Epal European Palestinian Media Center Bulletin, Issue No. 2483, Date: Sunday, June 28, 2026

1. Four Palestinians killed by Israeli fire in Khan Younis
Four Palestinians, including a child, were killed by Israeli occupation forces in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, one of whom died from wounds sustained earlier, as Israeli ceasefire violations continue across the Strip.
A local source reported that Islam Hassan Mousa Abu Shamala and Abdullah Hassan Abu Mousa were killed, while seven others were injured after an Israeli drone struck tents sheltering displaced people in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis.

Medical sources also confirmed that Zaher Abu Salem died from wounds sustained in an Israeli airstrike targeting a tent in Al-Mawasi earlier today, bringing the death toll from that strike to three, including two brothers from the Abu Mousa family.

2. Israel accelerates settlement projects in the northern West Bank
Israeli occupation forces continue implementing extensive settlement expansion projects in the northern West Bank, including the construction of new settlements, the expansion of existing ones, and the construction of bypass roads aimed at linking settlement blocs while isolating Palestinian cities and towns as part of a broader plan to alter the region’s geographic and demographic reality.
The plans include the development of 18 settlements, the legalization of several settlement outposts by converting them into permanent settlements, and the construction of a road network linking northern West Bank settlements with the Jordan Valley. The projects are expected to further fragment Palestinian governorates—particularly Nablus and Jenin—and strengthen Israeli control over key transportation routes.

3. Rape as a weapon of occupation: Palestinian study exposes Israeli military strategy
The Palestinian Center for Political Studies has released a new research paper titled “The War on the Palestinian Body: Sexual Violence Between Strategies of Subjugation and a System of Impunity.”
The paper argues that sexual violence has become a strategic tool within the Israeli occupation system.

It relies on official United Nations reports, particularly the UN Secretary-General’s report issued in May 2026, which for the first time included Israel on the list of parties suspected of committing conflict-related sexual violence.

4. Settler attacks have become an existential threat to Palestinians in their homes
Political analyst Marwan Al-Aqra warned of the continuing escalation in Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, stating that these assaults have gone beyond land seizures and settlement expansion to become an “existential threat” to Palestinians’ lives and security inside their own homes.
He added that Palestinians are now being attacked while inside their homes and among their families, describing the current escalation as a more dangerous phase directly targeting the Palestinian presence.

5. Human rights center: Israel turns thirst into a weapon of slow death in Gaza
The Gaza Center for Human Rights warned of the near-total collapse of Gaza’s water system due to ongoing Israeli attacks, the destruction of infrastructure, and restrictions preventing the entry of fuel and equipment needed to operate and repair water facilities.
More than two million Palestinians are facing the summer under catastrophic conditions, with temperatures exceeding 40°C inside tents and shelters, while hundreds of thousands of families lack even the minimum amount of water required for drinking and basic daily needs.

6. Child injured in settler attack south of Nablus
A 16-year-old boy was injured in the head after Israeli settlers threw stones at him near the Awarta checkpoint southeast of Nablus.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society said its crews transported the injured child to hospital.

7. Gaza hematologist: Blood shortage threatens the lives of thalassemia patients
Gaza hematologist Hani Ayesh stated that there are currently 237 thalassemia patients in the Gaza Strip, compared to 343 before the war.
He explained that 50 patients have died since the outbreak of the war—20 were killed in Israeli attacks, while another 30 died because of shortages of treatment and resulting medical complications.

8. Gaza Civil Defense accuses international organizations of abandoning humanitarian responsibilities
The Gaza Civil Defense Directorate accused several international organizations operating in the Strip of failing to fulfill their humanitarian responsibilities, saying this has hindered efforts to recover bodies trapped beneath the rubble and worsened the suffering of civilians.
The agency said it repeatedly contacted the Egyptian committee responsible for providing heavy equipment, but its requests were met with delays and procrastination, forcing rescue operations to be postponed.

9. Settler attacks target homes and farmland across the West Bank
Groups of extremist Israeli settlers have intensified attacks against Palestinian civilians, their property, and agricultural land throughout the occupied West Bank.
In Hebron, settlers attacked the home of Nizam Taleb Shalaldeh in the Wadi Sa’ir area east of the city. In eastern Ramallah governorate, settlers also grazed their livestock on privately owned Palestinian farmland in the village of Al-Mughayyir.

Europe
10. Report reveals Maersk’s involvement in transporting mortar components to the Israeli military
According to the report, the shipments are directly incorporated into the production lines of Israeli defense company Elbit Systems, where they are used to manufacture Soltam mortar shells and Iron Sting precision-guided mortar munitions.
The report calls for the Danish shipping company to be held fully accountable for facilitating genocide and occupation and urges it to immediately halt all military shipments destined for Israel.

11. UK Parliament rejects inquiry into the influence of pro-Israel lobbying groups
The parliamentary session revealed sharp divisions among MPs. Supporters of the petition argued that scrutiny of lobbying groups and political financing is a legitimate democratic issue, while opponents described the petition as antisemitic.
Following the debate, petition organizer Andy Khalil announced plans to file a formal complaint over what he described as the misrepresentation of the petition, its signatories, and MPs who supported it.

12. Protest calls for ending Palantir’s NHS contract over technology supplied to Israel
The demonstration took place on Brighton beach to pressure the British government to immediately cancel Palantir’s £330 million contract with the National Health Service and not renew it during its scheduled review in February 2027.
Protesters criticized the NHS for maintaining ties with a software company that officially renewed its partnership with the Israeli military in January 2024.

13. Collective lawsuit filed against Polish company supplying explosives to Israeli arms manufacturers
The Hind Rajab Foundation, the International Federation for Human Rights, and the European Legal Support Center filed a criminal complaint against executives of the Polish company Nitro-Chem, accusing it of complicity in international crimes through supplying TNT explosives used by Israel.
Three Palestinian human rights organizations—the Al-Haq Organization, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights—along with genocide survivors, joined the case filed on June 26, 2026.

14. More than 150 Scottish businesses and organizations join Apartheid Free Zones initiative
The organizations signed onto the Apartheid Free Zones (AFZ) initiative launched by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign to promote the principles of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
The signatories include independent cafés, restaurants, retailers, and cultural institutions across five major Scottish communities.

15. UK healthcare workers organize digital protest
The campaign targeted the policies of the UK’s General Medical Council (GMC), accusing it of threatening disciplinary action against doctors who advocate for Palestinian rights and systematically pressuring healthcare professionals to remain silent.
Organizations HW4P and SPHP also condemned the GMC’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, arguing that it is being used to suppress legitimate political criticism of Israel.

16. French court reviews constitutionality of law criminalizing solidarity with Palestine
The Paris Criminal Court postponed the trial of left-wing politician Anasse Kazib after accepting a constitutional challenge to the law used to prosecute expressions of solidarity with Palestine and referring the matter to France’s Constitutional Council.
The case stems from posts Kazib published on X in which he described Israel as an apartheid state, leading French prosecutors to accuse him of “apologizing for terrorism.”

17. Pressure mounts to expand settlement ban legislation to include services
Irish activists have called on the Oireachtas to include the services sector within the Occupied Territories Bill, warning that excluding services allows continued business relations with Israeli settlements.
The Irish Parliament is expected to consider the proposal during Foreign Affairs Committee meetings this week.

18. Handala 2 continues its voyage toward Gaza
The vessel Handala 2, which departed from Sweden as part of a European solidarity initiative, continues sailing through Scandinavian ports in an effort to reach the besieged Gaza Strip and deliver humanitarian aid.
The ship left Malmö on May 14 and is expected to join the Global Sumud Flotilla heading toward Gaza in September.

International
19. U.S. professor reinstated with compensation after dismissal over support for Palestine
Professor Sang Hee Keel has been reinstated at San José State University with full back pay after previously being dismissed for participating in student protests against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
An independent arbitrator ruled that the university’s decision was excessive and disproportionate, finding no professional misconduct on her part.

20. U.S. bill proposes integration of American and Israeli defense industries
The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement opposed the proposal, urging members of Congress to reject it and calling for restrictions on military cooperation and arms exports.
The initiative, known as the U.S.-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative, includes collaboration on artificial intelligence for defense, joint research and development programs, and coordinated military equipment production.

21. Israeli campaign attacks international report documenting crimes against children
The organization StopAntisemitism claimed that a United Nations report condemning Israeli attacks on children in Gaza lacks evidence and is based on falsehoods.
The group argued that the report ignores the military tactics of the Palestinian resistance, as part of a broader effort to challenge documented international criticism of civilian casualties in Gaza.

22. Student sues Indiana University over retaliation for supporting Palestine
PhD student Sabina Ali has filed a federal lawsuit against Indiana University and Gunther Jikeli, director of the university’s Jewish Studies Program, alleging violations of her constitutional right to free speech and claiming academic and professional retaliation after expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people.
The case dates back to last September, when Jikeli removed her from a virtual academic workshop because she displayed a pro-Palestinian image on her profile, claiming it depicted a “Palestinian terrorist,” after she refused to remove the image or turn off her camera.