Epal European Palestinian Media Center Bulletin, Issue No. 2314, Date: Sunday, January 4, 2026

1. Three Palestinians, including a child and a woman, killed in airstrikes and artillery shelling east of Gaza

Three Palestinians, including a child and a woman, were killed by Israeli occupation forces, as they continue to violate the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. The occupation forces also launched several airstrikes, along with artillery shelling and gunfire, targeting areas east of the Strip.

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2. Settlers Attack Homes of Citizens and Shepherds in Masafer Yatta and the Jordan Valley

Settlers attacked the homes of citizens and shepherds in various areas of the West Bank in simultaneous attacks that included Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, and the northern Jordan Valley. These attacks resulted in physical assaults, attempted livestock theft, and intimidation of residents. In Masafer Yatta, activist Osama Makhameh reported that a group of armed settlers attacked the home of Khaled al-Na’ameen in Khirbet Qawabis, raided his sheep pen, and attempted to steal the sheep before residents confronted the attackers and prevented them from seizing the livestock.

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3. Director General of Gaza Hospitals: Occupation’s Decision to Ban International Organizations is a “Deliberate Restriction” and Threatens Patients’ Lives

Dr. Muhammad Zaqout, Director General of Hospitals in the Gaza Strip, warned of the serious repercussions of the Israeli occupation’s decision to impose new conditions and not renew the operating licenses of international organizations working in the Strip, describing the decision as a “deliberate restriction” on patients and the wounded.

Dr. Zaqout emphasized that this measure comes within the context of the ongoing restrictions imposed on the Gaza Strip’s residents. He pointed out that these institutions had been a “major pillar” of support for healthcare and the Palestinian Ministry of Health, especially during the period of aggression, and that some of them have been playing a positive and vital role in Gaza for decades.

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4. Health: 418 Martyrs in Gaza Since the Ceasefire

The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced that the total number of martyrs who arrived at the Strip’s hospitals during the past 48 hours reached 3, including 2 new martyrs and 1 martyr whose body was recovered, in addition to 18 injuries. The Ministry explained in its statement that a number of victims are still under the rubble and in the streets, as ambulance and civil defense teams have been unable to reach them so far. The cumulative statistics since the beginning of the aggression on October 7, 2023, have recorded 71,384 martyrs and 171,251 injuries.

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5. Israeli forces arrest an entire family from Kisan village, east of Bethlehem

Israeli occupation forces arrested an entire family from the village of Kisan, east of Bethlehem in the southern occupied West Bank. Local sources reported that the occupation forces arrested Mahmoud Awda Ghazal (55 years old), his wife Laila Khalil Abu Diya (50 years old), their two sons, Abdul Rahman (20 years old) and Muhammad (27 years old), and Muhammad’s wife Hiba Taqatqa (25 years old), after raiding and searching their home.

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*European*

6. Storming a factory supplying the occupation with weapons in Scotland

Scottish activists stormed a military equipment factory near Edinburgh and vandalized some machinery in protest against its involvement in supplying weapons to the Israeli occupation and its complicity in the genocide in Gaza.

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7. Hind Rajab: Files Criminal Complaint Against Israeli Soldier in the Czech Republic

The Hind Rajab Foundation announced that it has filed a criminal complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Prague against Israeli soldier Hagai Monsonego.

In a statement published on its official website, the foundation explained that the complaint was filed after confirming the suspect’s presence on Czech territory. The foundation asserted that this activates the principle of universal jurisdiction, enshrined in Czech law, which allows for the prosecution of those accused of serious crimes regardless of their nationality or where the crime occurred. The statement added that the complaint is based on a documentary file prepared by the foundation, including video footage and open-source information linking the soldier to military service in Gaza and to actions that included targeting protected sites, violating the rights of civilians, and mistreating detainees.

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8. Calls for a Boycott of the Israeli Occupation in Derry, Ireland

Derryipsc activists organized their first solidarity vigil of 2026, with a large turnout of Irish citizens. The event demonstrated their determination to continue their activism despite the bitter cold and rain.

The organizers emphasized that their ability to return to warmth after the vigil paled in comparison to the ongoing suffering of Gaza’s residents, where the humanitarian situation is worsening due to the bombardment, the blockade, and the lack of basic necessities. They also expressed their gratitude to all who participated and attended, considering this event the beginning of a series of solidarity activities throughout the new year, reaffirming the continued popular pressure and the demand for freedom and justice.

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9. A Palestinian woman recites a poem in support of “Fleetoon24” activists in Ireland

A solidarity rally was held in Belfast in support of hunger strikers and to protest Britain’s complicity in the war on Gaza. The rally was organized by the Belfast Public Service Association. Activist Rita Abu Rahma, a former resident of Gaza now living in Belfast, participated in the event and recited a poem she wrote about the suffering of two years of annihilation, the importance of holding onto hope, and the courage of the hunger strikers who continue their protest in support of Palestine. The detained activists of the “Palestine Movement” are on hunger strike to protest their continued detention and the conditions of their imprisonment, and to demand the closure of the Israeli Elbit Systems arms factories.

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10. A British campaign is urging the government to impose sanctions on Israel after it banned aid organizations.

This week, Israel announced a decision to ban 37 aid organizations from operating in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Doctors Without Borders. This move threatens to exacerbate the suffering of civilians in the Gaza Strip and deprive them of essential humanitarian aid.

In response to this decision, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign UK called on the British government to write to the Foreign Secretary, lobbying for immediate measures such as sanctions against Israel and a complete arms embargo, in accordance with its obligations under international law.

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11. Protest in Tameside, UK, in Support of the Palestinian Cause

The “Tameside for Palestine” group organized a solidarity vigil in the Tameside area of ​​Greater Manchester, UK, marking their first activity of 2026.

The vigil featured the raising of Palestinian flags and banners condemning the war and the targeting of civilians, and calling for respect for justice and human rights.

In a statement published on social media, the group indicated that the vigil aimed to emphasize that popular solidarity with the Palestinian people is ongoing and will not be ignored, noting the participation of a number of Palestinians residing in the area.

The organizers confirmed that this event is part of a series of weekly actions organized by the group in several areas within the United Kingdom, calling for continued activities in support of the Palestinian cause.

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12. Calls to Boycott Costa Coffee in Support of Gaza for its Complicity with the Occupation

The Tameside for Palestine group has called for a boycott of the global coffee chain Costa Coffee due to its ownership by Coca-Cola, which operates a factory in the Atarot settlement in the occupied West Bank. Activists consider this direct support for the settlement enterprise, an endorsement of the occupation’s crimes, and a normalization of the injustice perpetrated against the Palestinian people.

In an official statement published on its platforms, the group explained that the boycott is a rejection of the ongoing Israeli violations, including repression and displacement, and an effort to pressure companies whose business practices contribute to enabling oppressive regimes.

It is worth noting that Coca-Cola distributed its products free of charge to the Israeli army during its war of annihilation in Gaza. Several British groups are organizing campaigns against Coca-Cola. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign recently launched a petition pledging to boycott the company, in addition to a solidarity demonstration it led during Christmas against the company’s kiosks.

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13. Anticipated Communication Campaign in Defense of the “Filton24” Hunger Strikers

The Prisoners for Palestine group has called for a broad solidarity campaign with Tuta Hoxha, who is on hunger strike in Peterborough Prison, as she enters her ninth week of protest. The group demanded an urgent meeting between the strikers and the prison officer to rescind the orders preventing social interaction and the ban on activities and jobs, and to ensure the prison can communicate with their lawyers to pursue individual demands and protect the strikers’ health.

The campaign explained that the strike has entered a critical phase, and that the prison administration’s continued refusal to communicate with the strikers is endangering their lives and health. It called on everyone to participate in a continuous phone blockade of the prison administration’s number to ensure that the demands are met.

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*International*

14. Angelina Jolie Visits Rafah Crossing and Meets Children from Gaza

A Palestinian girl who lost her family was among the children she met at the Egyptian Rafah crossing on the border with Gaza. Actress Angelina Jolie visited the crossing to check on the condition of wounded Palestinians receiving treatment in Egypt and to observe the flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

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15. Starbucks Closes Nearly 400 Stores in Major US Cities

Starbucks closed nearly 400 stores in several major US cities, including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, citing a $1 billion restructuring. This followed a review of more than 18,000 stores in the United States and Canada and the elimination of approximately 900 non-retail management positions. The closures, which took place during September, were concentrated in major metropolitan areas where the company is facing declining footfall. Other cities affected included San Francisco, Minneapolis, and Baltimore.

The closures also included a Palestinian girl who had lost her family. A Starbucks spokesperson said the company decided to close branches that “did not perform as required or could no longer meet brand standards.” This move comes amid ongoing protests and boycotts against Starbucks, particularly in Britain and several other countries, in protest against the company’s ties and investments in Israeli markets. Activists assert that this represents a decline in the brand’s standing and growing public pressure on it.

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16. Doctors Without Borders: We May End Our Operations in Gaza Next March

The head of Doctors Without Borders, Isabelle Dufourny, warned that the organization may end its operations in the Gaza Strip next March if Israel does not reverse its decision to ban its operations and the activities of 36 other organizations. The ban was imposed under the pretext that the authorities did not provide the names of Palestinian staff members, as required by new legislation. Doctors Without Borders described the decision as a “flagrant overreach,” while Israel justified it as aimed at “preventing the infiltration of terrorist elements into humanitarian institutions.”

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17. Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor Warns of Dangers of Israeli-American “Green City” Plan in Rafah

The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor reiterated its warning about the dangers of the Israeli-American agreement to establish the so-called “Green City” in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. The Monitor considers it an attempt to offer a false solution for housing Palestinian residents who have been displaced for over two years and living in dilapidated tents.

The Monitor indicated that the plan entails serious risks, including imposing arrangements that could effectively lead to the displacement of residents from their original homes and the transformation of large parts of the Gaza Strip into closed military zones under the direct control of the Israeli army.