By Elham Asaad Buaras
London, (The Muslim News): Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz has ordered the military to block a North African aid convoy attempting to enter the besieged Gaza Strip through Egypt, escalating tensions around international solidarity efforts with Palestinians.
In a statement on Wednesday, Katz accused participants in the convoy of being “jihadist protesters” and called on Egyptian authorities to stop them from approaching the Egypt-Israel border. “I expect the Egyptian authorities to prevent them from reaching the Egypt-Israel border and not allow them to carry out provocations and try to enter Gaza,” he said.
Egypt’s government later announced that all foreign delegations wishing to travel to the border area—including the city of Arish and the Rafah crossing—must obtain prior approval through official channels. It remains unclear whether the convoy in question had secured such approval.
INTERNATIONAL ACTIVISTS DETAINED
Amid Israel’s clampdown on international Gaza solidarity efforts, the legal rights group Adalah reported on Wednesday that two foreign volunteers detained from a Gaza-bound aid ship—Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila and French-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan—have been placed in solitary confinement in separate Israeli prisons.
“Thiago Ávila was placed in isolation in Ayalon Prison due to his ongoing hunger and thirst strike, which he began two days ago,” Adalah stated. The group added that prison staff had treated him aggressively, though no physical assault had occurred.
Hassan, who had written “Free Palestine” on a wall at Givon Prison, was transferred to a “small, windowless cell with extremely poor hygienic conditions” in Neve Tirza Prison, and denied access to the prison yard, according to the organisation.
Adalah condemned the separations and conditions as “a serious violation of the volunteers’ rights and a clear attempt to exert mental and political pressure on them.” The group demanded an end to solitary confinement, the cessation of retaliatory measures, and the immediate release of all eight detained aid volunteers.
Later updates from the organisation confirmed that Hassan had been returned to Givon Prison, but Ávila remains in isolation.
BEN-GVIR STORMS AL-AQSA YET AGAIN
On the same day, far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem, escorted by Israeli police.
According to the Jordan-run Islamic Waqf (Endowment) Department in Jerusalem, Ben-Gvir “forced his way” into the compound, marking his eighth incursion since joining Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in 2022.
Ben-Gvir’s visits have repeatedly drawn widespread condemnation from Arab and Muslim-majority nations. His May 27 intrusion was part of a larger delegation commemorating Israel’s 1967 occupation of East Jerusalem, during which more than 2,000 illegal settlers also entered the site.
Wednesday’s entry followed fresh international sanctions imposed by the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway on Ben-Gvir and Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, both of whom have been accused of inciting violence against Palestinians. The sanctions include travel bans and asset freezes.
SURGE IN ANTI-PALESTINIAN SENTIMENT AMONG ISRAELI PUBLIC
A new survey by the aChord Center at the Hebrew University has revealed growing extremism within Israeli public opinion regarding Gaza. According to the poll, 64% of Israelis believe “there are no innocents” in Gaza—a figure that rises to 87% among supporters of Netanyahu’s ruling coalition.
Among centrists, 67% endorsed the view, while 30% of left-leaning voters agreed. In contrast, 92% of Arab citizens in Israel rejected the statement outright.
The survey, conducted in late May with 1,112 respondents, also revealed sharp divides over media coverage of the war. While 64% of Israelis said domestic media provided balanced reporting on Gaza, only 44% of opposition voters agreed, with 56% calling for broader humanitarian coverage.
Specific media outlets reflected stark polarisation: 56% of respondents said Channel 14, a pro-Netanyahu network, was biased against Gazans, while 39% found it balanced.
Internationally, 69% perceived CNN and the BBC as pro-Palestinian, while 50% made the same claim about the US-based Fox News. Despite these views, 77% of those surveyed said global public opinion about Israel remains important.
MOUNTING DEATH TOLL IN GAZA
Meanwhile, the Gaza Health Ministry reported that at least 55,104 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its military assault on the Strip in October 2023. The latest 24-hour toll included 123 confirmed deaths and 474 injuries, bringing the total number of injured to 127,394.
The ministry noted that many victims remain trapped under rubble or in areas inaccessible to emergency responders. The figures are likely underestimates due to the ongoing siege and limited access to affected zones.
As Israel continues its military campaign and intensifies restrictions on international solidarity movements, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza shows no sign of abating. Rights groups and global observers warn of deepening isolation for Palestinians and rising hostility toward those seeking to challenge Israeli policies on the ground.
[Photo: Palestinians gather along the Coastal Road in the Al-Sudaniyya area in northern Gaza as they wait to receive humanitarian aid expected to enter through the Zikim crossing, on June 12, 2025 in Gaza. Long queues formed as civilians awaited the arrival of the supplies.
Photojournalist:Mahmoud İssa/AA]
