By Harun Nasrullah
London, (The Muslim News): A 17-year-old Palestinian boy was shot dead by Israeli forces during a raid on Monday evening in the town of Tuqu’, east of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, according to local officials.
Taysir Abu Mufreh, head of the Tuqu’ Municipal Council, told the official WAFA news agency that Israeli soldiers stormed the town, took up positions in its centre and opened fire indiscriminately, hitting the teenager in the chest.
The incident comes amid a surge in violence across the occupied territory. Palestinian figures state that since October 2023, Israeli forces and illegal Jewish settlers have killed at least 1,096 Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, injured nearly 11,000, and detained around 21,000.
Settlers storm Al-Aqsa for Hanukkah
Separately on Monday, scores of Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem to mark the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. An Anadolu correspondent reported that the settlers performed Talmudic rituals at the sensitive site under Israeli police protection.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque is Islam’s third-holiest site. Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, believing it to be the site of two ancient temples. Israel captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 war and annexed it in 1980, a move not recognised internationally.
Last July, the International Court of Justice issued a landmark opinion declaring Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all West Bank and East Jerusalem settlements.
UN warns Gaza aid “reduced” amid restrictions
The United Nations has warned that humanitarian assistance in Gaza is being scaled back due to Israeli restrictions, with needs far outstripping the aid response.
UN spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters that “needs continue to outpace the ability of humanitarians to respond, given the ongoing impediments they face.” He added that recent rainstorms and colder temperatures were exacerbating the crisis.
While aid groups had distributed thousands of tents, tarpaulins and bedding items in recent days, Mr Haq said deliveries have now been curtailed. “Due to ongoing restrictions affecting our ability to bring in sufficient volumes of aid, our partners have once again had to reduce the assistance being provided,” he stated.
The reduced rations — now one food parcel, one bag of flour, and 1.5kg of biscuits per family—cover only half of the minimum caloric needs for the rest of December. Mr Haq also highlighted efforts to address health risks for newborns, including distributing kits to prevent hypothermia.
Detainees released amid abuse allegations
Meanwhile, ten Palestinian detainees from Gaza were released by the Israeli army on Monday via the Kerem Shalom crossing, according to the Hamas-run Prisoners’ Information Office. They were taken to hospital for medical checks.
The office did not specify their condition, but previous prisoners released by Israel have exhibited signs of abuse, severe injuries from torture, and malnutrition.
Under a ceasefire and exchange deal in October, Israel released nearly 2,000 prisoners, most reportedly in poor health.
Palestinian and Israeli human rights groups state that over 10,000 Palestinians remain in Israeli prisons, where they endure torture, starvation, and medical neglect, leading to numerous detainee deaths.
ICC rejects Israel’s challenge to war crimes probe
In a significant legal development, the International Criminal Court’s appeals chamber has rejected Israel’s challenge to the court’s investigation into alleged war crimes in Gaza.
Judges ruled on Monday that the prosecutor was not required to restart the process, as the current investigation into hostilities since October 2023 concerns the “same type of armed conflicts” and territories as the court’s pre-existing Palestine probe, opened in 2021.
Israel had argued the scale of the conflict after October 7 represented a fundamental change. The court dismissed this, stating “no substantial change to the parameters of the investigation requiring new notification had occurred.”
The ruling strengthens the legal foundation for arrest warrants issued in November 2024 against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Israel rejects the ICC’s jurisdiction.
[Photo: A child carries water container as he and other Palestinians displaced by Israeli attacks struggle to carry out their daily lives under harsh conditions in makeshift tents in Gaza City, Gaza on December 15, 2025. Heavy rainfall and strong storms affect the Gaza Port area in western Gaza City, damaging tents where displaced Palestinians take shelter. Adverse weather conditions further exacerbate the hardships faced by displaced Palestinians living under severe humanitarian conditions. Photojournalist: Mahmoud Abu Hamda/AA]
