Epal European Palestinian Media Center Bulletin, Issue No. 2357, Date: Monday, February 16, 2026

1. 12 killed and wounded in latest escalation as airstrikes and home demolitions continue

The Israeli occupation army carried out airstrikes on several areas in the Gaza Strip and continued demolition operations and artillery shelling, following a bloody night in which a number of people were killed. According to local sources, the total number of those killed in the airstrikes on northern and southern Gaza reached 12, in addition to several wounded.

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2. **Occupation extends administrative detention of 51 prisoners, including a journalist**

The Commission of Detainees’ and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club issued a list of 51 prisoners whose administrative detention has been extended. The two bodies confirmed that administrative detention orders (new and renewed) were issued against the listed detainees, including journalist Bushra al-Tawil from al-Bireh.

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3. **Prisoners’ Club: 88 identified prisoners killed during the war of genocide**

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Club announced that the number of identified prisoners who have died since the beginning of the war of genocide has risen to 88, including 52 from Gaza. This comes with the announcement of the death of detained paramedic officer Hatem Rayan from Gaza.

The club stated that the prisoners died as a result of torture, starvation, medical crimes, systematic sexual assaults, as well as a series of abuses including deprivation, confiscation, mistreatment, humiliation, and detention in conditions that violate human dignity.

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4. **Health Ministry: More than 20,000 patients and wounded awaiting travel for treatment**

The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip confirmed that more than 20,000 patients and wounded individuals are awaiting travel for medical treatment, stressing that the partial operation of the Rafah crossing does not match the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe.

The ministry said it is following with deep concern and dissatisfaction the continued closure and restricted partial operation of the Rafah land crossing amid worsening catastrophic health and humanitarian conditions faced by Palestinians in Gaza.

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5. **Occupation government approves largest land confiscation in the West Bank since 1967**

The Israeli occupation government approved the largest land confiscation process in the West Bank since the occupation began in 1967.

According to the newspaper “Yedioth Ahronoth,” the government approved the start of land registration procedures in the West Bank and delegated the Israeli Ministry of Justice to carry out the task instead of the “Civil Administration,” as had been the case since the beginning of the occupation.

The paper explained that this step reflects Israel’s desire to annex large areas of the West Bank. The decision means taking control of vast areas classified as “communal land or state land” and using them for military and settlement purposes.

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6. **Forensic teams in Gaza struggle under harsh conditions to retrieve bodies**

Mahmoud Ashour, spokesperson for forensic teams in the Gaza Strip, confirmed that the teams continue their forced humanitarian work around the clock under extremely difficult conditions that exceed all known criminal and humanitarian standards. They are working to retrieve bodies from under the rubble and from makeshift graves established during periods of aggression.

Ashour noted that the recovered bodies are often disfigured or completely decomposed, making documentation and identification extremely difficult. He added: “The fragmentation and decomposition of the bodies make identification nearly impossible through traditional means, leaving hundreds of Palestinian families in a painful state of waiting, deprived of knowing the fate of their loved ones or burying them with dignity.”

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7. **Video: Settlers steal Palestinian vehicle in the West Bank**

Watch: They infiltrated at night and fled quickly — settlers stole a vehicle belonging to a Palestinian family in the Masafer Yatta area south of Hebron in the West Bank.

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8. **Video: Occupation bombs target solar panels in Gaza**

Watch: Aerial footage captured by an Israeli occupation drone documents the moment explosive bombs were dropped on solar panels on the roof of a home in the Gaza Strip.

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*European*

9. **Video: Olympic store employee criminalized for chanting for Palestine in Italy**

Watch: They tried to intimidate and legally criminalize him — an employee at an Olympic store in Milan, Italy, chanted for the freedom of Palestine while confronting provocations from pro-Israel supporters who stormed the store.

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10. **Cancellation of special “Eurovision” event due to Israel’s participation**

The European Broadcasting Union announced the cancellation of the “European tour” of the Eurovision Song Contest due to Israel’s participation in the upcoming edition.

In a statement, the union noted the continued objections to Israel’s participation in the 2026 contest, against the backdrop of the war of genocide in Gaza.

With five countries announcing their boycott, the union decided not to organize the European tour, which had been planned as one of the largest events of the year and was scheduled to take place after the contest in May.

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11. **Protest inside Zara store in Scotland over alleged complicity**

Activists from the “Al-Dameer Organization” protested inside a Zara branch in Aberdeen, Scotland, condemning the company’s alleged complicity in supporting the occupation and calling on customers to boycott its products.

The activists affirmed that Palestine will not be erased and stressed that preserving culture and heritage is an essential part of resisting occupation. They wore traditional Palestinian thobes, highlighting their detailed embroidery that documents Palestinian women’s lives, noting that each piece represents a “living map” of Palestine reflecting the resilience of cultural identity.

The action comes as part of an international campaign led by the Palestinian National Boycott Committee (BNC), the largest Palestinian coalition leading the global boycott movement, which officially adopted a grassroots boycott campaign against Zara, calling on supporters worldwide to boycott the Spanish-owned Inditex brand due to deepening economic ties with the occupation.

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12. **International campaign to boycott Israeli dates ahead of Ramadan**

The Palestine Solidarity Network in Britain and Europe called on consumers to boycott Israeli dates grown on confiscated Palestinian land, in support of Palestinian rights and opposition to the occupation.

The campaign urged consumers to check labels and retailers’ websites. If the product is marked “Made in Israel” or originates from illegal settlements, or carries the name of Israeli exporters such as Hadiklaim, Galilee Export, or Mehadrin, consumers should avoid purchasing it.

The campaign stated that Israeli agricultural exporters supplying fruits and vegetables to UK stores operate farms and facilities on occupied Palestinian land, meaning that buying their products supports land seizure, military occupation, and Israel’s apartheid system.

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13. **Protest in front of Norway’s central bank over investments in genocide-linked companies**

Activists from Aksjos Gruppa for Palestine protested outside Norway’s central bank during the annual leadership address attended by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, and Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.

Protesters delivered a message to Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, stating that it should not profit from occupation, genocide, or violations of international law. They argued that investments in companies involved in violations and crimes in Palestine make the fund complicit in aggression that kills children, destroys families, and devastates communities.

They demanded divestment from companies linked to genocide and war crimes, stressing that silence and neutrality in the face of violations amount to complicity.

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14. **New solidarity protest with Palestine outside Ireland’s national broadcaster**

Activists and supporters in Dublin continue organizing protests outside the headquarters of Ireland’s national broadcaster (RTÉ) in Donnybrook, expressing steadfast solidarity with the Palestinian cause for over two years.

Participants raised Palestinian flags and solidarity banners, including posters of slain journalist Shireen Abu Akleh with the slogan “Justice for Shireen.”

Slogans also called for boycotting the occupation and demanding truthful media coverage.

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*International*

15. **Former Miss America Boller: Condemning Zionism does not mean antisemitism**

Activist and former Miss America Carrie Prejean Boller raised questions about conflating opposition to Zionism with antisemitism during a White House Religious Freedom Committee session focused on antisemitism.

She asked Jewish student Yitzhak Frankel, who claimed to have experienced antisemitism, whether one can oppose antisemitism while also condemning the mass killing of Palestinians in Gaza, rejecting political Zionism, or not supporting Israel.

Boller emphasized that as a Catholic she does not consider support for Zionism part of her religious belief and questioned whether rejecting Zionism automatically constitutes antisemitism, asserting that the so-called “modern Zionist state” holds no prophetic significance.

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16. **New York forces drone company supplying occupation to close headquarters**

U.S. media reports stated that American drone company “Easy Aerial,” which supplies military equipment to the Israeli occupation army, was forced to close its headquarters and leave the municipally owned Brooklyn Navy Yard shortly after Mayor Zohran Mamdani took office.

According to the New York Post, the development corporation managing the complex, whose board is appointed by the mayor, decided not to renew the company’s lease, sparking political controversy in the city.

New York City Council member Lincoln Restler stated that public property should not be used as headquarters for companies manufacturing drones used as weapons.

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17. **YouTube reinstates American activist’s account after public pressure**

YouTube, owned by Google, reinstated the account of American activist Guy Christensen hours after closing it, following widespread criticism on social media.

The platform had shut down Christensen’s account, known for pro-Palestinian posts critical of Israel, triggering significant backlash. Amid escalating criticism, YouTube reversed its decision and restored the account.

In his first comment after reinstatement, Christensen thanked his followers for their support, saying: “We really did it… after YouTube rejected my appeals and permanently banned me, they gave me back my account and my earnings. This is the power of collective action and solidarity.”

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18. **Video: Israeli soldier boasts of killing and sexual assault in Gaza**

Watch: “We don’t just kill — we rape.” An American YouTuber exposed a conversation between himself and an Israeli occupation soldier in which the latter allegedly confessed to crimes against humanity committed against unarmed Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, leaving it to the public in his country to judge.