## From the Margins: #### Under-reported news from Israel, Palestine, and the broader SWANA region: May 29, 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 strikes on Gaza and Lebanon have intensified, with many civilians casualties, including children. The West Bank continues to face daily settler and military violence, including raids, shootings, and detentions. Israel's political parties are preparing for elections, including the four Palestinian-majority parties, who are negotiating running under a joint party list. In Sudan, at least 27 people were killed in RSF attacks in North Kordofan state. --- ##### The Gaza Strip: - 2026-05-25 - Two Palestinians - a woman, and a six year-old girl - [were killed in an Israeli airstrike](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-05-25/ty-article-live/idf-hezbollah-drone-hits-near-lebanon-border-no-injuries-reported/0000019e-5bf6-db4a-a9bf-fff7a8180000?liveBlogItemId=1975716014#1975716014) in the southern Gaza Strip. - 2026-05-26 - [At least five Palestinians were killed](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170843) in an Israeli attack on the central Gaza Strip today; [at least two others were killed](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170847) in an Israeli drone strike in the southern Gaza Strip. - 2026-05-27 - Mohammed Odeh, the leader of Hamas' military wing in Gaza, [was killed in an Israeli strike](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-05-27/ty-article/.premium/hamas-military-chief-killed-in-gaza-city-strike-israels-defense-minister-says/0000019e-67df-de90-a7be-f7ffedd20000) on the northern Gaza Strip. - 2026-05-27 - In the absence of functioning institutions, [Palestinian families have established elected, family-based councils](https://www.972mag.com/gaza-clans-elections-leadership-void/) to manage humanitarian aid distribution and resolve disputes. While these extended-family networks underline Palestinians' ability to improvise under difficult circumstances they face several challenges, including their exclusion of women from voting and standing, and being vulnerable to co-optation. - 2026-05-29 - [Three Palestinians were killed](https://aje.news/fi60ux?update=4610609) in an Israeli drone strike on eastern Gaza City. - 2026-05-29 - Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu [has ordered](https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israels-netanyahu-orders-army-seize-70-percent-gaza) the military to expand the area under full Israeli control from around 60 to around 70 percent of the Gaza Strip. ---- ##### The West Bank, inc. East Jerusalem: - 2026-05-25 - Israeli forces [detained three school principals](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170822) in the town of al-Khader, south of Bethlehem. - 2026-05-26 - [A Palestinian man was killed](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170850) by Israeli forces in the Jenin refugee camp. - 2026-05-27 - Israeli settlers [set fire to a Palestinian vehicle and home](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170861), and spray-painted racist slogans on the walls of several other homes, near Jenin. - 2026-05-27 - Israeli authorities [ordered the demolition of seven apartments](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170865) in [Qalandia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qalandia), near Jerusalem. - 2026-05-28 - [Israeli forces detained six Palestinians](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170886) near Hebron. - 2026-05-29 - Israeli forces raided several areas of the West Bank, [detaining six Palestinians](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/170953). ---- ##### Palestinian citizens of Israel ('48 Palestinians): - 2026-05-25 - The leaders of the four main Palestinian parties within Israel [have repeatedly expressed](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/2026-05-25/ty-article-magazine/.premium/israels-arab-parties-united-power-struggles-still-stand-in-the-way/0000019e-58e9-dac4-afde-59eb4cb50000) their willingness to unite under a single, technical, electoral list, ahead of the upcoming Israeli election - a move meant to increase Palestinian parliamentary representation by pooling votes. The parties inched closer to an agreement over the weekend, with additional expressions of interest - [but no cigar](https://www.arab48.com/%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA/%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A9/2026/05/24/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%A8%D9%87%D8%A9-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%BA%D9%8A%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%AC%D9%85%D8%B9-%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%84%D8%A5%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A9-%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%85%D8%A9-%D9%85%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D9%82%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%88%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%B9%D9%88-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%88%D8%AD%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A). #arabic - There is bitterness, as well as wide ideological gaps, between the parties - especially between the Islamist, [United Arab List](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Arab_List) (UAL) party, and the other three. The UAL - the larger faction in parliament, today - had previously split from the Palestinian leadership to join a center-right Israeli coalition in 2021; it wants assurances that it would be free to leave again, after Israel's upcoming elections. - 2026-05-26 - A Palestinian man [was 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%A9/2026/05/25/%D8%A5%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A9-%D8%AE%D8%B7%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A9-%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-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B5%D8%B1%D8%A9) in Nazareth this morning, bringing the total number of homicides within the '48 community to 108 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. - 2026-05-27 - [A seven year old Palestinian bystander was killed](https://www.arab48.com/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1/%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%A9/2026/05/27/%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A5%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A9-%D8%B7%D9%81%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AD-%D8%AD%D8%B1%D8%AC%D8%A9-%D8%A8%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 a criminal incident - the 110th Palestinian homicide victim within Israel so far this year. #arabic - 2026-05-29 - [111](https://www.arab48.com/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1/%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%A9/2026/05/28/%D9%85%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%A3%D8%A9-%D8%A8%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-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%83%D9%81%D8%B1-%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%85). --- ##### SWANA and beyond: - 2026-05-25 - [At least three people were killed](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/25/israel-kills-three-in-attacks-on-lebanon-issues-more-displacement-orders) in Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon; the Israeli military issued new displacement orders for residents in the south. #lebanon - 2026-05-26 - The Israeli military [has expanded ground operations](https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-may-26-2026/) beyond what it has designated as the "[forward defense line](https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-unveils-map-of-forward-defense-line-in-southern-lebanon-amid-ceasefire)" in southern Lebanon, with the stated goal of curbing Hezbollah drone attacks. [Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 11 people](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/26/israeli-attacks-on-eastern-lebanon-village-kill-at-least-12-people) in southern Lebanon today. - 2026-05-27 - The Israeli military [has ordered all residents of Lebanon’s southern city of Tyre to evacuate](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-05-27/ty-article-live/iran-partially-lifts-internet-blackout-after-over-two-months-watchdog-says/0000019e-677b-d1b9-a9bf-ffffa1c70000?liveBlogItemId=1433523815#1433523815) north of the Zahrani River, approximately 40 kilometers from the Lebanese-Israeli border. - 2026-05-28 - [At least 16 people were killed](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/28/israel-intensifies-attacks-on-southern-lebanon-killing-at-least-16-people) in Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon today. In addition, [the Israeli military struck Beirut](https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-strikes-beirut-for-first-time-in-3-weeks-as-offensive-in-lebanon-intensifies/) for the first time in three weeks. - 2026-05-26 - Worth reading [this explainer](https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/mali-every-foreign-intervention-failed-and-militants-adapted) on the current state of Mali's "multi-layered" insurgency. #mali #sahel - 2026-05-26 - Several African nations [are requesting security and economic partnerships with Turkey](https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/african-nations-seek-security-ties-turkey-through-somalia-model), modeled on the latter's successful alliance with Somalia; Turkish officials are evaluating these requests with potential interest from Sudan, Ethiopia, and various Sahel states. #turkey #sahel - 2026-05-29 - [27 people were killed](https://www.newarab.com/news/27-killed-including-elderly-rsf-attack-sudans-kordofan) in an [RSF](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_Support_Forces) attack in Sudan's [North Kordofan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Kordofan) state. #sudan