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Reporting Guides / Palestine & Israel

Reporting on Palestine & Israel

A guide for fast, accurate coverage.

Over the past two years, coverage of the U.S.-backed Israeli war on Gaza has raised questions about the credibility and independence of many newsrooms. Coverage of Palestine and Israel — a story which continues to shape the American landscape — is a test of whether journalism can resist dehumanization, euphemism and information warfare. Our shared ethics include accuracy in reporting, minimizing harm, and holding both those in power and ourselves accountable. Central to building both trust and media literacy is not only a commitment to those principles, but also to language, the foundation for conveying truth and humanity together.

This guide helps journalists of all backgrounds report on a decades-long system of apartheid, military occupation, forced displacement and war, offering essential historical and legal context alongside concrete language recommendations for headlines and copy to ensure accuracy.

Use the tabs below to find practical, evidence-based guidance on language, context, and sourcing to ensure all perspectives and international law are accurately represented in your reporting.

Language Guidance

Treat all official statements as claims

All combatants wage information war. Early statements are often incomplete or later revised after evidence surfaces that contradicts initial claims, even when shared through official military channels. Do not publish battlefield assertions as fact without independent corroboration.

Example: “The IDF said it struck a Hamas weapons site,” not “The IDF struck a Hamas weapons site,” unless you have independent confirmation.

Describe forced transfer precisely (avoid euphemisms)

Language that implies voluntary or temporary relocation obscures intent and legal consequences. Do not use “displacement” or “evacuation” as catch-all terms when policies envision removing a population and preventing return. Name the proposals, name the officials, and include the context that UN Security Council Resolution 2735 rejects demographic change in Gaza. Use accurate legal terms (e.g., forcible transfer, evacuation orders, mass displacement) where supported by facts. Specify the actor issuing orders and the legal status of the territory.

Example: “Residents were ordered by the IDF to leave northern Gaza and move south amid ongoing bombardment.”

When (and how) to use “genocide”

The 1948 U.N. Genocide Convention requires genocidal acts, plus specific intent to destroy a protected group “in whole or in part.” Because intent is rarely explicit, courts infer it from patterns like mass killings, starvation, destruction of civilian infrastructure, or from leaders’ statements.

Example: “The U.N. Commission of Inquiry concluded Israel has committed genocide in Gaza,” rather than asserting it as settled fact without attribution.

What authoritative bodies have said:

  • ICJ (The Hague): In South Africa v. Israel, the Court issued binding orders (Jan. 26 & May 24, 2024) requiring prevention of acts that could constitute genocide and allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza; it recognized “plausible” genocide claims while the case proceeds.
  • ICC (May–Nov 2024): The prosecutor sought arrest warrants for Israeli and Palestinian leaders; in Nov 2024, warrants were issued for Israel’s prime minister and former defense minister for war crimes/crimes against humanity (e.g., starvation, intentional attacks on civilians). Genocide is not among the public charges at this stage.
  • U.N. Commission of Inquiry (Sept 2025): Concluded Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, citing four of five genocidal acts and evidence of intent; Israel rejects the finding.
  • International Association of Genocide Scholars (Sept 2025): Voted to adopt a resolution concluding Israel’s actions meet the legal definition of genocide (86% in favor).

Common claims (and how to handle them)

When claims conflict (IDF vs. Hamas; ministries vs. NGOs), summarize each with attribution, note evidence provided (or withheld), and state what remains unverified. Avoid conclusory phrasing until corroborated.

  • Casualty numbers from Gaza’s Health Ministry are “Hamas propaganda.”

    The Gaza Ministry of Health (administered under Hamas rule) compiles detailed death tallies that the UN, WHO, and major wire services rely on. Past post-war investigations have repeatedly found them broadly accurate, though delays/underreporting can occur amid bombardment. Treat them as the primary dataset, clearly attributed (“Gaza’s Health Ministry says…”), and contextualize any limits (combatant/civilian breakdown disputes, temporary undercounts during bombardment).

  • “UNRWA is ‘Hamas’” or “UNRWA is unnecessary.”

    Created in 1949 to serve Palestinians displaced by Israel’s founding, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency runs schools, clinics, and relief programs for refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. It is staffed by UN civil servants bound by neutrality rules, audited donor funding, and external oversight. Other UN agencies (WHO, WFP, UNICEF, OCHA) depend on its infrastructure to deliver aid. Efforts to smear or dismantle UNRWA are part of a broader push to undermine Palestinian refugee rights, including the right of return recognized in UN resolutions. Defunding UNRWA immediately cuts off education, health care, and food assistance for millions of refugees, amounting to collective punishment. Allegations of misconduct should be attributed and contextualized, but coverage must make clear that weakening UNRWA primarily harms civilians and advances political efforts to erase refugee status.

  • “Palestinian journalists are Hamas, and therefore are legitimate targets.”

    Under international humanitarian law, journalists are civilians and protected from attack. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has documented unprecedented, systematic killings of reporters in Gaza during this war. Any claim that a journalist was a combatant should be treated as an allegation requiring credible, independent evidence. Absent such proof, targeting journalists is a violation of international law and part of a broader pattern to silence Palestinian voices.

  • “Plans to move Gazans are temporary humanitarian measures.”

    In fact, multiple proposals from Israeli officials or aligned planners call for removing Palestinians outside Gaza or permanently barring return to northern areas. The U.N. has explicitly rejected any demographic engineering. Coverage should name the documents, quote the officials, and spell out the legal consequences: forced transfer and demographic change are prohibited under international law and may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity.

  • "The conflict is a timeless religious war."

    The core issues are political and territorial: land, displacement, and rights under military rule. Bring in religion when it directly informs policy or violence (e.g., national-religious settler ideology), not as a catch-all explanation for the conflict.

  • "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) is an independent aid organization."

    The GHF is a U.S.- and Israel-backed private organization launched in 2025, outside the UN system. UN experts and major NGOs say it militarizes aid and funnels civilians to southern Gaza, via declared “combat” corridors. Food distribution sites went from 400 to four sites following the introduction of GHF. OHCHR has reported large numbers of Palestinians killed near hubs and along convoy routes, largely by Israeli fire. Separate investigations flagged a contractor hiring members of an anti-Islam biker gang. A whistleblower has also alleged “barbaric” targeting of Palestinians seeking aid, including children. Haaretz reported that Israeli soldiers said they were ordered to fire on unarmed civilians waiting for aid at GHF sites.

Framing Pitfalls

Avoid these language and framing pitfalls (and what to say instead)

  • False equivalency / “both sides”. Name the actor and act; acknowledge asymmetry of occupation and military power.
    Instead of
    “Israel pummeled Gaza with air strikes and Palestinian militants launched rockets at Israeli cities…”
    Say
    “Israeli jets struck residential blocks in Gaza during an air campaign; militants in Gaza fired rockets into Israeli population centers. Israel occupies Palestinian territory and fields a conventional military; Palestinians do not.”
  • Passive casualties. Add responsible actor (if verified) and location.
    Instead of
    “Dozens reported killed in Gaza refugee camp blast.”
    Say
    “Israeli airstrikes hit the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, killing dozens, according to hospital officials and first responders.”
  • “Israel intercepted activists/flotillas.” If in international waters, say so; use concrete actions (boarded, seized, detained).
    Instead of
    “Israel intercepted a Gaza flotilla.”
    Say
    “Israeli naval forces boarded and seized the [vessel] in international waters, detained those aboard, and towed the ship to [Israeli port]. Organizers called the detentions ‘kidnapping’; Israel said it was enforcing its naval blockade.”
  • Conflating Hamas with Gaza’s Health Ministry (MoH). Attribute precisely; explain methods/limits.
    Instead of
    “According to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health…”
    Say
    “According to Gaza’s Health Ministry—whose hospital-based reporting is tracked by global health organizations—X people were killed; names have been provided, though final figures may lag amid bombardment and damage to the health system.”
  • “Clashes.” Describe tactics and sequence.
    Instead of
    “Violent clashes erupted at Islam’s third-holiest shrine…”
    Say
    “IDF and police units entered the Al-Aqsa compound and used stun grenades and rubber-coated bullets to clear worshippers; Palestinians threw stones in response.”
  • “Settler violence.” Name the state structure and policy levers (Civil Administration powers, outpost approvals, arming civilians).
    Instead of
    “Israeli settlers attacked.”
    Say
    “Following a settler ‘pogrom’ in Huwara, senior minister Smotrich—who also holds powers over the West Bank Civil Administration—called to ‘erase’ the town, a remark the U.S. called incitement; an Israeli general also labeled the rampage a ‘pogrom,’ underscoring state roles in enabling settler violence.”
  • “Unprovoked.” Don’t use without attribution; add chronology.
    Instead of
    “Appalling unprovoked, brutal attacks.”
    Say
    “The U.S. called the Oct. 7 assault ‘unprovoked.’ In the months prior, the West Bank saw its deadliest year since 2005 amid near-daily raids and escalating settler attacks, U.N. data show.”
  • “Evictions/real-estate dispute.” Use applicable legal terms and the territory’s status.
    Instead of
    “Real estate dispute leads to bloodshed.”
    Say
    “U.N. experts warned planned expulsions of Palestinian families in occupied East Jerusalem would violate international law; Israeli courts treat these as property claims, but the U.N. views them as forcible transfer.”
  • “Command center in a hospital” claims. Separate possible military use from sweeping assertions; seek independent visual/forensic evidence.
    Instead of
    “Command center at Al-Shifa.”
    Say
    “Israel alleges a Hamas command-and-control center; U.N. bodies have said those allegations are insufficient to justify direct strikes on hospitals absent corroborating evidence.”

Core Context

This primer outlines key historical, legal, and political context often missing or simplified in coverage of Palestine and Israel.

Foundations

Zionism: Zionism emerged as a Jewish nationalist movement seeking a sovereign home in Palestine; Britain’s 1917 Balfour Declaration and the UN’s 1947 Partition Plan (Resolution 181) set the stage for statehood and war. These decisions and how they were implemented still frame competing claims to legitimacy, territory, and Jerusalem.

Nakba: Nakba is the Arabic word for “catastrophe,” which is how Palestinians refer to their violent ethnic cleansing and dispossession in 1948. During Israel’s founding war, more than 700,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled, and were largely prevented from returning; hundreds of villages were depopulated or destroyed. The Nakba is the root of Gaza’s refugee majority and continues to shape claims to property, status, and restitution.

Demographic shift: Between 1948 and 1951, Israel absorbed roughly 700,000 Jewish immigrants—mostly Holocaust survivors from Europe and large communities airlifted or relocated from Arab and Muslim countries—doubling its Jewish population. That rapid demographic shift is central to Israeli state-building and to Palestinian arguments about displacement.

Right of Return: Palestinians base claims to return on UN General Assembly Resolution 194 (1948), which says refugees wishing to return and live at peace “should be permitted” to do so, and that compensation should be provided to others. Palestinians and many international actors view this as a legal entitlement; Israel disputes both the interpretation and feasibility, favoring resettlement.

Occupation: The West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem have been militarily occupied by Israel since 1967. International humanitarian law (IHL) prohibits transferring an occupier’s civilian population into occupied territory (Fourth Geneva Convention, Article 49). Most states and legal bodies deem Israeli settlements illegal. Omitting this frame recasts military occupation as a mere “dispute.”

Blockade: Since 2007, Israel’s land, sea, and air closure of Gaza (with Egypt controlling Rafah) has tightly restricted the movement of people and goods under expansive “dual-use” rules (fuel, construction materials, medical equipment, communications components). Fishing beyond a shifting coastal limit is restricted. The result has been chronic electricity shortages, broken water and sewage systems, disrupted hospital supply chains, and a de-industrialized economy — producing one of the world’s highest jobless rates, widespread poverty, and heavy aid dependence. Most Gazans are refugees or descendants of those displaced in 1948, which magnifies the social and economic impact of the closure.

Apartheid: Major human-rights organizations—Human Rights Watch (2021), B’Tselem (2021), and Amnesty International (2022)—have concluded that Israeli rule amounts to apartheid (systematic domination and oppression of Palestinians across areas under Israeli control). You can report this as those organizations’ legal assessment; it is not just a newsroom opinion.

Oslo Accords: In 1993, the signing of the Oslo Accords created the Palestinian Authority as an interim body and divided the West Bank into Areas A (PA civil/security control), B (PA civil / Israeli security), and C (full Israeli control). Final-status issues were never resolved; settlements expanded, and Area C (about 60% of the West Bank) remains under Israeli planning and security authority.

Key Actors & Institutions

Netanyahu & the current coalition: Benjamin Netanyahu has led Israel for much of the period since 1996 and now sits atop the most hard-right coalition in Israel’s history. Key partners Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir have advanced settlement expansion, loosened firearms access, and deepened state control over the occupied West Bank’s civil administration.

Hamas: Founded in 1987 from Gaza’s Muslim Brotherhood networks, Hamas combines a political leadership (the “political bureau”) with an armed wing (Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades). It narrowly won the 2006 legislative elections and, after 2007 fighting with Fatah, seized authority of Gaza by force while the PA governed parts of the West Bank. Israel and Egypt then imposed a blockade that continues. In talks, Hamas has floated long truces and technocratic governance and in 2017 said it would accept a state on the 1967 lines (without recognizing Israel), though it has not agreed to disarm. Do not conflate Hamas with all Gazans or with civilian ministries like Gaza’s Health Ministry, which is largely staffed by career civil servants.

Gaza’s Health Ministry: Gaza’s public-health authority operates under Hamas’s de facto government but is largely staffed by career civil servants and clinicians who run the hospital, morgue, and health-information systems. Death figures are compiled from hospital and morgue reports (names/IDs, timestamps, cause of injury) and ambulance services, then issued in rolling updates. During blackouts the ministry has released lists of names or provisional estimates. Across prior Israel–Hamas wars (2008, 2014, 2021, etc.), post-conflict UN reviews and independent investigations found the health ministry’s totals broadly consistent with later casualty verification. Although the ministry does not classify combatant vs. civilian deaths in real time, and particular incidents may produce early over or underestimates, UN, OCHA, WHO and major wire services routinely rely on these figures with explicit attribution. Write “Gaza’s Ministry of Health says …” and, where possible, triangulate with hospitals, morgues, and UN updates.

Summary of Involved Parties

ActorTypeWhat to know
Israel State actor Full-spectrum military/intel/occupation authorities (IDF, ISA/Shin Bet, COGAT). Stated goals: free hostages; destroy Hamas; deter Iran-aligned groups; maintain settlement & security architecture over Palestinians. Dominant belligerent with air/ground/sea ops in Gaza; daily raid/detention regime in West Bank; regional strike reach.
Hamas Palestinian movement Political bureau + armed wing (Izz al-Din al-Qassam). Stated goals: movement survival; lift Gaza blockade; leverage hostages for prisoner exchanges; influence Palestinian politics. De facto Gaza authority since 2007; primary Palestinian belligerent in Gaza; negotiates indirectly via Qatar/Egypt.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) Armed faction No governing wing (Al-Quds Brigades as military arm). Stated goals: armed resistance and prisoner exchanges outside PA/Hamas structures. Secondary Gaza belligerent; frequent ceasefire “spoiler”; rocket & small-unit capacity; no civil administration in Gaza.
Hezbollah (Lebanon) Political-military movement State-level capabilities. Stated goals: deterrence vs. Israel; sustain domestic legitimacy; support Iran-aligned “axis” while avoiding full-scale Lebanon war. Maintains a northern front with significant missile/drone arsenal; tempo shapes Israeli calculus in Gaza.
Houthis / Ansar Allah (Yemen) De facto authority (north Yemen) Stated goals: project anti-Israel/anti-U.S. posture; extract Yemen conflict concessions; rally domestic support under “Gaza” banner. Launch long-range drones/missiles toward Israel & Red Sea shipping; triggered U.S./UK strikes and maritime security ops.
PLO / Palestinian Authority Representative body / interim authority PLO recognized as representative of the Palestinian people (Fatah largest faction). Stated goals: preserve recognition; diplomatic path to statehood. PA (from Oslo; Fatah-dominated) administers parts of West Bank; does not govern Gaza; security coordination with Israel continues.
United States State / chief ally & mediator Israel’s principal military/diplomatic backer. Stated goals: Israeli security; hostage recovery; regional/maritime stability; manage escalation with Iran & partners. Largest arms supplier; key UNSC actor; conducts related air/naval ops; co-mediates (with Qatar/Egypt) on ceasefire & hostage frameworks.
Qatar State mediator Hosts Hamas political office; underwrites humanitarian/civil-service payments in Gaza. Stated goals: regional stability; mediation brand; U.S. ties while keeping channels to non-state actors. Lead mediator (with Egypt & U.S.) on ceasefire/hostage deals; access to Hamas leadership is indispensable.
Egypt State mediator / neighbor Controls Rafah crossing; key Sinai security stakeholder. Stated goals: border stability; prevent spillover; preserve ties with U.S./Israel; limit refugee flows. Co-mediator with leverage over crossings/aid logistics; essential to any ceasefire implementation.
Iran Regional state power Backs Hamas, PIJ, Hezbollah, others. Stated goals: deter Israel/U.S.; sustain regional network; raise costs of Israeli action. Financier/trainer/arms supplier; episodic direct counter-strikes with Israel; not a formal party to Gaza negotiations.

Timeline

Tap a year group to expand.

Prelude (2022–Oct 6, 2023) ⌄
  • West Bank raids: Israeli forces carried out near-daily incursions into cities like Jenin and Nablus. By late 2023, the West Bank was seeing its deadliest year since the Second Intifada, with hundreds of Palestinians killed, including children.
  • Settler attacks: Armed settlers, often with military backing, rampaged through Palestinian villages, torching homes, uprooting olive groves, and displacing families. Incidents rose sharply in 2022–23, according to U.N. and rights group data.
  • Administrative detention: More than 1,200 Palestinians were imprisoned without charge, including minors, under Israel’s “administrative detention” policy.
  • Gaza under blockade: Severe restrictions on goods, fuel, electricity, and movement kept Gaza’s economy and healthcare in collapse. Periodic Israeli airstrikes continued even before October.
  • Political backdrop: A far-right Israeli government seated in late 2022 included ministers openly calling for West Bank annexation and expulsion of Palestinians. Policies on land seizures, settlement expansion, and policing in East Jerusalem inflamed tensions.
Oct–Dec 2023 ⌄
  • Oct 7, 2023: Hamas-led attack kills about 1,200 people in Israel; 251 hostages seized, including men, women, and children. Israel launches a large air/ground campaign in Gaza. Qatar and Egypt open indirect channels immediately.
  • Nov 24, 2023: First truce negotiated by Qatari–Egyptian–U.S. mediators pauses fire for hostage–prisoner exchanges and limited aid, then lapses.
  • Dec 18, 2023: Houthis in Yemen strike commercial shipping, prompting U.S. and U.K. airstrikes under Operation Prosperity Guardian, continuing into 2025.
  • Dec 22, 2023: U.N. Security Council humanitarian resolution boosts aid access but stops short of mandating a ceasefire, reflecting U.S. veto dynamics at the time.
Jan–Dec 2024 ⌄
  • Jan 2, 2024: Israeli strike in Beirut kills Hamas deputy Saleh al-Arouri, a key negotiator and West Bank organizer, complicating diplomacy with Doha/Beirut-based figures.
  • Jan 19, 2025 (Phase 1 Ceasefire): A Qatari-Egyptian-U.S.-brokered truce begins after weeks of shuttle diplomacy. The deal calls for a 10-day pause in fighting, the release of roughly 100 Israeli hostages – mostly women, elderly, and wounded – and 700 Palestinian prisoners, alongside a surge of 500 aid trucks per day through Rafah and Kerem Shalom. The IDF pulls back from central Gaza to designated “holding zones,” while Hamas commits to halting rocket fire. Mediators frame the pause as “Phase 1” of a three-stage plan leading toward a sustained ceasefire and phased Israeli withdrawal.
  • Jan 26, 2024: International Court of Justice orders binding steps to prevent acts under the Genocide Convention and enable aid.
  • Jan 29, 2025 (Implementation & Tensions): Exchanges slow amid disputes over names and missing captives; Israel accuses Hamas of withholding elderly male hostages, while Hamas cites non-delivery of promised fuel and medical convoys. The U.N. and ICRC confirm renewed access to northern Gaza for the first time since 2023, documenting extensive devastation. Egyptian and Qatari envoys shuttle between Tel Aviv and Doha to salvage the schedule.
  • Feb 2025 (Mediation Gridlock): Talks bog down over Israeli withdrawal guarantees, control of the Philadelphi Corridor, and sequencing of “Phase 2” releases – roughly 150 hostages and 1,500 Palestinian detainees still under negotiation. Qatar publicly presses both sides to adhere to the timetable, warning that U.S. credibility as guarantor is at stake.
  • Mar 25, 2024: U.N. Security Council Resolution 2728 demands an immediate ceasefire with hostages released and aid expanded. Fighting continues as talks stall.
  • Jul 31, 2024: Israel assassinates Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Mediators warn the hit undercuts talks by killing a top negotiator.
  • Oct 4, 2024: Lebanon front intensifies as Israel and Hezbollah exchange fire through mid-2024, including high-profile assassinations (e.g., Hassan Nasrallah) and later Israeli ground operations, expanding the war’s northern front.
Jan–Sep 2025 ⌄
  • Jan 19, 2025: Ceasefire (Phase 1) begins. Qatar, Egypt, and the U.S. knit a deal for hostage–prisoner exchanges and an aid surge.
  • Feb 2025: Talks bog down over withdrawal guarantees, the Philadelphi Corridor, and sequencing of mass releases. Qatar publicly presses both sides to begin Phase-2 on schedule.
  • Mar 18, 2025: Truce collapses as Israel renews large strikes, citing Hamas’s refusal to extend Phase-1 or move to Phase-2; the deadliest day in weeks resets the battlefield.
  • Jul 12, 2025: Talks falter over the extent/timing of Israeli withdrawal from Gaza (central to Phase-2 of the UNSCR 2735 plan). From here, “withdrawal guarantees” become the core diplomatic hurdle. The U.S. backed this resolution but has vetoed binding ceasefire texts, most recently Sept 18, 2025, while saying the phased track should proceed.
  • Sept 9, 2025: Israel hits a residential compound in Doha housing Hamas negotiators/families. Hamas says top leaders survive; U.S. officials call it a unilateral Israeli move that does not help U.S. diplomatic goals, jolting the Qatar–Egypt–U.S. mediation channel.
  • Sept 20, 2025: After the Doha strike, Qatar pauses its mediator role and privately demands an apology/assurances; reporting describes Israeli acknowledgement that the fallout was underestimated. Without Qatar, the core channel for swaps and ceasefire sequencing is compromised.

The U.S. Role

Tap a subsection to expand.

Arms flows ⌄
  • Aug 13, 2024: Biden administration approves ≈$20B in aircraft and other equipment for Israel.
  • May 8, 2024: President Biden warns some weapons will be withheld if Israel launches a major Rafah assault; a shipment is paused.
  • Jun 28, 2024 (context): Reuters tallies 10,000+ 2,000-lb bombs shipped earlier in the war.
  • Jul 10, 2024: U.S. resumes 500-lb bombs but continues the hold on 2,000-lb bombs over density/impact concerns.
  • Jan 4, 2025: Biden administration notifies Congress of ≈$8B additional sales.
  • Jan 25, 2025: Trump administration ends the hold on 2,000-lb bombs, making them available to Israel.
  • Feb 16, 2025: Israel receives heavy MK-84 bombs previously withheld.
  • Feb 28, 2025: State/DoD clear nearly $3B in bombs, demolition kits, and related munitions for Israel.
  • Sept 19, 2025: White House seeks approval for $6.4B more in equipment/weapons.
Diplomatic cover ⌄
  • Nov 21, 2024: ICC issues arrest warrants for PM Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The U.S. rejects the ICC move; appeals and jurisdiction fights continue into 2025.
  • Jan 28, 2025: Senate Democrats block a bill to sanction the ICC over the warrants.
  • Feb 2, 2025: Netanyahu travels to Washington to deepen ties with the new Trump administration despite the active ICC warrant.
Direct Military Support ⌄
  • Oct 19, 2023: First U.S. intercepts tied to the war occur in the Red Sea. USS Carney shoots down cruise missiles and drones launched from Yemen toward Israel in a 10-hour engagement—marking direct U.S. kinetic involvement protecting Israel/sea lanes.
  • Jan 2024: The U.S. and U.K. conduct repeated strikes on Houthi targets tied to Red Sea attacks.
  • Apr 13, 2024: The U.S., U.K., and Jordan help intercept drones/missiles over and around Israel. President Biden tells Israel the U.S. will not join retaliatory strikes inside Iran.
  • Jun 21, 2025: During the Israel–Iran air war, U.S. B-2 bombers strike Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan with bunker-busters (and Tomahawks) in a U.S.-owned operation.

West Bank Escalations

This list highlights key shifts in the West Bank since early 2023. Use OCHA, Amnesty, and rights-group data to update local coverage and avoid vague “clashes” framing.

  • Feb 12 2023: Israel’s cabinet retroactively authorized nine settler outposts and announced mass construction—drawing U.S. and international criticism and signaling a permissive posture toward further expansion.
  • Feb 23 2023: A government reorganization gave Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich sweeping authority over the Civil Administration (the occupation authority), eroding military checks on settlement policy and easing approvals and enforcement favoring settlers.
  • Feb 26 2023: Hundreds of settlers rampaged through Huwara and nearby communities; even senior Israeli officials called it a “pogrom.” The episode previewed collective-punishment tactics later seen more widely after Oct 7.
  • Oct 10 2023: Immediately after Oct 7, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir began distributing thousands of rifles to “first-response” squads in mixed cities and settlements; within days the government expanded volunteer security squads nationwide. Arming civilians in flashpoint areas increased both the lethality and frequency of settler violence.
  • Dec 5 2023: The Biden administration imposed visa restrictions on perpetrators of settler violence, warning Israel to act.
  • Jan 12 2024 – 2025: Rights and U.N. reporting flagged a sustained spike: unchecked settler intimidation and expulsions displaced whole communities. OCHA later tallied 2,895 Palestinians displaced by settler violence and access restrictions since Jan 2023 (including 636 in 2025 to mid-July). Use OCHA weekly updates to anchor local copy.
  • Feb 1 2024: The White House sanctioned four settlers for violent attacks; more designations followed in 2024, including an Israeli nonprofit and a settlement “security” official.
  • Feb – Dec 2024: Administrative detention and arrests surged. By year’s end, Israel held 9,619 Palestinians in prison or detention, including 3,327 without charge or trial under administrative detention — record highs accompanying near-daily raids Cite these when readers see “security operations” framed as routine.
  • Mar 6 2025: Peace Now reported settlers erected 43 new outposts since Oct 7, many being farm outposts used to exclude Palestinians from agricultural land (including in the Jordan Valley). Outposts are the seeds of future formal settlements.
  • Jun 25 2025: Amnesty warned the Shi’b al-Butum community faced imminent forcible transfer amid state-backed settler attacks and demolitions. OCHA reported a new Firing Zone 918 notice threatening 13 communities (≈1,200 people, 500 + children) — test cases for mass displacement in Area C.
  • May 29 2025: Israel approved 22 new settlements in the West Bank, a striking acceleration condemned by Israeli rights groups.
  • Aug 20 2025: Authorities advanced the long-disputed E-1 plan east of Jerusalem. If built, it would sever the northern and southern West Bank, foreclosing territorial contiguity and any viable two-state map.
  • Jan 24 2025: The new Trump administration rescinded the prior executive-order sanctions on settlers.
  • Sept 15 2025 (OCHA update): Year-to-date casualties in the West Bank: 186 Palestinians and 16 Israelis (including 6 soldiers) killed in 2025 conflict incidents. Earlier briefs logged settler attacks on water springs and infrastructure around Ramallah, Salfit, and Nablus in June–July.

Sources worth bookmarking

Verified, primary, and regularly updated sources to ground reporting. Prioritize official documents, U.N. agencies, and credible NGOs.

Legal baselines

Humanitarian & health (for live data)

  • OCHA oPt — incident, displacement, access, and aid dashboards + situation reports.
  • UNRWA Gaza updates — sheltering, food, WASH, schooling, and access constraints for refugees.
  • IPC Famine analyses — food security classification and alerts for Gaza.
  • WHO Situation Analyses / Sitreps — system-level stress, mass-casualty burden, capacity metrics.
  • WFP Gaza — operational access, crossings, and pipeline/commodity updates.

Rights organizations

  • Human Rights Watch — “A Threshold Crossed” (2021) (apartheid/persecution legal analysis) and ongoing Israel/Palestine reporting.
  • Amnesty International — “Israel’s Apartheid Against Palestinians” (2022) + case files.
  • B’Tselem — “Not a ‘vibrant democracy’. This is apartheid” (2023) (settlements, demolitions, West Bank/Gaza data).
  • Palestinian Centre for Human Rights — independent Palestinian human rights organization.
  • Yesh Din — Law Enforcement on Israeli Civilians in the West Bank (Settler Violence), 2005–2024.

Safety & press freedom

Verification & OSINT

Policy & Israel–Hamas negotiations

Background primers

  • Human Rights Watch — comprehensive brief on 2023 events, including Gaza casualty/displacement figures, ICC developments, and West Bank casualty patterns.
  • CFR (Council on Foreign Relations) — U.S.-oriented policy backgrounders on the conflict, Gaza, and the West Bank.
  • MERIP — Israel/Palestine primer (history, law, settlements, politics).
  • UNISPAL — historical documents, resolutions, and chronologies on the Question of Palestine.
  • Pew Research Center — “How Americans View the Israel–Hamas Conflict, Two Years Into the War” (Oct 3, 2025).

Reporting Tips

Your story is incomplete without Palestinians

Western coverage has long over-relied on Israeli official sources and embeds. Accuracy requires Palestinian voices from the places most affected.

Build beats with local Palestinian journalists, medical staff, teachers, municipal officials, lawyers, and families. Ask how they wish to be identified (“Palestinian citizen of Israel,” “Palestinian from Gaza,” etc.).

To protect the security of your sources in Palestine, use end-to-end encrypted apps like Signal and practice source-protection workflows, including burner devices, metadata hygiene, and secure deletion. Scrub metadata, confirm consent before naming, and offer pseudonyms when needed.

Verify rigorously and triangulate testimony with hospital and morgue logs, rights groups, and U.N. snapshots. Treat all official statements—Israeli or Palestinian—as claims until corroborated.

Practice duty of care by paying fixers and freelancers fairly and on time, crediting their work, and sharing safety plans.

Anticipating Bad-Faith Harassment (and protecting your team)

Reporting on Palestine and Israel attracts coordinated brigading, doxxing, and smear campaigns designed to chill coverage rather than correct it. Treat this as a newsroom-level safety and integrity issue, not an individual reporter’s problem.

Separate good-faith critique from brigading. A single detailed correction request from a relevant expert warrants further examination and discussion with editors. Coordinated copy-paste accusations do not. Acknowledge verifiable errors publicly and quickly. Otherwise, point to your methodology and disengage.

Protect sources and freelancers. Use Signal or another end-to-end encrypted app by default. Scrub metadata on shared files. Confirm consent for naming. Offer pseudonyms when risk is high. Never forward harassment to sources.

Care for the team. Provide counseling and decompression time after abuse spikes. Managers should proactively check in on MENA journalists who are often targeted.

Sources worth bookmarking

Legal baselines

  • ICJ (Jan 26, 2024) Press release and order in South Africa v. Israel outlining binding steps to prevent acts under the Genocide Convention and facilitate aid.
  • ICJ (May 24, 2024) Additional order tightening protections during the Rafah assault.
  • UNSC 2728 (Mar 25, 2024) Calls for an immediate ceasefire with hostages released and aid expanded.
  • UNSC 2735 (Jun 10, 2024) Endorses the three-phase ceasefire and hostage framework.
  • ICRC on Settlements Explains Article 49(6) of the Fourth Geneva Convention on transfer of an occupier’s population.

Humanitarian and health

Rights organizations

Safety and press freedom

  • CPJ Journalist casualty data and safety advisories.
  • RSF Investigations and legal actions.
  • IFJ Safety guidelines and freelancer resources.
  • Dart Center Trauma-informed reporting guidance.
  • ACOS Alliance Newsroom and freelancer safety best practices.

Verification and OSINT

Policy and negotiations

Background primers

  • Human Rights Watch 2023 country brief on Gaza and West Bank.
  • CFR U.S.-focused backgrounder on the conflict.
  • MERIP Historical and political primer.
  • UNISPAL Historical documents and resolutions.
  • Pew Research Center Public-opinion data on Israel–Hamas and U.S. response (Oct 3, 2025).

Updated November 2025. This is a living document and will continue to be revised as events unfold. For a more in-depth resource, see the Reporting Guide by Communicating Palestine.

Media inquiries: press@ameja.org

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