the Khirbet Umm al-Batem area, cutting off branches from fruit trees and grazing their sheep in the area.
Occupation settler terrorism: Bethlehem – armed Israeli settlers raided the Khallet Umm al-Hasan area of Kisan village and threatened to set fire to a the home of a villager, Nassar Rashaida, if he had not abandoned his home within the following 24 hours.
Occupation settler violence and injuries, including 1 child – agricultural sabotage: Hebron – 10:25, Occupation settlers invaded agricultural land, between the towns of Beit Ummar and Halhul, assaulting farm workers, injuring and hospitalising three people, including one child.
Occupation settler terrorism and population–control: Hebron – 16:10, Israeli settlers raided the outskirts of al-Bureij village, terrorising people and preventing the building of a road.
Raids: Jerusalem – 17:20, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the towns of al-Eizariya and Abu Dis.
Raid – surveillance: Jerusalem – 02:30, Israeli forces raided the town of Bir Nabala and examined the surveillance-camera footage of several shops.
Raid: Ramallah – 10:40, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the town of Taybeh.
Raid: Ramallah – 14:45, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the village of Khirbet Abu Falah.
Raid: Ramallah – 14:55-16:00, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the town of al-Mazra’a al-Sharqiya.
Raid: Ramallah – 15:30, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the village of Beitin.
Raid: Ramallah – 16:35, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the town of Silwad.
Raid: Ramallah – 16:50-17:50, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the village of Abu Shukhaydam.
Raids: Ramallah – 18:25, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the villages of Qarawat Bani Zeid, Kafr Ein and Nabi Saleh.
Raid – 2 taken prisoner: Ramallah – 00:50, Israeli troops raided the village of Umm Safa, taking prisoner two people.
Raid: Jenin – 09:10, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the village of al-Fanduqumiya.
Raids: Jenin – 11:45, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the town of al-Zabadeh as well as the villages of Jalboun and Deir Abu Daif.
Raids: Jenin – 17:10, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled al-Yamoun, al-Silah and al- Harithiya, as well as the villages of Zububa, al-Taybeh, Rumana, al-Arqa, Kafr Qud and al-Hashimiya.
Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Jenin – 00:50–02:00, Israeli forces raided the town of Qabatiya, taking prisoner one person.
Raid: Tubas – 08:30, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the village of Khirbet Atouf.
Raids: Tubas – 11:40, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the city and Aqaba, as well as the villages of Tayasir and al-Kafir.
Raid: Tubas – 24:00–04:40, the Israeli Army raided the town of Tammun.
Raid: Tulkarem – 10:20, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the village of Shufa.
Raids: Tulkarem – 17:15-21:20, the Israeli military raided and patrolled Quffin, as well as the villages of Nazlat Issa and Nazlat Zaid.
Raid: Tulkarem – 19:45–00:45, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the town of Attil.
Raid: Qalqiliya – 11:00, Israeli Occupation forces raided the town of Azzun.
Raid: Qalqiliya – 16:45, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the village of Far’ata.
Raid: Qalqiliya – 17:45, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the town of Hablat.
Raid: Qalqiliya – 17:45, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the city.
Raid: Qalqiliya – 18:40, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the village of Jayus.
Raid: Qalqiliya – 20:15–00:40, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the village of al-Nabi Ilyas.
Raid: Qalqiliya – 02:05, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the town of Azzun.
Raids: Nablus – 09:05-13:45, Israeli forces raided and patrolled Asira al-Shamaliya, as well as the village of Yasid.
Raid: Nablus – 12:00-15:30, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the village of Einabus.
Raids: Nablus – 12:40, Israeli troops raided and patrolled Qusra as well as the village of Tal.
Raids: Nablus – 14:00, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the villages of Rujeib and Awarta.
Raids: Nablus – 15:30, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the villages of Madma and Asira al-Qibliya.
Raid: Nablus – 00:35–03:20, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the town of Aqraba.
Raid: Nablus – 01:35–04:10, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the town of Qusra.
Raid – 2 taken prisoner: Nablus – 02:10–04:00, the Israeli Army raided the village of Burqa, taking prisoner two people.
Raid: Nablus – 02:55–05:15, Israeli troops raided the city’s eastern neighbourhoods.
Raid – 4 taken prisoner: Nablus – 04:20, the Israeli military raided the village of Duma, taking prisoner four people.
Raid: Salfit – 18:25, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the village of Farkha.
Raid: Salfit – 21:00, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the town of al-Zawiya.
Raids: Salfit – 07:50, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the town of Bidya as well as the village of Masha.
Raid: Jericho – 18:55, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the city.
Raids: Bethlehem – 12:20-17:30, Israeli troops raided and patrolled al-Ubeidiya and Za’tara as well as the villages of Dar Salah and al-Sawahra.
Raids – 3 taken prisoner: Bethlehem – 00:50–04:50, the Israeli military raided the city as well as the towns of Doha, al-Khadr and Janata, taking prisoner three people.
Raid: Hebron – 08:00-09:30, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the town of al-Dhahiriya.
Raid: Hebron – 13:10, Israeli Occupation forces raided the town of al-Ramadin and invaded a number of shops.
Raid: Hebron – 16:40, Israeli forces raided and patrolled the towns of Sa’ir and Halhul.
Raid – 2 taken prisoner: Hebron – 18:15–22:00, the Israeli Army raided the city, taking prisoner two people.
Raid – 6 taken prisoner: Hebron – 23:55, Israeli troops raided the town of Beit Ummar, taking prisoner six people.
Raid: Hebron – 07:10, the Israeli military raided and patrolled the town of Bani Naim.
I am awestruck by the courage of these young people who insist on doing the right thing even if it has painful consequences for them.
I urge TDB readers to join me in supporting them.
Dear Stevie
Just last month, 18-year-olds Ayana Gertsmann and Yuval Peleg publicly refused mandatory military service in the Israeli occupation forces. By refusing service, they are refusing the genocide, occupation and extermination of the Palestinian people. At such a young age, they are now part of a much longer lineage of resistance to colonial wars by refusing to sacrifice herself on the altar of ethnic supremacy. We stand in solidarity with Ayana and Yuval who are setting an example for us all on how to stubbornly refuse in the darkest of times, and call on our supporters all over the world to let your communities know about Ayana and Yuval. As they sit in a military prison for their brave decision, we need all of our friends abroad to forward Ayana’s public letter below to everyone you know, and more importantly, send Ayana and Yuval a letter of support at this link. Below are Ayana’s words to the world:
My name is Ayana Gerstmann, I’m 18 years old, and Israeli law dictates that I must enlist. I have decided to refuse to enlist, as my morals have obligated me to do so, and I choose to act accordingly.
I was raised in a family that often mentioned the moral failure that is in the military service. And yet, at a young age, I did not fully understand what that moral failure of the military service, that my mom would often talk about, actually was. I had no idea what was happening around me: what were the territories and what was the occupation. I remember that in 4th grade I participated in my school’s Jerusalem Day ceremony. I danced, sang and recited nationalistic texts without even imagining that there is a problem with the joyful celebration of what was displayed to us as the “Unification of Jerusalem – The Eternal Capital”.
A year later, in 5th grade, my political ignorance had been shattered. In the days before Jerusalem Day, we were given a research assignment about important places in Jerusalem. It is clear to me today that the goal of that assignment was to strengthen my nationalistic tendencies, but its outcome was the opposite. I read about East Jerusalem, and for the first time was exposed to it as it was depicted in the B’Tselem website. Suddenly my eyes were opened to what hid behind the national pride celebrations I had participated in a year earlier – occupation and oppression. Suddenly, and at once, I had been made aware of the deep suffering of millions of people, that prior I hadn’t even known existed, whose freedom is crushed day by day, hour by hour, by the occupation regime.
From that moment, the realization that I absolutely cannot be a bolt in the military system that is enforcing the occupation regime, and making the lives of the Palestinians miserable as a policy, had been growing. I will not be part of a system that is routinely expelling communities, killing innocents, and allowing settlers to take over their lands. Since October 7th this realization had come to its peak due to the army’s actions in Gaza. Since the start of the war tens of thousands of women and children had been killed, and hundreds of thousands had been displaced from their homes, living today in refugee camps, deprived of their dignity and starving. This humanitarian catastrophe is a result of the army’s actions, the result of the war that has been going on for nearly two years, and has lost its goals long ago. For two years I see bloodshed as a result of a hopeless war of revenge. I see tens of thousands of Gazan children that are born and raised with endless despair, into death and destruction that make up a neverending circle of hate, revenge and murder. I see hundreds of youths my age getting killed as they are sent by the state to eternalize this circle. I see a war that is only endangering the lives of the hostages. And I cannot be silent in the face of these things.
I cannot be silent in a society silence took over. I do not have the privilege to be silent, when I know that everyone around me has long been silent. Israeli society has been seeing the occupation for six decades and is closing its eyes. Israeli society has been seeing Gazan children killed in bombins and is closing its eyes. Israeli society sees the army committing the worst of moral atrocities, and decides to be silent. Israeli society is not ready to acknowledge the atrocities its army is committing against innocents, because people know that once they do, they will be unable to deal with the guilt. And instead of invoking its morality and opposing the atrocities, Israeli society silences every hint of its immorality, justifies whatever cannot be silenced, and labels any opposition of the war as evil, out of a fear that it will label itself as such, if it will dare to look at the truth. Throughout the war I hear the phrase “there are no innocents in Gaza” countless times, and am outraged. I hear this phrase normalized more and more. I see people that wholeheartedly believe that even the youngest of Gaza’s children isn’t innocent, and therefore will be given no mercy. On this I want to say: a child is always innocent! For it is obvious to me that I too as a child was innocent, when I took part in the Jerusalem Day ceremonies. I couldn’t choose otherwise when I read out the nationalistic texts I was told to read, while completely ignoring the Palestinian suffering of which I was unaware. An unknowing child cannot make his own choices, and therefore is innocent.
But now, having matured, my innocence is not unconditional. That is why I know that if I decide to stay silent now that I’m aware of the suffering inflicted upon millions by the army, I will be complicit in the crime. Today I know that I cannot be silent in the face of suffering. I cannot be silent in the face of killing and destruction. And today I know that enlisting in the army is worse than silence: it is cooperation with a system that is hurting millions. That is why I refuse, and do so loudly. I will not cooperate, and I will not be part of the silence that enables the worst of atrocities to be committed in my name. As a citizen of the country I say clearly: the destruction of Gaza – not in my name! The occupation – not in my name! I refuse to be silent, in hope that my voice will open the eyes of others in society, and make them aware of what’s being done in their name, until they stay silent no more.
Please forward Ayana’s public letter below to everyone you know, and more importantly, send Ayana and Yuval a letter of support at this link. You are their voice.
In solidarity,
Tal Marom
Solidarity Coordinator
Refuser Solidarity Network
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August 18 BBC reported from Der Abu Falah, a Palestinian village in Occupied West Bank( Lucy Williamson Reporter).
While journalists are viewing a vandalised Olive Plantation, a dozen, club wielding, men run down from an illegal Jewish settlement camp to attack the Palestinians inspecting and repairing damage.
As the Palestinians rally to pursue the attackers the IDF garrison takes swift decisive action.
It seals off the road to prevent pursuit and retaliation of the settler gang.
Village residents report this is a near daily experience.
Also the Guardian newspaper reports the arrest of protestors with T-Shirts emblazoned ‘Plasticine Action.’
Obviously yet another terrorist organisation devoted to moulding impressions on the minds of our children.
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