Terrorism knows no bounds and can even extend to curtailment of freedom of the press, as is evident in the continued closing of Al Jazeera offices in Ramallah, a Palestinian City in Central West Bank.
Central West Bank is a major urban centre and the administrative capital of the Palestinian Authority (PA) government, and the closure order, effective 22 December for 45 days, has been renewed, supposedly on national security grounds. Previously, PA had suspended broadcast operations, based on issues of incitement and production of provocative material. This suspension was later lifted.
Israeli military activity is currently rife, and includes ground operations negatively affecting many Palestinian camps and sites in occupied West Bank, with airstrikes and shelling of sites affecting all eight recognized United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, including shelters and hospitals. The Gaza strip encompasses Gaza City, Central, North and South Gaza, with camps and areas such as Jabaliya camp (North), Al Bureij and Al Maghazi camps (Central), Khan Younis and Rafah (South) being compromised.
Israeli military activity is currently rife, and includes ground operations negatively affecting many Palestinian camps
Nearly 90 bodies were recovered from the rubble in Gaza City recently (late December) by Gaza Civil Defence teams and transferred to the Al-Shifa medical complex, after which they were moved to the Martyrs’ cemetery in Deir al-Balah for burial, as reported by Anadolu Agency and The New Arab. Al Jazeera has documented ongoing efforts to recover more bodies from rubble across Gaza and the various camps, as part of the aftermath of the Israeli strikes and continued conflicts.
As part of continued conflict and terrorism in Gaza City and surrounds, the following incident has been reported – AP news noted that about five Palestinians have been tragically killed by Israeli fire in the Tuffah area on Saturday, 20 December 2025. Their bodies, including that of a baby, were admitted and received by Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, and the area outside the hospital became a scene of grief. The Guardian also reported on the tragedy, commenting that Israeli troops had fired across the ceasefire “Yellow Line,” prolonging the reign of terror.
Al Jazeera reported that Gaza’s healthcare system is teetering on the brink of collapse.
In another current, tragic incident, the Palestinian Ministry of Health and multiple news agencies, including Anadolu Agency, have reported that 16-year-old Rayyan Mohammad Abu Mualla was shot dead by Israeli forces during a raid in Qabatiya, Jenin governorate. Jenin forms part of the northern occupied West Bank. According to Health officials, the deceased teenager’s body is being withheld by Israeli troops, and to add to the tragedy, emergency crews and ambulances were reportedly blocked from reaching him as he lay wounded.
Current reports from Medicine Sans Frontieres indicate that there are now more than 18,500 people, including children, awaiting medical evacuation from Gaza. Air ambulance transfer, casualty evacuation and emergency medical transport have been mainly inaccessible, and due to critical medical cases being delayed or denied, incidents of fatal consequences have occurred. Al Jazeera reported that Gaza’s healthcare system is teetering on the brink of collapse. Doctors are battling to save lives with insufficient medical supplies. The latter and continued medical emergencies necessitate the need for a more permanent and effective medical evacuation mechanism, so that the injured may receive decent medical care and start the recovery phase.
All the above examples and incidents are placed in the context of a supposed ceasefire, implemented almost two months ago. The first phase of the hostage release and ceasefire are still effective, but have not been fully implemented; the broader Trump initiative and ceasefire have been thwarted by ongoing attacks and violations by Israeli forces. The latter is impeding a seamless transition to the second phase and Turkey’s foreign minister has emphatically criticised these attacks, while in current discussions in Miami, United States (US) with Egypt and Qatar, as well as diplomats for the US.
Severe and rigorous intervention and measures are required to ensure that an actual ceasefire with no intervention is ensured.
