Epal European Palestinian Media Center Bulletin, Issue No. 2418, Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026

1. 3 martyrs and injuries from occupation fire east and north of Gaza

The occupation army continues to violate the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, while the siege imposed on more than two million Palestinians persists, with crossings closed and military measures tightened. Two brothers were killed and a third was injured by Israeli occupation forces’ fire east of Gaza City, as ceasefire violations continue.

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**2. Doctors Without Borders: 60% of Gaza cases are direct injuries and health conditions are suffocating**
An official from the international organization “Doctors Without Borders” stated that about 60% of the cases received at the organization’s facilities in the Gaza Strip over the past six months were direct injuries, stressing that health and living conditions have not seen significant improvement despite the ceasefire agreement taking effect.
Shaimaa Odeh, supervisor of the psychological support department, described the health situation in the Strip as “suffocating,” noting that Palestinians continue to face difficult conditions on all levels.

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**3. On Prisoner’s Day… 9,600 detainees in Israeli prisons**
Palestinian Prisoner’s Day, marked on April 17, 2026, comes amid a reality described by human rights organizations as “the most dangerous,” with more than 9,600 Palestinian and Arab prisoners still held in Israeli prisons, alongside a notable escalation in repressive policies and violations داخل detention centers.
According to data from organizations specializing in prisoners’ affairs, the number of detainees has increased by 83% compared to before October 2023, when it stood at around 5,250, indicating an expansion and intensification of arrest campaigns.

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**4. Settlers burn two vehicles and cause material damage south of Hebron**
The area south of Hebron witnessed a new attack carried out by armed settlers targeting citizens’ property and homes, resulting in significant material losses affecting private property, amid rising tensions on the ground in the area and around the town of Yatta.
Activist Osama Makhmara reported that a group of armed settlers from the settlement of “Otniel” infiltrated under the cover of darkness into the “Majd al-Ba’a” area west of Yatta.

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**5. Widespread nighttime escalation… occupation launches raids and arrests in the West Bank and Jerusalem**
Occupied East Jerusalem and various West Bank governorates experienced a tense night filled with intensive military movements, raids, and arrests.
Israeli occupation forces carried out a series of incursions targeting homes and camps, leading to arrests and widespread searches as part of an ongoing escalation policy against Palestinian towns and cities.

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**6. 1,439 “Israeli” violations in one week in the West Bank**
Attacks by occupation forces and settlers in the West Bank continued over the past week, with 1,439 violations recorded against Palestinians and their property, resulting in the killing of two Palestinians and the injury of 46 others, amid ongoing escalation that included incursions, arrests, demolitions, and acts of destruction.
According to field data, occupation forces carried out 268 incursions and 251 home raids across the West Bank, arresting 165 Palestinians, expelling two, and destroying 23 structures and properties.

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**7. Prisoners’ Media: Palestinian Prisoner’s Day is an important occasion to remind the world of the risk of executing detainees**
The Prisoners’ Media Office affirmed that Palestinian Prisoner’s Day, commemorated annually on April 17, is an important event to remind the world of the dangers facing prisoners, especially in light of an unprecedented escalation against them in Israeli prisons, including intensified repression and policies targeting their lives and rights, alongside the promotion of dangerous legislation, most notably the so-called “execution of prisoners law.”
In a press statement, the office said detainees face harsh conditions including physical and psychological torture and deliberate medical neglect under a policy of “slow killing,” in addition to isolation, daily abuse, and a rise in enforced disappearances of Gaza detainees, who are denied communication and information about their fate.

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**Europe**

**8. #Video… A mayor in France raises the Palestinian flag in solidarity with the Palestinian people**
The mayor of the French city of La Courneuve, Ali Diouara, raised the Palestinian flag on the municipal building as an expression of support for the Palestinian people and rejection of the proposed “Yadan law,” which seeks to criminalize criticism of Israel and Zionism in the country.

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**9. Day of action against Barclays over its investments in arming the occupation**
British cities are preparing for widespread protests in front of Barclays branches on April 18, 2026, rejecting its role in financing arms companies linked to the Israeli military, amid accusations that the bank contributes to supporting military crimes against Palestinians.
The campaign points to billions of pounds in investments in companies supplying weapons, as well as its role in marketing Israeli government bonds. These actions coincide with Palestinian Prisoner’s Day to highlight the situation of more than 10,000 Palestinian detainees.

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**10. Arrest of activists who disrupted an event for occupation soldiers in Canada**
Ohio State University witnessed tension after two people were arrested during a protest against an event organized by a pro-occupation student group hosting Israeli soldiers.
Police charged the activists with trespassing on university property, while protest organizers said they were reading the names of children killed in Gaza without entering the hall or directly disrupting the event.
Pro-Palestinian activists say this reflects a recurring pattern of restricting solidarity with Gaza on U.S. campuses.

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**11. Australian protest calls for holding the occupation accountable for crimes against detainees**
A group from the Australian Friends of Palestine Association organized a protest outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with activists and supporters holding photos of detained children, in a symbolic message highlighting the suffering of the most vulnerable groups in Israeli prisons.
Participants called on the Australian government to publicly recognize human rights violations committed against Palestinian detainees and to take concrete steps, including pressuring to stop torture and ill-treatment, ensuring urgent international protection, and activating accountability mechanisms under the Geneva Conventions.

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**International**

**13. Francesca: I was targeted by campaigns because of my work documenting violations against Palestinians**
Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur, revealed in a new report serious violations committed by Israeli occupation forces against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, pointing to systematic torture practices and harsh detention conditions.
In an interview, Albanese spoke about the pressure and sanctions she and her family faced because of her positions, reflecting the level of targeting faced by those who seek to expose the truth. Her report carries added importance as an international document exposing these violations and countering attempts at concealment, at a time when calls for accountability are increasing.

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**14. #Video… Israeli soldier admits supporting the killing of children in Gaza and Lebanon**
During a live broadcast with Palestinian-American YouTuber Hamza Saada, an Israeli soldier openly expressed support for killing children in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, as well as bombing hospitals, claiming he had killed Palestinian children and stating that he does not remember the number of his victims.

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