Displaced seven times, Diana Shams intended to return to her home, which survived years of war in Gaza only to be destroyed in the final hours before the ceasefire.

<article data-history-node-id="433129" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/major-clashes-break-out-between-israeli-soldiers-and-palestinians-near" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/major-clashes-break-out-between-israeli-soldiers-and-palestinians-near" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Major clashes break out near Bethlehem between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p dir="LTR">Major clashes erupted between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers on Friday evening near&nbsp;Bethlehem, Wafa news agency reported.&nbsp;</p> <p dir="LTR">Israeli soldiers stormed the town of Artas, four kilometres southwest of Bethlehem, sparking an uprising from Palestinian residents.&nbsp;</p> <p dir="LTR">Israeli soldiers proceeded to launch stun grenades and fire tear gas on to residents.&nbsp;</p> <p dir="LTR">The incident occurred one day after the town of Bethlehem - which is where Jesus is said to be born according to Christian tradition - resumed Christmas celebrations after two years of a war waged by Israel on Gaza.&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> </article>

More than 400 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire agreement in October

<article data-history-node-id="433089" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-forces-shut-atara-checkpoint-disrupt-movement-north-ramallah" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-forces-shut-atara-checkpoint-disrupt-movement-north-ramallah" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Israeli forces shut Atara checkpoint, disrupt movement north of Ramallah</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>Israeli forces on Friday closed the Atara military checkpoint north of Ramallah disrupted the movement of Palestinians, Palestinian media reported.&nbsp;</p> <p>Wafa news said the closure had been&nbsp;in place since the early hours on Friday and disrupted the movement of Palestinians travelling to&nbsp;villages west of Ramallah, as well as those coming from the northern West Bank districts.</p> </div> </div> </article>

Media backlash erupts as tabloid’s 'controversial' label sparks outrage, while supporters hail Mamdani's inauguration picks as a clear stand for Palestinian rights

<article data-history-node-id="433062" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israels-katz-doubles-down-support-settlements-gaza" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israels-katz-doubles-down-support-settlements-gaza" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Israel’s Katz doubles down on support of settlements in Gaza</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>Israel’s defence minister has doubled down on remarks suggesting he envisions the construction of settlements in the Gaza Strip.</p> <p>Speaking at a conference on Thursday, Israel Katz said he continues to support the establishment of outposts in Gaza by the Nahal military unit, which often later become officially recognised settlements.</p> <p>All forms of Israeli settlement in the occupied Palestinian territories are illegal under international law.</p> <p>Katz said this was the vision he believed in and that it would be carried out “in due time”.</p> <p>Earlier this week, Katz said that “when the time is right”, Israel would create what he described as “Nahal” settlements in northern Gaza.</p> <h3>Read more: <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israels-katz-double-down-support-settlements-gaza">Israel’s Katz doubles down on support of settlements in Gaza</a></h3> <figure role="group" class="media-block"> <div class="group-inner"> <div alt="Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz pictured at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem on 10 November 2024 (AFP/Menahem Kahana)" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c0d98079-97dd-46cd-b7b1-518741f527dc" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"> <img src="https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/images-story/000_36M39P9.jpeg" width="2000" height="1125" alt="Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz pictured at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem on 10 November 2024 (AFP/Menahem Kahana)" typeof="foaf:Image" fetchpriority="high"> </div> <figcaption>Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz pictured at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem on 10 November 2024 (AFP/Menahem Kahana)</figcaption> </div> </figure> <p><span style="background: url(&quot;https://www.middleeasteye.net/modules/contrib/ckeditor/vendor/plugins/widget/images/handle.png&quot;) rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;"><img height="15" role="presentation" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" loading="lazy"></span></p> </div> </div> </article>

<article data-history-node-id="433063" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/large-scale-incursion-more-500-settlers-barge-al-aqsa-mosque" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/large-scale-incursion-more-500-settlers-barge-al-aqsa-mosque" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">More than 500 settlers storm Al Aqsa Mosque&nbsp;</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>Israeli settlers under the protection of Israeli police and soldiers on Thursday stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem.</p> <p>Wafa news agency reported that some 568 settlers stormed the mosque in groups and carried out provocative tours in the courtyards and performed Talmudic rituals.</p> </div> </div> </article>

<article data-history-node-id="432931" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-air-strike-hits-southern-lebanon-despite-ceasefire" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-air-strike-hits-southern-lebanon-despite-ceasefire" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Israeli air strike hits southern Lebanon despite ceasefire</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>The Israeli army on Monday conducted an air strike in southern Lebanon, despite a ceasefire agreement in place since late last year.</p> <p>The military said in a statement that it killed a Hezbollah member in today's strike, and&nbsp;targeted two Hezbollah members in the Yater area of Bint Jbeil district on Sunday.&nbsp;</p> <p>The Lebanese health ministry confirmed Sunday that one person was killed and two others were injured in two strikes targeting a car and motorcycle in Yater.&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> </article>

Reading by Tim Foley:

<article data-history-node-id="432920" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-forces-destroy-olive-farmland-west-jenin-mayor-says" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-forces-destroy-olive-farmland-west-jenin-mayor-says" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Israeli forces destroy olive farmland west of Jenin, mayor says</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>Israeli forces on Monday bulldozed agricultural land in the town of Silat al-Harithiya, west of Jenin, Palestinian media reported, quoting local officials.</p> <p>Mayor of Silat al-Harithiya, Samir Zayoud, told local media that Israeli bulldozers began early in the morning,&nbsp;levelling farmlands in the al-Suruj area, located between Silat al-Harithiya and Ya'bad.&nbsp;</p> <p>He added that the lands, which have been planted with olive trees for over 30 years, are classified as state lands and cover an area estimated at 45 hectares.&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> </article>

China's foreign ministry on Monday said the United States' seizure of another country's ships was a serious violation of international law, after the U.S. intercepted a China-bound oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast.

The U.S State Department's independent watchdog is reviewing a request from two Democratic senators to investigate whether Trump officials Steve Witkoff and David Sacks broke ethics rules in connection with deals involving the United Arab Emirates, Semafor reported on Monday.

<article data-history-node-id="432917" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-forces-demolish-apartment-building-near-al-aqsa-mosque" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-forces-demolish-apartment-building-near-al-aqsa-mosque" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Israeli forces demolish apartment building near Al-Aqsa Mosque, displacing residents</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>Israeli forces on Monday demolished a residential building in the Wadi Qaddum neighbourhood, south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.&nbsp;</p> <p>The building contained 13 apartments and housed approximately 100 people, the report said.&nbsp;</p> <p>Israelis forces closed off the Wadi Qaddum area and&nbsp;a large force of the army, accompanied by bulldozers, stormed the neighbourhood and destroyed the residential building.</p> </div> </div> </article>

<article data-history-node-id="432918" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-forces-seal-ramallah-town-set-checkpoints" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-forces-seal-ramallah-town-set-checkpoints" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Israeli forces seal Ramallah town, set up checkpoints </span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>Israeli forces on Monday sealed the town of Atara by closing the iron gate and erected a checkpoint at the entrances to Nabi Saleh and Aboud, north of Ramallah, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.&nbsp;</p> <p>The report said that Israeli soldiers stopped and searched several vehicles and checked the IDs of their passengers, causing severe traffic congestion in the area.</p> </div> </div> </article>