UN Rejects Israel's Threat to Expel Gazans Over Kites
August 26, 2026. The UN rejected Israel's threat to expel Gaza residents over kite-flying, a Palestinian boy was shot during a raid on a UN facility, and UNRWA's chief warned Israel is trying to erase the refugee issue. Here's each story in brief, with links to the original reporting.
UNRWA: Israel Seeks to Eliminate the Agency
UNRWA's Christian Saunders said the seizure of its training centre is part of a campaign to eliminate the agency and refugee rights.
Sources: Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera
UN Slams Israel's Kite Threat
The UN rights office condemned Israel's threat to force out Gaza residents over kite-flying. One 10-year-old said he's now scared to fly his kites.
Sources: Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera
Boy Shot in Raid on UN Center
Video shows the moment a Palestinian boy was shot during Israel's raid on the UN facility in East Jerusalem.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Vigils Demand Return of 1,700 Bodies
Palestinians held vigils across the West Bank demanding Israel return some 1,700 bodies it is holding.
Sources: Al Jazeera
New Gates Isolate Qusra Home
Troops blocked lawmaker Ofer Cassif from reaching a besieged home in Qusra and installed gates around Lou Ridi's family home.
Sources: Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera
UNRWA Raid Linked to Annexation Push
Analysts say the UNRWA raid is part of a broader Israeli effort to erase refugee rights and lock in West Bank annexation.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Envoy: Truce Failure Would Be 'Point of No Return'
An envoy warned that a collapse of the truce would be a point of no return, as Hamas pledged to hand over weapons under a US plan Netanyahu rejects.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Sabah Knocks Out Hapoel Beer-Sheva
Azerbaijan's Sabah eliminated Israeli club Hapoel Beer-Sheva with a late goal in European qualifying.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Background
Almost a year after the ceasefire, life in Gaza is still defined by destruction, ongoing strikes and shortages of fuel, machinery and medical supplies that make recovery all but impossible. The death toll in Gaza stands above 73,900 according to the health ministry, with more than 174,000 wounded and well over a thousand killed since the ceasefire.
Sources: Al Jazeera, OCHA
The West Bank has seen its own escalation. UN figures show 275 Palestinian communities hit by settler attacks this year, close to last year's record and the highest since monitoring began in 2006. More than 4,300 Palestinians have been displaced in the West Bank this year, over a third of them by demolitions carried out because families lacked permits to build on their own land. Aid agencies say there are few safe options left: over 90 percent of Gaza is in ruins, and with nowhere else to go, families shelter in damaged buildings.
Sources: OCHA
Humanitarian access remains the central obstacle. Aid groups say the machinery, fuel and spare parts needed to clear rubble and repair water and power systems are still restricted, while two million people depend on supplies that arrive irregularly. International law runs alongside events on the ground. The International Court of Justice found the occupation unlawful in July 2024, and South Africa's genocide case remains before the court.
Sources: OCHA
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