Epal European Palestinian Media Center Bulletin, Issue No. 2446, Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2026

1. One martyr and fishermen targeted as Israeli violations continue in Gaza

Israeli occupation forces continued violating the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip through air and artillery shelling and gunfire in various areas across the territory.
A civilian was killed after Israeli occupation forces targeted a civilian vehicle in Gaza City.
Local sources reported that the occupation forces targeted a civilian car near Palestine Tower on Al-Shuhada Street west of Gaza City, leading to the death of at least one person.

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2. Warnings of a sharp decline in the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza

The Government Media Office warned of a “sharp and dangerous” decline in the number of aid trucks allowed into the Gaza Strip due to tightening measures imposed by the Israeli occupation against the territory.
The office director, Ismail Al-Thawabta, stated that documented figures clearly reveal the scale of the decline and the continuation of blockade and restriction policies. He noted that the occupation only allowed 48,636 trucks to enter out of the 131,400 trucks that were supposed to enter since the ceasefire began.

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3. Israeli plan threatens the Judaization of Sheikh Jarrah

The Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in occupied Jerusalem is facing a new settlement plan after the so-called “District Planning Committee” of the Israeli occupation municipality approved a project to build a large ultra-Orthodox Jewish religious school in the heart of the Palestinian neighborhood.
Jerusalem residents see the move as part of an ongoing Judaization policy aimed at changing the demographic character of the area.
The project includes building a religious school named “Or Sameach,” after a Torah book written by Rabbi Meir Simcha HaKohen in the early twentieth century, in addition to housing designated for around 200 Jewish students, strengthening Jewish religious and settler presence within Palestinian neighborhoods in occupied Jerusalem.

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4. Settlers attack farmers and agricultural lands in the West Bank

Israeli settlers burned a wheat field, while others assaulted Palestinian farmers and attempted to seize their wheat harvest in the occupied West Bank.
Eyewitnesses reported that settlers burned parts of a wheat field in the village of Al-Sawiya in the Nablus governorate in the northern West Bank.
Residents, assisted by civil defense crews, managed to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to more agricultural lands.

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5. Smotrich signs immediate order to evacuate Khan al-Ahmar and displace its residents

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich signed an immediate order to evacuate Khan al-Ahmar and forcibly displace all of its residents, in what is seen as retaliation over the International Criminal Court’s intention to issue an arrest warrant against him.
In press statements, Smotrich said: “The Palestinian Authority has declared war on us and I will respond with war within my authority,” claiming he would target every economic or other Palestinian Authority objective he is capable of attacking under his powers.

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6. Settlers organize provocative flag march toward the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron

Groups of extremist settlers organized a provocative flag march in the Old City of Hebron in the southern occupied West Bank, heading toward the Ibrahimi Mosque.
Local sources reported that dozens of settlers gathered in the Jaber neighborhood and Wadi Al-Hussein area, raising Israeli flags and chanting racist anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian slogans under the protection of the Israeli army.

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7. Shocking testimonies about torture of journalists in Israeli prisons and calls for international action

Lawyer and human rights advocate specializing in prisoners’ affairs Khaled Mahajna warned of a dangerous deterioration in the conditions of detainees inside Israeli prisons, calling for urgent international action to stop what he described as an “ongoing war against prisoners.”
During an online meeting organized by the Palestinian Media Forum under the title “The Reality of Imprisoned Journalists in Israeli Prisons,” Mahajna stressed the importance of intensifying legal and media efforts to expose violations against detained journalists, emphasizing that targeting them aims to silence the Palestinian narrative and conceal what is happening inside prisons.

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8. Israel violated the truce 2,400 times and controls 64% of Gaza’s area

The Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative, Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, stated that Israel has never adhered to the terms of the ceasefire agreement signed around 200 days ago.
Barghouti explained that field sources documented more than 2,400 ceasefire violations since last October, resulting in the deaths of 850 people and injuries to around 2,500 others.
These violations come amid a severe blockade preventing the entry of essential medical supplies and reconstruction materials.
He also revealed a geographic plan implemented by the Israeli army through what it calls the “orange zone,” enabling it to seize control of 64% of the Gaza Strip’s total area. This military measure has confined approximately 2.2 million Palestinians to a narrow area comprising only 36% of the territory, lacking even the most basic necessities such as safe drinking water and functioning infrastructure.

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9. Israeli navy renews attack on Sumud Flotilla ships heading to Gaza

The Israeli navy attacked new vessels belonging to the “Global Sumud Flotilla” heading toward the Gaza Strip in an attempt to break the blockade imposed on the territory.
The International Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza stated in a statement that “Israel attacked the Sumud Flotilla again.”
The committee named some of the boats attacked by the Israeli navy, including “Ashdod” and “Beit Ummar,” but did not specify the total number of boats or activists onboard.

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10. #Video.. Occupation demolishes residential building under construction in Bethlehem

#Watch.. Under the pretext of unlicensed construction, Israeli occupation bulldozers demolish a residential building under construction in the town of Al-Walaja west of Bethlehem in the southern occupied West Bank.

*European*

11. Occupation abducts the Irish president’s sister participating in the Sumud Flotilla

Israeli assaults resulted in the arrest of at least 15 international solidarity activists, including six Irish citizens led by physician Margaret Connolly, sister of the President of the Republic of Ireland.
Reports indicate they were transferred to a large cargo ship used by Israel as a “floating prison” before being taken to Ashdod port.
In an official reaction, the Irish president described the arrest as an “illegal kidnapping” in international waters, expressing deep concern for the safety of her sister and the detainees while also expressing pride in the humanitarian courage of participants attempting to break the siege on Gaza.

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12. #Video.. Activist throws candy into the sea hoping it reaches Gaza

An activist calling himself “harqos” appeared on social media throwing a bag of candy into international waters before Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla ships, hoping it would reach the children of Gaza.
The activist affirmed that their mission was humanitarian and intended to break the siege on Gaza, noting that activists from 45 countries carried food and medical aid for Gaza’s residents.

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13. Musical group energizes protest stage in Vienna with support for Palestine

The Italian group “Banda Popolare” participated in the activities of the global music protest day “No Stage For Genocide.”
The group performed live musical and singing shows in support of the Palestinian cause and in condemnation of occupation crimes, receiving strong public support from audiences expressing solidarity with the artistic movement opposing international complicity.

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14. American weapons company linked to Elbit targeted

The group “Accra Control” announced a new operation targeting ventilation equipment belonging to the company, stating that the use of expanding foam would completely disable the systems.
The company, affiliated with the American corporation “Curtiss-Wright,” supplies targeting systems used in missiles sent to Israeli Elbit factories. Activists described the operation as the fourth strike aimed at disrupting weapons production supporting the occupation.

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15. Student protests and rights campaigns against academic and economic complicity with the occupation

Pro-Palestinian students in the Netherlands escalated protests after students climbed onto the roof of Eindhoven University of Technology to reject the university’s ties with Israeli institutions and the military sector despite the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
In Spain, Palestinian, Basque, and Spanish human rights and civil organizations intensified their campaign against the company CAF, accusing it of profiting for seven years from projects linked to the Israeli colonial system.

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16. General strike and demonstrations in Italy against militarization and in support of Gaza

Italy witnessed a general strike affecting transportation, education, and logistics sectors in protest against rearmament programs and complicity in the Israeli genocide in Gaza, as well as in support of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
The protests disrupted metro lines and transportation services in Rome, Naples, and Milan. Demonstrators accused the Italian government of participating in occupation crimes by continuing arms trade with Israel.

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17. #Video.. German police arrest young man during pro-Palestine event

#Watch.. “Israel killed my son” — German police violently arrest a young man during a pro-Palestine event in the streets of Berlin.

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*International*

18. Francesca: Shame on European governments that fail to act to stop Israel

UN Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese called for ending military, trade, and financial dealings with what she described as Israeli apartheid.
She also urged Mediterranean countries to protect humanitarian ships and halt all military, financial, and commercial dealings with Israel, describing it as an apartheid state.

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19. Suppression of Gaza supporters at George Mason University: students expelled over Palestinian flag

George Mason University administration expelled several Palestinian students and their supporters from the official graduation ceremony after they raised the Palestinian flag on stage during the presentation of degrees, sparking widespread criticism among American student and human rights circles.
Videos circulated on social media showed security and organizational personnel intervening immediately after the Palestinian flag appeared inside the hall, escorting students outside and preventing them from completing participation in the ceremony.

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20. #Video.. Towson University student confronts Israeli: “Palestine is an occupied state”

#Watch.. “Palestine is a country occupied by a group of Jews” — a student confronts a visiting Israeli soldier at Towson University in the U.S. state of Maryland.

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21. “Canary Mission” launches incitement and smear campaign against Representative Chris Rabb for supporting Palestine

The Zionist organization “Canary Mission” launched an organized incitement and smear campaign against Pennsylvania Representative Chris Rabb aimed at undermining his electoral prospects and portraying him as an “extremist.”
The organization accused Rabb of being involved for years in supporting and protecting protest and boycott movements opposing the Israeli occupation in Philadelphia.

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22. 160 km separate 9 ships from breaking Gaza’s blockade as Sumud Flotilla challenges piracy

The International Committee to Break the Siege announced that nine ships from the “Global Sumud Flotilla” continue sailing toward the Gaza Strip and are currently about 160 kilometers from Gaza’s shores.
The flotilla departed from the Turkish port of Marmaris last Thursday with 54 ships and 426 activists from 45 countries.

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23. United Nations: We want to ensure the safety of activists aboard the “Sumud Flotilla”

UN Secretary-General spokesperson Farhan Haq said the United Nations wants to ensure the safety of all activists aboard the “Sumud Flotilla” arrested by Israel in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea.
The statement came during a press conference in response to a question regarding the Israeli attack on the flotilla heading to Gaza to break the blockade imposed for 19 years.

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24. Erdoğan condemns Israeli “piracy” against the Sumud Flotilla

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan affirmed that these military attacks will not hinder international efforts to pursue justice and solidarity with the Palestinian people in the face of genocidal war.
On domestic affairs, the Turkish president stressed that his country would open a new path toward development and success after freeing itself from the constraints of terrorism that had burdened it for half a century.

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25. #Video.. Turkish activist documents Israeli gunfire at flotilla

#Watch.. Turkish activist Omar Aslan documents in a live broadcast Israeli naval forces firing on the ship “Girolama,” part of the “Global Sumud Flotilla,” in international waters while heading toward Gaza to break the blockade and deliver humanitarian aid.