Epal European Palestinian Media Center Bulletin, Issue No. 2434, Date: Thursday, May 7, 2026

1. 4 killed by Israeli fire in Gaza as genocide death toll rises to 72,618

Three Palestinians died from injuries caused by Israeli occupation forces’ gunfire in the Gaza Strip, while a fourth was killed in an Israeli airstrike, amid ongoing Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement.

According to data from the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the number of those killed since the ceasefire began on October 10 has risen to 837, in addition to 2,365 injuries and 768 recovered bodies.

Since October 7, 2023, the total toll of the assault has reached 72,618 killed and 172,468 injured, highlighting the immense human cost of the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip.

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**2. Israeli forces bulldoze 200 dunums and uproot thousands of grapevines east of Hebron**

Israeli occupation forces bulldozed large areas of agricultural land east of the city of Hebron and uprooted thousands of fruit-bearing trees during operations that have continued for three days, under the pretext of expanding Route 60 bypass road.

A local correspondent reported that Israeli machinery targeted citizens’ lands planted with vineyards and vegetables in the Al-Baqa’a area, one of the governorate’s most important agricultural zones.

The Director General of Agriculture in Hebron confirmed that the destroyed land exceeded 200 dunums, noting that thousands of fruit trees had been uprooted and that the operations are still ongoing.

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**3. Israeli forces abuse a child with Down syndrome in Shuafat refugee camp**

A video documented the moment Israeli soldiers assaulted a Palestinian child with Down syndrome in Shuafat refugee camp northeast of Jerusalem and used him as a human shield during a military raid. The footage sparked widespread shock and renewed attention on repeated violations against civilians, including children and people with disabilities.

The video shows the child, Mahdi Abu Taleb, meeting his brother Mohammad after returning from school before soldiers violently intervened, ignoring Mohammad’s screams as he tried to explain that his brother was “a special case” and suffers from Down syndrome.

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**4. Settlement campaign to establish 18 new settlements in northern West Bank with government backing**

The Northern West Bank Settlements Council has launched a broad campaign to recruit settler families to participate in establishing new settlement outposts across various areas in the northern West Bank.

The campaign is part of a settlement plan aimed at creating 18 new settlements with direct support from the Israeli government’s Ministry of Settlements, reflecting an accelerating expansion of settlement activity.

The organizers seek to attract settler families to move into these outposts in preparation for expanding and formalizing them into permanent settlements as part of a policy of imposing new realities on the ground.

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**5. Settlers set fire to land in Beita; arrests in Hebron and Qalqilya**

Israeli settlers set fire to agricultural lands in the town of Beita south of Nablus.

Local sources reported that settlers stormed the “Ain Awlim” area east of the town and ignited fires in lands surrounding a local landfill, causing damage to nearby agricultural areas.

In Qalqilya governorate, Israeli occupation forces raided the village of Kafr Qaddum east of the city, arresting a Palestinian and carrying out searches of several homes.

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**6. Palestinian Center for Prisoners’ Defense offers condolences to activist Tiago over his mother’s death and demands his release**

The Palestinian Center for the Defense of Prisoners extended condolences to Brazilian humanitarian activist Tiago Avila, one of the participants in the Global Steadfastness Flotilla to break the siege on Gaza, following the death of his mother while he remains arbitrarily detained in Israeli prisons.

The center said that continuing to detain Tiago Avila under these harsh humanitarian conditions and depriving him of the natural right to bid farewell to his mother and mourn with his family constitutes a grave violation of basic human values. It also highlights the suffering of thousands of Palestinian prisoners who lost parents, spouses, and children while behind bars without being granted the human right to attend funerals or say goodbye.

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**7. #Video… Settler brutality against children and farmers in the West Bank**

#Watch… “They injured a child and arrested four Palestinians and a foreign activist.” Settlers, protected by Israeli occupation forces, attacked farmers with beatings and tear gas in the village of Rajum al-Ali in the Masafer Yatta area south of Hebron in the West Bank.

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**8. #Video… Sculpture on Gaza beach in support of the Steadfastness Flotilla**

#Watch… Injured Palestinians in the Gaza Strip created a sculpture on the beach sand using the colors of the Palestinian flag in solidarity with activists detained in Israeli prisons, Tiago de Avila and Saif Abu Khashk, and in support of the Global Steadfastness Flotilla movement.

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*Europe*

**9. Spain urges European Commission to protect investigators of Gaza genocide**

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called on the European Commission to activate the “blocking mechanism” to protect the independence of judges and prosecutors at the International Criminal Court investigating genocide in the Gaza Strip.

In a post published on X, Sánchez said: “Sanctioning defenders of international justice endangers the entire human rights system. The European Union cannot stand idly by in the face of this injustice.”

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**10. Steadfastness Flotilla activists: Israel will not deter us**

#Watch… “Israeli intimidation will not deter us.” An Israeli court extended the detention of Brazilian activist Tiago de Avila and Spanish activist Saif Abu Khashk, while a human rights center documented their exposure to violent torture and death threats.

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**11. #Video… Calls to exclude Israel from the World Climbing Championship in Madrid**

Activists from the group “Climbers for Palestine” hung a massive banner in the Spanish capital Madrid demanding the exclusion of representatives of the Israeli apartheid regime from the Climbing World Cup event scheduled in Alcobendas from May 28–31.

The actions are supported by more than 120 organizations in Spain protesting the involvement of the Israeli Climbing Federation (ILCA) in the seizure of climbing sites on Palestinian land.

They also accuse the federation of organizing workshops for Israeli soldiers participating in the “genocidal war” on Gaza, which has killed more than 1,000 Palestinian athletes.

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**12. Legal action against 12 British universities over spying on students**

The University of Nottingham and 11 other universities received legal notices from the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) after investigative reports revealed their involvement in paying private intelligence firms to monitor pro-Palestinian student activism.

The legal actions rely on an investigation conducted by Al Jazeera and Liberty Investigates, which found that the universities hired security companies to collect data and analyses on students’ political views and monitor their social media accounts.

Student unions described the practices as a “shameful waste” of money on spying operations, while the University of Nottingham defended the measures as “monitoring security risks” in the public sphere.

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**13. #Video… DSV targeted in Bristol over ties to Elbit**

The group “People Against Genocide” carried out a direct action targeting the headquarters of DSV in the Aztec West area of Bristol, UK, protesting the company’s involvement in transporting weapons for Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer.

The group pledged to continue targeting the company’s offices until it cuts ties with Elbit and stops providing logistical services, stating that the campaign aims to disrupt military supply chains contributing to the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

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**14. UK establishes security unit to protect Jews**

London police announced the creation of a special security unit to protect Jewish communities following a wave of “hate attacks amid rising antisemitism,” according to authorities.

It is considered one of the first times a state-armed security force has been established in Britain specifically to protect citizens of a particular religion, despite the existence of similar community initiatives.

The Metropolitan Police stated that the “Community Protection Team” will consist of 100 officers carrying out patrols focused on protection and counterterrorism in neighborhoods.

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**15. Palestinian ambassador protests removal of Palestine’s name from the British Museum**

Palestinian Ambassador to the United Kingdom Husam Zomlot protested to the British Foreign Office, demanding official intervention after the British Museum removed the name “Palestine” from exhibits, calling it a “deliberate historical erasure” affecting the Palestinian narrative.

The Guardian reported that the museum removed the word “Palestine” from labels discussing the geography of the Levant and ancient Egypt, replacing it with terms such as “Gaza” and “West Bank,” while also removing the terms “Palestine” and “Palestinian” from descriptions in the ancient Near East and Egypt galleries.

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**16. Head of Palestinian Journalists Syndicate elected deputy president of International Federation of Journalists in Paris conference**

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate secured the position of first vice president of the International Federation of Journalists, represented by its head Nasser Abu Bakr, during the global conference held in Paris with broad participation from journalist unions and associations worldwide.

In a statement, the syndicate said the victory reflects the efforts of the Palestinian delegation during discussions on the situation of journalists in conflict zones, strengthening international protection for media workers, press freedom, and global union solidarity.

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**17. 400 former diplomats urge Brussels to act against E1 settlement project**

Hundreds of former European Union officials and diplomats called for urgent action to stop what they described as the “illegal annexation” carried out by Israeli authorities in the occupied West Bank, warning of the consequences of a strategic settlement project threatening the viability of a future Palestinian state.

In an open letter addressed to EU leaders, 448 former European officials — including former European Commission Vice President Josep Borrell and former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt — called for immediate steps to deter Israel.

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*International*

**18. Pro-Palestinian Democratic candidate leads in AIPAC stronghold**

A new poll conducted by “Data for Progress” in New York’s 17th district revealed a major shift among Democratic voters in favor of the Palestinian cause, showing sympathy toward Palestinians surpassing sympathy toward Israelis by 26 points.

The figures also reflect a sharp decline in support for the Israeli lobby group AIPAC, which received a negative rating (-32), while pro-Palestinian politician Zohran Mamdani gained strong popularity (+64).

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**19. Illinois bill seeks to remove investment restrictions linked to boycotts**

Palestinian-American representative Abdelnasser Rashid introduced Bill No. 2723 to the Illinois legislative committee aiming to remove provisions preventing the state from investing in companies that boycott Israel.

Rashid said the current law serves as a tool supporting settlement expansion in the West Bank. The legislative move comes amid growing efforts by Illinois municipalities to adopt divestment measures and increasing criticism of laws restricting freedom of expression.

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**20. #Video… Freedom Flotilla activists issue distress call after attack by Israeli boats**

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition warned of an attack aimed at hijacking its four ships and suppressing supporters in international waters after detecting intensive flights by Israeli helicopters and drones backed by a U.S. Lockheed Martin military aircraft.

Activists reported spotting unidentified warships approaching with navigation lights turned off for concealment, echoing the “kidnapping and torture” incident experienced days earlier by the “Steadfastness Flotilla,” which ended with the arrest of 175 activists and the seizure of 22 aid vessels heading to break the siege on Gaza.

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**21. United Nations calls for immediate and unconditional release of “Steadfastness Flotilla” detainees**

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights called on Israeli authorities to immediately and unconditionally release “Global Steadfastness Flotilla” activists Saif Abu Khashk and Tiago de Avila, who are detained in Israel.

In a statement published by spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan, the office said: “Israel must immediately and unconditionally release Global Steadfastness Flotilla members Saif Abu Khashk and Tiago de Avila, who were detained in international waters and transferred to Israel, where they remain held without charges.”