Thursday, 09 July 2026

An interview with, West Asia political expert Saeb Shaath discusses why massive participation in funeral processions held in Iraq for the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, goes beyond symbolic mourning, arguing that it reflects growing regional solidarity with Iran, shifting political dynamics in West Asia, and the enduring influence of Ayatollah Khamenei on the regional Axis of Resistance.

He also examines how Ayatollah Khamenei’s leadership helped unite diverse resistance movements around a common anti-imperialist agenda and what this legacy could mean for the future of the region.

One thousand days into the Zionist entity’s Genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip—and despite a ‘’ceasefire’’ agreement that took effect on October 10 of last year—residents living in cramped coastal areas to the west of Gaza, devoid of the basic necessities of life, have seen no improvement in their living conditions. On the contrary, the humanitarian crises spawned by the Genocide persist and worsen by the day, while Zionist occupation forces continue their systematic, daily killings, the genocide continues destroying many lives.

The scale of the tragedy is starkly visible across the streets, alleys, and lands of Gaza’s villages, towns, and cities. Gaza’s infrastructure and agricultural lands have been crushed; the machinery of genocide has left behind thousands of tons of rubble, the result of the near-total destruction—exceeding 90%—of residential areas, as well as agricultural, industrial, environmental, and all vital facilities. Vast areas remain blanketed in rubble, bearing witness to the immense devastation caused by airstrikes, land- and sea boats-based artillery shelling, accompanied by ground invasions—operations in which Zionist occupation forces deliberately and comprehensively destroy neighbourhoods in cities, towns, and villages alike. Zionist occupation forces have expanded their control over territory in the Gaza Strip during the current ‘’ ceasefire’’, increasing their occupation of land from 53% at the start of the ‘’ceasefire’’ to approximately 70% of total area of the Gaza Strip and today controls 80% of the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, over two million citizens are living in cramped, overcrowded areas—amidst the rubble of homes or within dangerous structures escaped the total destruction—with more than half the population residing in makeshift plastic displacement tents. The survivors complain of a lack of resources and inadequate services, as Zionist occupation authorities deliberately block the entry of sufficient food and medical aid—a fact confirmed by UN relief agencies and reports from official and human rights bodies. Simultaneously, occupation forces consistently target medical personnel, aid workers, and journalists.

This ongoing Genocide has been engineered to continuously kill the Palestinian people. Infectious diseases are spreading among the survivors, exacerbated by the occupation forces preventing Palestinians from disposing of waste by barring access to designated landfills; hundreds of tons of waste now surround the areas where survivors are sheltering. Residents suffer from thirst due to a lack of drinking water and a severe general water shortage—part of the Zionist strategy to accelerate the killing.

 The few remaining functional hospital departments in Gaza, are operating at minimal capacity due to acute shortages of medicines, fuel, equipment, and medical devices, prompting medical authorities to warn of grave risks to the lives of residents, particularly children and the elderly.

1,000-Day Genocide Statistic

In a comprehensive statistical overview of the impact of the Genocide after 1,000 days, the Palestinian Government Media Office reported that the 2.4 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are continuously subjected to extermination, starvation, and ethnic cleansing. The total destruction caused by Zionist occupation forces across the Gaza Strip has reached 90%, while the occupation now controls 80% of the territory. Since the war began, 223,000 tons of explosives have been dropped on Gaza. The Media Office stated that the death toll has risen to 73,066, with 9,500 people missing—including those whose bodies remain under the rubble. The total casualty figures include 21,500 children, 12,500 women, and 262 journalists, together with 173,514 injured individuals.

A detailed report outlined the overall damage inflicted on the Gaza Strip by Genocide, estimating initial losses at $80 billion. The report held the Zionist occupation and its supporting nations responsible for the profound humanitarian catastrophe ravaging the Gaza Strip right now, calling on the international community to exert real pressure to halt the ongoing genocide, open crossings, facilitate the entry of aid, and secure the withdrawal of the Zionist occupation army from the Gaza Strip.

The Zionist entity is waging genocide against the newborns, children, and women of Gaza, accelerating its war of ethnic extermination in the territory.

Only 2,004 births were recorded in Gaza during April 2026.

This represents a 67% decline in births compared to November 2025, when 6,076 births were recorded.

 5,210 births in January 2026, followed by 3,433 in February, 3,233 in March, and 2,004 in April.

Only 1,701 births were recorded during May 2026.

57,000   births in 2022, dropping to 38,000 in 2024.

921  miscarriages during April 2026 alone.

%46  of all pregnancies ended in miscarriage during the same period.

A 225%  increase in miscarriage rates compared to pre-war levels.

The destruction of the healthcare system and the denial of medicine, food, and care have intensified the risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth.

The unfolding situation represents a systematic pattern of reproductive violence constituting acts of genocide.

Data source: Gaza Centre for Human Rights.

Zionist Killing Policies Aimed at Displacing Palestinians

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) confirms that Zionist occupation forces continue to escalate its mass killing crimes against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. This is occurring alongside the systematic destruction of remaining residential neighbourhoods and civilian infrastructure, as well as repeated shelling of displaced persons’ tents and temporary shelters—actions that kill, injure, and repeatedly displace civilians amidst a total absence of safe havens within the Strip.

 The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) asserts that these combined policies indicate that the Zionist entity is not merely persisting in acts of genocide but is also entrenching a coercive environment that compels the Palestinian population to leave—driven by systematic destruction, starvation, forced displacement, and the dismantling of the foundations of civilian life.

For their part, Palestinian resistance factions—marking 1,000 days of the Zionist entity’s genocidal war backed by the US administration, Western countries, and Western lobbies—described the situation as a “glaring embodiment of organized state terrorism, revealing the true face of Zionist colonialism.” They characterized it as “1,000 days of Genocide and confrontation between the Zionist-American-Western colonial apparatus—heavily armed with every variety of US and Western-made weaponry—and our people, who are defenceless but armed with a strong will to live and resist genocide.”

The Palestinian resistance factions declared their rejection of any foreign guardianship over the Palestinian people and affirmed that the administration of the Gaza Strip is an “internal matter.” They called upon the administrative committee tasked with managing Gaza to promptly enter the Gaza Strip and assume its duties. Furthermore, they urged the launch of a comprehensive national dialogue to establish a genuine political partnership, formulate a unified national strategy, address major national issues, put the Palestinian house in order, and rebuild national institutions—including the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)—to ensure they are inclusive of all Palestinians in the face of the immense challenges confronting the Palestinian cause. Finally, they demanded a decisive and influential Arab and Islamic stance to secure a comprehensive and total cessation of the Genocide, urging the full utilization of all available Arab and Islamic leverage.

‘Israeli’ occupying forces arrested Dr. Mazen al-Rantisi, known as the “Doctor of the Poor,” during a raid in Ramallah. He has long provided free or low-cost medical care to the needy.

Dr. al-Rantisi is widely known throughout Palestinian cities and towns as the “Doctor of the Poor” and the “Doctor of the Needy.”

For decades, he has provided medical care to low-income patients, often charging only symbolic fees or offering treatment free of charge.

His clinic in Ramallah became a well-known destination for patients from across the occupied territories seeking affordable medical care and personal support.

‘Israeli’ occupation forces have not disclosed the reasons for his arrest or revealed where he is being held.

The detention immediately sparked urgent calls from his family, colleagues, and patients for information about his condition and his immediate release.

News of the arrest spread rapidly on social media, with many Palestinians sharing personal stories of receiving treatment from Dr. al-Rantisi.

Numerous former patients recalled how he provided medical consultations by phone or messaging apps outside clinic hours, often without charge.

In response, activists launched online solidarity campaigns under the hashtag “Freedom for Dr. Mazen Al-Rantisi,” demanding information about his whereabouts and legal status.

His arrest has sparked outrage and solidarity campaigns. It is part of a broader ‘Israeli’ campaign detaining healthcare workers, with over 360 arrested since 2023. Meanwhile, Gaza’s healthcare system remains in crisis due to airstrikes and a blockade.