## From the Margins: #### Under-reported news from Israel, Palestine, and the broader SWANA region: May 22, 2026 *These roundups are, and will always be, free. No paywalls. If you find them useful, you can help fuel future ones with a cup of coffee [here](https://paypal.me/ridaaburass?country.x=CA&locale.x=en_US). Thanks!* **TL;DR**: Israeli forces have violated the Gaza ceasefire over 2,400 times since it came into effect, killing hundreds. Israeli strikes are ongoing in Lebanon, where recent strikes have killed dozens of civilians and first responders. Across the West Bank, settler violence remains rampant, with coordinated daily attacks targeting Palestinian communities. Regionally, Egypt and Morocco are escalating mass deportations of refugees and migrants, worsening displacement across North Africa. --- ##### The Gaza Strip: - 2026-05-18 - Israeli forces [have killed six Palestinians, and wounded 40 others](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-05-18/ty-article-live/report-israel-operated-covert-outposts-in-iraq-during-war-with-iran/0000019e-38fb-df7e-a5be-3efb6ad20000?liveBlogItemId=2095552651#2095552651), across the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours. - 2026-05-18 - [Food and fuel shortages](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/18/growing-bread-lines-gaza-israel-restricts-fuel-flour) have been reported across the Strip. - 2026-05-18 - Israeli forces [have intercepted](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/18/israeli-forces-intercept-gaza-bound-aid-flotilla) a Gaza-bound humanitarian aid flotilla in international waters. - 2026-05-19 - Israel [has reportedly violated the October 10 ceasefire at least 2,400 times](https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/seven-months-gaza-ceasefire-israeli-violations-ongoing). 857 Palestinians, including 229 children, were killed; 2,500 were wounded. - 2026-05-21 - Israeli forces [have killed at least four Palestinians](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170718) across the Gaza Strip. - 2026-05-22 - [A Palestinian sheep-herder was killed](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170740) in an Israeli drone strike on the southern Gaza Strip. ---- ##### The West Bank, inc. East Jerusalem: - 2026-05-18 - Israeli [forces](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170592) and [settlers](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170600) uprooted olive trees across the West Bank. - 2026-05-18 - Israeli forces [arrested three Palestinians](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170593) in Tulkarm. - The Palestinians who are arrested in these near-daily raids [are often placed under administrative detention](https://www.btselem.org/administrative_detention) - held without charges, for prolonged, arbitrary periods of time, without the ability to defend themselves. - 2026-05-18 - "Some change, but [much more of the same](https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2026/5/18/some-change-but-much-more-of-the-same-in-palestinian-fatah-elections) in Palestinian Fatah elections". Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' son Yasser joins the organization's leadership, raising questions about nepotism. - 2026-05-19 - Israeli forces shot and injured two Palestinian men in [Hebron](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170677) and [Tulkarm](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170661). - 2026-05-19 - Israeli settlers [destroyed gravestones](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170645) near Bethlehem. - 2026-05-20 - Israeli forces [demolished homes and barns](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170687) in the northern Jordan Valley. - 2026-05-20 - Israeli forces detained around 20 Palestinians near Jerusalem. - 2026-05-21 - A group of armed Israeli settlers [stole 45 sheep and assaulted a Palestinian man](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170716) near Hebron. - 2026-05-22 - Israeli settlers [attacked a Palestinian vehicle](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170739), shattering its windows, and [vandalized Palestinian property](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170742), across the West Bank. - 2026-05-22 - Israeli forces [set fire to Palestinian farmland near Ramallah](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170743), and opened fire at villagers who attempted to extinguish it. ---- ##### Palestinian citizens of Israel ('48 Palestinians): - 2026-05-20 - Two Palestinian citizens of Israel [were killed](https://www.arab48.com/%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA/%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9/2026/05/19/%D8%B4%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%88-%D8%A5%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A9-%D8%AE%D8%B7%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%AC%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%A5%D8%B7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82-%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B1) in separate incidents, bringing the total number of homicides within the '48 community to 103 so far this year. #arabic - [Gun violence is a systemic problem](https://abrahaminitiatives.org/victims-of-violence-and-crime-in-arab-society-in-2024/) within the '48 Palestinian community, perpetuated by institutional neglect. - 2026-05-21 - With two additional victims, the annual death toll [has climbed](https://www.arab48.com/%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA/%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9/2026/05/21/%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%8A%D9%84-%D9%88%D8%A5%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A9-%D8%AE%D8%B7%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D8%A5%D8%B7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82-%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AA%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B9-%D8%AD%D8%B5%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8-%D8%A5%D9%84%D9%89-105) to 105. #arabic - 2026-05-20 - For the first time, [an Israeli court has convicted](https://www.972mag.com/israel-convicts-palestinians-protest-slogans/) Palestinian citizens of “indirect incitement to terrorism” and “identification with a terrorist organization” based solely on their chanting of traditional anti-war slogans (containing no direct calls for violence) at a protest, setting a dangerous precedent. --- ##### Israel: - 2026-05-19 - Though some airlines have resumed their flights to and from Israel, many prominent ones, including British Airways and Iberia [have extended flight cancellations](https://www.haaretz.co.il/tmr/news/aviation/2026-05-19/ty-article/0000019e-3fc8-d0ff-afbe-7fc8371e0000) until later this summer. #hebrew - 2026-05-19 - The Israeli police [are reportedly monitoring](https://www.haaretz.co.il/news/law/2026-05-19/ty-article/.premium/0000019e-36f7-d4f9-a7bf-feff3d1e0000) foreign journalists who visited Israel to prevent them from returning. #hebrew - 2026-05-19 - At the outset of the [May 2021 Events](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Israel%E2%80%93Palestine_crisis), a racist mob [savagely beat a Palestinian man](https://www.timesofisrael.com/arab-man-beaten-by-bat-yam-jewish-mob-calls-for-calm-were-all-human-beings/) - an event which was documented from multiple angles. Despite this, [most of the attackers still roam free](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-05-18/ty-article-magazine/.premium/they-attempted-to-lynch-an-arab-man-on-camera-5-years-on-most-are-still-free/0000019e-34bc-d57b-ad9e-b6bd532a0000). - 2026-05-19 - According to Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, [the ICC has sought an arrest warrant against him](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/19/israeli-far-right-minister-smotrich-says-icc-seeks-his-arrest). Smotrich vowed to retaliate, announcing that he would sign an order to evacuate [Khan al-Ahmar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khan_al-Ahmar_(village)), a Palestinian community near Jerusalem, which has spent years fighting Israeli authorities in court to remain. - 2026-05-20 - Far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir [has posted a video](https://aje.news/7adwbd?update=4589198) of himself taunting detained activists from the Gaza flotilla, kneeling, with their hands bound behind their backs. When a woman is heard pleading in the background, he instructs officers, "don't be bothered by their screams". - 2026-05-22 - Released flotilla activists have [reported being fired at with rubber bullets, beaten and subjected to sexual assault](https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/sadistic-deported-flotilla-activists-allege-sexual-abuse-and-torture-israeli-custody) while in Israeli custody. One activist reported being “forced to strip naked and run while guards were laughing”; another reported being "tied with cables, water tortured and sexually assaulted". - 2026-05-20 - Haaretz [exposed](https://www.haaretz.co.il/magazine/2026-05-20/ty-article-magazine/.highlight/0000019e-3fd6-d394-addf-fffe4f020000) the existence of a secret committee, run by an ex member of the Shin-Bet, which spied, isolated, and incited against left-wing and Arab teachers. #hebrew --- ##### SWANA and beyond: - 2026-05-18 - Russia is reportedly [recruiting Yemenis](https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/russia-lures-yemen-soldiers-cash-incentives-fight-against-ukraine), offering them cash incentives to fight against Ukraine. #yemen - 2026-05-18 - [At least seven people have been killed](https://www.newarab.com/news/trump-threatens-war-return-iran-declares-new-hormuz-authority?blockId=block_80299) in Israeli attacks in Lebanon today. #lebanon - 2026-05-19 - Hezbollah has been responding sporadically over the last few days, with [several Israeli civilian injuries](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-05-19/ty-article-live/lebanon-death-toll-passes-3-000-in-israel-hezbollah-war-despite-truce-extension/0000019e-3dcd-d0ff-afbe-7fcd37530000?liveBlogItemId=1516742739#1516742739) and [some casualties](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1j2zwe9g5no) among soldiers. - 2026-05-19 - [At least 21 people have been killed in Israeli attacks](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce9p1l7yp2lo), including three children and three women. - 2026-05-19 - According to to the latest figures from the Lebanese Health Ministry, [at least 3,042 people have been killed in Israeli attacks](https://aje.news/pymo91?update=4585887) across Lebanon since March 2. - 2026-05-22 - [At least 10 people were killed](https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/lebanonnews/2026-05-22/ty-article/at-least-10-killed-in-israeli-strikes-in-lebanon-health-ministry-says/0000019e-4f47-db3a-a39f-7f5750760000) in Israeli strikes in Lebanon, including six paramedics and a child. - 2026-05-19 - [Analysis](https://newlinesmag.com/argument/how-israel-backed-sweida-became-syrias-narcotics-capital/): southern Syria’s Sweida province has transformed into a major narcotics trafficking hub, particularly for the amphetamine Captagon, following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024. Since July 2025, the area has been de facto controlled by an Israel-backed Druze militia coalition known as the “National Guard,” led by religious figure [Hikmat al-Hajari](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikmat_al-Hijri). #syria #israel #jordan #druze - 2026-05-19 - In April, an alliance of Tuareg and Islamist forces [captured key northern towns](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Mali_offensives) in Mali, blockaded the capital Bamako, [killed Defense Minister Sadio Camara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Sadio_Camara), and [stormed](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/6/al-qaeda-linked-fighters-storm-mali-prison-block-food-supplies-to-bamako) the Kenieroba Central Prison. This represents the most severe military challenge to junta leader Assimi Goita's government since he took full control in 2021. [This explainer is worth reading](https://www.middleeasteye.net/explainers/mali-war-fla-jnim-tuareg-russia), providing useful analysis and context. #mali - 2026-05-19 - Pakistan [has reportedly deployed](https://www.arabnews.com/node/2644094/saudi-arabia) thousands of troops, a squadron of fighter jets, and air defense systems, to Saudi Arabia. #saudi #pakistan - 2026-05-20 - Egypt is conducting [daily crackdowns against Sudanese refugees](https://www.newarab.com/news/egypt-terrorising-and-deporting-sudanese-refugees-back-war) - a systematic pattern of detention and forcible deportations back to Sudan. Rights groups have documented deaths in custody and widespread violations of international law. #egypt #sudan - 2026-05-22 - Moroccan authorities [have been conducting a large-scale deportation operation](https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/morocco-launches-mass-deportations-block-europe-migration-route) against sub-Saharan Africans migrants en route to Europe. Witnesses have described mass arrests, beatings, racist abuse and forced transfers toward the Algerian border. #morocco - 2026-05-22 - Palestinian Ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, [has withdrawn his bid for vice president of the UN General Assembly](https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/palestinian-un-ambassador-withdraws-vice-presidency-bid-after-us-pressure) after the US threatened to revoke the visas of members of the UN Palestinian delegation.