Palestine News Today: UK Summons Israeli Envoy Over E1 Settlement Plan
19 August 2026. Your daily round-up of the most important news about Palestine, compiled from international and regional sources. Today: the UK summons Israel's envoy over the E1 settlement plan, a Palestinian refugee family drowns off the English coast, and Israel opens an investigation into the killing of Hind Rajab. Below, each story in brief, with links to the reporting it is based on.
UK Summons Israel's Envoy Over E1
The UK summoned Israel's ambassador after Israel issued a tender for more than 1,200 housing units in the illegal E1 settlement project, which Palestinians and Britain condemned as destructive.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Palestinian Refugee Family Drowns Off English Coast
A Palestinian refugee and two relatives drowned off the English coast, and a girl was taken to hospital in a critical condition. Prime Minister Andy Burnham called it a terrible family tragedy.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Israel Opens Probe Into Hind Rajab's Killing
Israel's military admitted firing on the car carrying Hind Rajab in 2024 and opened a criminal investigation. Her grandmother told Al Jazeera the family does not trust the Israeli judiciary.
Sources: Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera
Ten Killed in Strikes on Gaza
Israeli strikes killed 10 Palestinians in Gaza, including the head of the women's police at Gaza City's police headquarters and people in a refugee camp.
Sources: Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera
Detainees Marked With Numbers in Qabatiya
Palestinian detainees had numbers written on their foreheads during a mass Israeli arrest campaign in Qabatiya.
Sources: Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera
Breastfeeding Mothers Struggle in Gaza
Breastfeeding mothers in Gaza are struggling to feed their babies amid hunger, displacement and stress, with aid groups warning that malnutrition among mothers directly threatens infants.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Why Aid That Enters Gaza May Not Arrive
Even when trucks pass Israeli checks, drivers struggle to reach warehouses safely, and supplies are often stranded, Al Jazeera reports, explaining why aid entering Gaza does not always reach those who need it.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Palestinian Factions Explore Election Alliance
Hamas and a breakaway Fatah faction are considering a unified list for November's Palestinian elections, a shift that could reshape the political landscape and challenge Mahmoud Abbas.
Sources: Al Jazeera
The Wider Picture
Nearly a year after the ceasefire announced in October 2025, civilians in Gaza still face daily danger amid widespread destruction, continuing strikes and restrictions on the supplies and equipment needed to rebuild. Gaza's health ministry puts the death toll since October 2023 at more than 73,900, with over 174,000 wounded. More than 1,300 of those deaths have come since the ceasefire began.
Sources: Al Jazeera, OCHA
Settler violence in the occupied West Bank is at near-record levels, with 275 Palestinian communities affected this year according to the UN, almost matching the whole of 2025. Permit-related demolitions have destroyed more than 1,100 Palestinian structures in 2026 and displaced over 1,500 people, a third of all those forced from their homes in the West Bank this year. With 98 per cent of Gaza's schools damaged or destroyed and more than 90 per cent of the territory in ruins, thousands of families are living in structures that have already been declared unsafe.
Sources: OCHA
Medical services remain close to collapse. Hospitals are rationing power because of fuel shortages, oxygen supplies are limited, and agencies report that specialist medicines, including cancer treatments, have repeatedly run out. Recognition of Palestinian statehood by a majority of UN member states has not changed conditions on the ground, and Palestinian officials argue that recognition without enforcement leaves the occupation untouched.
Sources: OCHA
Palestine News is published every day on Free Palestine Store. Each item summarises reporting from the named outlets in our own words; follow the source links for full coverage.
