Palestine News Today: Gaza's Children Return to Class as Settlers Storm Al-Aqsa
20 September 2026. Your daily round-up of the most important news about Palestine, compiled from international and regional sources. Today: tens of thousands of children in Gaza go back to school in tents and ruins, settlers and Israeli ministers enter Al-Aqsa, a Palestinian is killed near Jenin, and Ed Sheeran speaks out on Gaza. Below, each story in brief, with links to the reporting it is based on.
Ed Sheeran Speaks Out on Gaza
Opening his concert in Philadelphia, Ed Sheeran called the situation in Gaza "unjustifiable". The British singer had faced criticism after opening act Macklemore was dropped from one of his US shows over pro-Palestine comments.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Gaza's Children Go Back to School
Tens of thousands of Palestinian children in Gaza returned to classrooms for a new school year, many in tents and makeshift spaces. UNICEF says 98 per cent of Gaza's schools were destroyed or damaged during the war.
Sources: Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera
Settlers and Ministers Enter Al-Aqsa
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound ahead of Yom Kippur, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toured tunnels beneath occupied East Jerusalem's Old City, drawing strong condemnation.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Palestinian Killed Near Jenin
Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian man near the illegal settlement of Ganim, east of Jenin. The Palestine Red Crescent said its medics were prevented from reaching him.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Tunisians Demand Release of Flotilla Activists
Hundreds protested in Tunis for the release of four Global Sumud Flotilla activists held in pre-trial detention since March over alleged financial misconduct linked to the Gaza aid mission.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Health Chief's Son Killed in Jabalia
The eldest son of Gaza health ministry director-general Munir al-Bursh was killed by a drone outside a tent in Jabalia, one of four Palestinians killed in attacks that day.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Herzog Clears Soldier Who Killed Wounded Palestinian
Israeli President Isaac Herzog effectively cleared the record of Elor Azaria, convicted of shooting a wounded and incapacitated Palestinian in 2016, over the objections of the army's chief of staff.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Gaza's Students Keep Building
In Deir el-Balah, students in a robotics project are building sensors and early-warning systems despite the destruction of Gaza's IT sector.
Sources: Al Jazeera
The Background
Almost a year on from the October 2025 ceasefire, life in Gaza remains defined by destruction, ongoing strikes and the shortages of fuel, machinery and medical supplies that make recovery impossible. The recorded death toll in Gaza has passed 73,900 according to the health ministry, with more than 174,000 injured, and the count continues to rise through strikes that have not stopped since the truce.
Sources: Al Jazeera, OCHA
The UN has recorded settler attacks affecting 275 Palestinian communities in the West Bank this year, close to the record set in 2025 and far above the levels seen a decade ago. Over 4,300 Palestinians have been displaced in the West Bank this year, more than a third of them by demolitions carried out because families lacked permits to build on their own land. Aid agencies say the scale of destruction leaves few safe options: over 90 per cent of Gaza is in ruins, and for lack of anywhere else, families are sheltering in damaged buildings.
Sources: OCHA
Humanitarian access remains the central obstacle. Aid groups say the machinery, fuel and spare parts needed to clear rubble and repair water and power networks are still restricted, while a two-million-strong population depends on supplies that arrive irregularly. International law continues to run alongside events on the ground. The International Court of Justice found the occupation unlawful in July 2024, and its case on genocide, brought by South Africa, remains before the court.
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.
