Israeli Blockade Kills More than a Dozen Palestinians in One Day | Palestine Policy Roundup 07.21.25
Welcome to the Palestine Policy Roundup, a weekly publication of the IMEU Policy Project.
👀 ICYMI: MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SPEAK OUT
Rep. Rashida Tlaib: “An American was beaten to death by Israeli settlers backed by the military. Instead of pursuing justice for Sayfollah, our government continues to send billions to prop up the apartheid system that killed him and kills Palestinians like him every day. Arms Embargo Now.”
Rep. Ilhan Omar: “Sayfollah Musallet, a Palestinian‑American was beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. An immediate investigation into his horrific murder must take place. We can’t continue to let settler violence, or any acts of terror continue with the full backing of the United States. There must be accountability.”
Rep. Chuy Garcia: “Sayfollah ‘Saif’ Musallet, a U.S. citizen of Palestinian descent, was brutally killed in the West Bank while visiting his family. The U.S. should conduct an independent investigation into his murder and demand accountability of all those involved.”
IN THE NEWS
⛵ NEW GAZA FREEDOM FLOTILLA MISSION SETS SAIL FOLLOWING ISRAELI ATTACK ON THE MADLEEN
Yesterday, the Handala, a mission of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition, set sail from Italy and began its journey to break Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid from entering Gaza. This comes nearly six weeks after Israeli naval commandos illegally boarded the coalition’s last mission, the Madleen, and abducted its crew while the ship was in international waters.
The crew of the Handala includes at least six Americans: Chris Smalls, the founder of the Amazon Labor Union; lawyer and activist Huwaida Arraf; and Bob Suberi, Frank Romano, Jacob Berger, and Braedon Peluso. The crew of more than 20 people also includes politicians, journalists, and activists from around the world.
The ship is carrying desperately needed supplies, such as food and medicine, as Israel continues to restrict the entry of aid and forces Palestinians seeking food to march to sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, where many of them are injured and killed by the Israeli military, militias supported by Israel, or American contractors.
On the day that the Handala was set to begin its voyage, the ship was targeted by suspected sabotage according to a press release published by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. This included a rope being tightly wrapped around the propeller of the ship and sulfuric acid being delivered to the ship instead of fresh water. The latter incident injured members of the crew.
Last month, Israel attacked the Madleen, abducted its crew–which included climate activist Greta Thunberg and more than 10 others–and illegally detained them. Some members of the Madleen’s crew were subjected to solitary confinement and other aggressive treatment.
In May, another mission of the coalition, the Conscience, was attacked by a drone and was stranded in international waters off the coast of Malta. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition accused Israel of attacking the ship, but Maltese and European Union officials have not permitted an independent investigation into the attack.
PALESTINE/ISRAEL DEVELOPMENTS
💧 ISRAEL KILLS PALESTINIANS COLLECTING WATER, SEEKING FOOD AS ITS ONGOING BLOCKADE KILLS MORE
An Israeli strike on July 13 killed 10 Palestinians who were lined up to collect water from a tanker, six of whom were children. Videos taken after the attack showed yellow water cans scattered near a destroyed structure as survivors and bystanders attempted to rescue its victims. About 20 children were lined up to receive water from the tanker at the time of the attack.
As of the day of this attack, nearly 900 Palestinians had been killed while seeking food and other aid, with nearly 700 of them being killed by the Israeli military, militias supported by Israel, or US contractors at sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). In the week since that number was published, Israel has attacked even more Palestinians seeking food and other aid in Gaza.
Yesterday, a crowd awaiting a convoy of aid delivered by the World Food Programme was attacked by the Israeli military, according to a statement by the WFP, killing almost 80 Palestinians. On Saturday, the Israeli military killed 32 Palestinians seeking food at a site operated by the GHF.
The attack at the GHF site follows another deadly incident at another site last Wednesday, when 21 Palestinians were trampled and suffocated in a stampede that witnesses say was caused by US contractors using stun grenades and pepper spray on crowds of Palestinians seeking food.
While Israel continues to attack and massacre Palestinians who seek food and other aid, 18 Palestinians starved to death on Saturday according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza. According to UNRWA, 5,500 Palestinian children under the age of five are suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
As Palestinians struggle to safely access food and water, Israel’s blockade is also restricting the availability of essential services–especially medical care–to those who are injured by Israeli attacks or suffering from the impact of malnutrition. Medical facilities in Gaza are being forced to cut off power to some departments and suspend treatments like dialysis as a result of Israel’s restrictions on the entry of fuel. A UN statement released earlier this month said the fuel shortage has reached “critical levels.”
Additionally, Israel is continuing to block medical equipment, including operating tables, scalpels, and parts for ultrasound machines. Tents and other items that could be used to shelter Palestinians in Gaza are also being blocked.
As Israel continues to directly kill Palestinians by bombing or massacres at sites operated by the GHF, countless more Palestinians are suffering under and being killed by its blockade on the entry of humanitarian aid. This is deliberate–UNRWA alone has over 6,000 trucks of aid ready to be delivered to Gaza, and other organizations and agencies have countless more, but Israel instead is attempting to dismantle the humanitarian aid system and replace it with its weaponization of food scheme.
Israel’s continued near total blockade on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza is still a violation of international and US law–especially Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act. Members of Congress should speak out against Israel’s blockade and starving of Palestinians. They should also exercise their oversight authority over weapons transfers and end shipments of weapons to Israel in order to comply with Section 620I.
⛪ ISRAEL STRIKES GAZA’S ONLY CATHOLIC CHURCH, KILLING THREE PALESTINIANS
The Israeli military killed three Palestinians after a tank shell hit the Holy Family Church, the only Catholic church in Gaza, on Thursday. The attack killed Fumayya Ayyad and Najwa abu Daoud, who were sitting in a psychological support tent operated by the Caritas Internationalis charity, and Saad Salameh, who was the church’s janitor. Hundreds of displaced Palestinians were sheltering in the church, including many children with disabilities.
At least 10 other Palestinians were injured in the attack, including parish priest Gabriel Romanelli. Pope Francis made daily calls to Romanelli and the church before his death earlier this year.
Photo: Abdul N Quraishi - Abs, via Shutterstock. Stock Photo ID: 2632660735