Middle East

New Israeli blitz in the West Bank, arrests and injuries

Acknowledging the remains received yesterday by Israel, the bodies of 15 Palestinians were handed over to the Red Cross today as agreed. Hamas loses support and contemplates turning into a party

26 November 2025

Il Ministero della Sanità di Gaza riceve dalla Croce Rossa i resti e i corpi di palestinesi non identificati restituiti da Israele, per essere sepolti in un funerale di massa fuori dall'ospedale Nasser di Khan Younis, nel sud della Striscia di Gaza, il 26 novembre 2025. La consegna dei corpi dei prigionieri palestinesi deceduti da parte di Israele rientra nell'accordo di cessate il fuoco tra Israele e Hamas, entrato in vigore il 10 ottobre 2025. EPA/HAITHAM IMAD

5' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

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Hamas loses support and contemplates becoming a political party

5' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Israel has launched a "new anti-terrorist operation" in the northeast West Bank, sending reinforcements, bulldozers and helicopters to the Tubas area. "The army and Shin Bet will not allow terrorism to gain a foothold in the area and are acting proactively to counter it," is the goal stated in an IDF note in the morning, when the operation had already been underway for hours. Local sources and the Palestinian Wafa agency reported dozens of arrests - at least 60 - in Tubas, and in the villages of Tammun, Aqaba and Tayassir, while the Red Crescent spoke of ten wounded, mostly from "brutal beatings", of whom six were transferred to hospital. The authorities closed schools for the safety of pupils and teachers. Witnesses reported that soldiers broke into several homes, vandalising them, and closed many roads in Tubas governorate to set up roadblocks.

The mayor of Tubas, Mahmoud Daraghmah, quoted by the Times of Israel, added that the IDF had imposed a curfew and that "in the morning, Apache helicopters fired at the population", while the first citizen of Tammun, Samir Basharat, was among those arrested. The army then gave its own account at the end of the day, explaining that the raid was triggered 'following a preliminary identification by intelligence of attempts to establish strongholds and build terrorist infrastructure in the area'. And he confirmed that 'the air force struck to isolate the area, prior to the entry' of the soldiers, and that 'searches' were initiated, which led to the discovery of a 'control room' and the confiscation of 'funds destined for terrorism'.

The IDF had already conducted an operation in the area, in the Faraa refugee camp south of Tubas, last February and the local authorities had reported the displacement of hundreds of inhabitants. In September, the army had reported killing gunmen in the same region who were preparing an attack. Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad condemned the IDF operation, considering it part of Israel's plan to annex the West Bank, where attacks by extremist settlers against Palestinians and their crops also continue.

The hunt for Hamas militiamen continues

In Gaza, meanwhile, the IDF continues to hunt for Hamas militiamen trapped in the Rafah tunnels under the Israeli-controlled airspace as they attempt to escape to the surface. It is unclear how many are still trapped, the latest estimates speak of between 60 and 80 men. The army claimed to have killed 20 and arrested eight in the last week alone: one was 'eliminated' this morning by an air raid, three others in a 'close firefight' when ground troops entered a compound to verify the outcome of the attack from the air. There is no trace, however, of the negotiations that the US had so far encouraged to resolve the issue - which risked jeopardising the ceasefire - by trying to convince Israel to let them go abroad or to the Hamas-controlled area of the Strip. Rather, the IDF seems to be waiting for the militiamen to come out in droves, driven by hunger and at the end of their strength, in order to capture or kill them.

In Lebanon, where the Pope's visit is expected, came the ultimatum of Defence Minister Israel Katz: "Either Hezbollah disarms within the year, or Israel will be forced to intervene forcefully" against threats to the Jewish state. "There will be no calm in Beirut or order and stability in Lebanon until Israel's security is guaranteed," Katz added, evoking Sunday's targeted attack on the pro-Iranian movement's military chief, Ali Tabatabai.

Israel Security Meeting

Two people were killed and others injured in an Israeli attack in Beit Lahiya, in the Hamas-controlled area of the northern Gaza Strip. Palestinian and Israeli media reported this. Earlier, the IDF had reported that it "hit" a Hamas sniper "who was planning an attack against Israeli troops in the north of the Strip", without specifying whether it killed him.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff General Eyal Zamir will both attend a security meeting convened by Benjamin Netanyahu this evening, the prime minister's office told the Times of Israel.

Katz and Zamir were involved in a public dispute over the 7 October military investigation. Netanyahu met separately with both of them on Tuesday in an attempt to defuse the tension.

Identified body of Israeli hostage

It is Dror Or's body that was returned to Israel yesterday by Hamas. This was reported by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu at the end of the identification process. According to the IDF, Dror Or was murdered by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad on 7 October 2023 and his body brought to the Gaza Strip from his home in kibbutz Be'eri. His death was officially confirmed on 2 May 2024.

Dror Or was 48 years old at the time of his death. He leaves behind three children. His wife, Yonat Or, was also murdered during the attack on the kibbutz. Two of his children, Alma and Noam, were kidnapped and released two years ago as part of the November 2023 hostage release agreement. Hamas has yet to return the last two bodies of hostages held in the Strip under the ceasefire agreement. "We will not compromise on this point and will spare no effort until we bring home all the deceased hostages, every last one," the PM's office added.

Following the restitution, the Israeli military handed over the remains of 15 Palestinians to the Red Cross through the Kissufim border crossing in the central Gaza Strip. Under the terms of the ceasefire, Israel is obliged to return 15 Palestinian bodies for every killed hostage it receives.

Hamas loses support and contemplates becoming a political party

Meanwhile, Hamas leaders, inside and outside the Gaza Strip, have begun an internal discussion on the future of the movement, including the possibility of disbanding its military wing and "founding a political party similar to existing groups and political parties that represents a national Islamic political approach and presents itself as an entity capable of participating in the political, economic, social and public spheres in general". This was reported by a Hamas source to the Saudi media Asharq Al-Awsat on condition of anonymity, acknowledging that the Islamic faction has lost much of the support of Palestinian civilians after two years of war and tens of thousands of deaths.

The proposed document envisages 'a comprehensive Palestinian reconciliation, including participation in the PLO' chaired by Palestinian National Authority leader Abu Mazen. On disarmament, the source said: 'The movement is open to discussing the issue of weapons, and this has been discussed, from the beginning of the ceasefire until now, with Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and even indirectly with the United States. And it is likely to be repeated in meetings with US officials in the coming period'. But this, he stressed, "will be through a Palestinian national agreement", without Israeli intervention and without allowing the International Stabilisation Force, endorsed by the UN Security Council resolution, "to forcefully disarm or implement other measures, which could lead to an unwanted state of chaos that the movement does not want". Hamas, the source concludes, "seeks to reach a consensus on the next steps of the ceasefire agreement, both domestically and with the mediating countries, the United States and the international community."