Palestine weekly wrap: Israel’s ‘quiet annexation’ grows louder

What Happened

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced at the inauguration of the illegal Doran settlement that Israel had 'cancelled' the 1997 Hebron Agreement, stripping the Palestinian municipality of planning authority over the Old City and Ibrahimi Mosque in the H2 zone of Hebron. The Israeli Foreign Ministry partially walked back the claim, stating the agreement itself was not cancelled but that a prior cabinet decision transferred planning powers over the Jewish community and holy sites. Meanwhile, Israel's Channel 13 reported that after the US blocked a larger ground operation, Israel opted for 'creeping' annexation in Gaza—expanding the Yellow Line westward and conducting unannounced incursions—with the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights estimating Israeli forces now control roughly 64 percent of Gaza, up from 53 percent under the October 10 ceasefire. In central Gaza’s Bureij refugee camp, an Israeli strike killed Al Jazeera Mubasher cameraman Ahmed Wishah, the 12th Al Jazeera staff member killed since October 2023. Al Jazeera condemned the killing as deliberate and rejected an Israeli military claim that Wishah was a Hamas operative. Additionally, Israeli bulldozers advanced on a permanent military base inside Area A of the West Bank, while hundreds of Israeli border police demolished homes at four settler outposts, even as the Civil Administration approved 576 new settlement housing units. The Gaza Health Ministry's post-ceasefire death toll passed 1,000, with UN relief chief Tom Fletcher reporting over 250 children killed since the ceasefire.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

This week’s developments mark a significant escalation in Israel’s declared and de facto annexation policies in the occupied Palestinian territories, moving from unofficial land seizure to open repudiation of signed agreements. Smotrich’s announcement in Hebron and the reported 'quiet annexation' in Gaza signal a strategic shift that risks collapsing the already fragile ceasefire, undermining the Oslo framework, and accelerating settlement expansion. The killing of an Al Jazeera journalist adds to growing international concern over press freedom and civilian casualties, while the US’s limited pushback highlights the constraints on diplomatic influence amid mounting global censure.

Watch For

Monitor whether Israel formally implements Smotrich’s claim over Hebron’s planning authority despite the Foreign Ministry's walk-back, and whether the US or other mediators respond substantively. Track the status of the Gaza ceasefire as the Yellow Line expands and Israeli incursions continue, and watch for further international measures such as Norway’s settlement trade ban or UN blacklisting of settler groups. The construction of the first permanent Israeli military base in Area A and advancements on the Crimson Thread barrier may provoke Palestinian and international reactions. Also note any legal or diplomatic follow-up to the killing of Ahmed Wishah, including potential ICC documentation or press freedom advocacy.