Live: Trump threatens Gaza residents with death as his team holds direct talks with Hamas about captives

Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip began decorating the streets with traditional ornaments among the ruins of destroyed buildings as they prepare to welcome the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, expected to begin on the evening of 28 February.

For around 1.6 billion Muslims around the world, the holy month of Ramadan marks a time of deep spirituality and an opportunity to better themselves. During this period, worshippers will abstain from all forms of food and drink during the daylight hours, breaking their fast at sunset.

A Palestinian young man was killed today in an Israeli drone strike in the central Rafah in southern Gaza Strip, the Wafa news agency reported.

Local reports identified the victim as 18-year-old Raad Nidal al-Amwasi, who was killed in the attack. The attack marks another breach of the ceasefire agreement that came into effect on 19 January.

In a separate incident, two fishermen were injured when Israeli naval vessels opened fire on them while they were fishing off the coast of Gaza City.

The Israeli military announced that its jet conducted an air strike in the Hermel region of northeastern Lebanon overnight, killing Hezbollah member Muhammad Mahdi Ali Shaheen.

The military in a statement accused Shaheen of coordinating the procurement of weapons along the Syrian-Lebanese border since the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect in November 2024.

The Israeli military destroyed 26 buildings in Tulkarm refugee camp and severely damaged its surroundings, while issuing demolition orders for 11 homes in Nour Shams camp, amid its siege of both camps in the occupied West Bank, Wafa news agency reported.

The military offensive has forced the displacement of nearly 12,000 residents from Tulkarm refugee camp and over 5,000 from Nour Shams camp, with many being displaced at gunpoint, the agency said.

So far, 13 Palestinians have been killed in Tulkarm, including a child and two women - one of whom was eight months' pregnant.

The physical and mental health conditions of the Palestinian detainees and prisoners released during the seventh round of the ceasefire exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip are "shocking", the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said in a statement.

“The repeated release of such visibly unhealthy individuals from Israeli prisons reveals that the heinous torture and willful medical neglect they endure have escalated to appalling levels,” the Swiss-based group said.

The organisation said the effects of torture were clearly evident, with the emaciated bodies of the released individuals reflecting the severity of "systematic crimes and inhumane treatment that exceed all legal and moral bounds".

“The atrocities occurring in these prisons are among the worst violations recorded by human rights organisations worldwide,” the group said.

Good morning, Middle East Eye readers,

Here are some of the latest updates on Israel's war on Gaza: 

• Asked whether Trump’s Gaza plan aligns with the UK’s foreign policy, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reiterated his support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

• Palestinian Authority security forces have arrested Kamal al-Khatib, a commander with Palestinian armed group the Tulkarem Battalion, during a raid in the Nur Shams camp in the occupied West Bank, according to Al-Aqsa TV.

• Israeli forces have continued to carry out raids and arrests in locations across the occupied West Bank overnight.

• Israel’s former National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir invited Jewish people to resettle Gaza and rid the Palestinian enclave of its population, Al Jazeera reported.

• Ten people were injured in a car ramming, stabbing attack near the city of Haifa in northern Israel, according to the emergency services.

• Israeli forces are reportedly heavily shelling the outskirts of Aitaroun, a town near Israel’s border in southern Lebanon, according to the Palestinian Information Centre.

• Palestinians in Gaza are preparing for Ramadan, a holy month of fasting for Muslims between February 28 and March 29, among the ruins.

• Israel announced imposing extra restrictions around Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan as 3,000 armed Israeli personnel will be stationed at checkpoints on roads leading to the site.

Good evenning Middle East Eye readers,

On Thursday, Hamas and Israel began indirect talks in Cairo on Phase II of the Gaza ceasefire. 

Meanwhile, Israel ramped up its ongoing offensive on the occupied West Bank. The Israeli military stormed the city of Salfit and one Palestinian was wounded in the town of Beit Rima, north of Ramallah by Israeli gunfire. 

Al Jazeera reported Israeli reinforcements moving towards Tulkarm. 

Here is what else you need to know: 

• The first Israeli military commission into the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas on southern Israel found that the Israeli military misinterpreted and underestimated Hamas's intentions and capabilities
• US President Donald Trump said that “good talks” are taking place to extend the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza
• Hundreds of Israelis gathered in Jerusalem on Thursday to protest in favour of the forcible expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza and a return to Israeli settlements
• Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is set to meet his US counterpart, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in Washington DC, next week, Israel said

Israel said on Thursday there will be "usual restrictions at Al Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan.

Al Aqsa is the third holiest site in Islam and receives hundreds of thousands of Palestinian worshippers. 

Israel has stormed the Al Aqsa, in the past, sending regional tensions soaring. 

“The usual restrictions for public safety will be in place as they have been every year,” Israeli government spokesman David Mencer said. 

Israel has sent more military reinforcements to Tulkarm in the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera is reporting on Thursday. 

Israel has been attacking Tulkarm and its refugee camp for weeks, as part of a larger offensive that has displaced over 40,000 Palestinians, according to the UN. 

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that “good talks” are taking place to extend the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza.

Egypt said indirect talks on phase II had started in Cairo.

A Palestinian male was wounded by Israeli gunfire in the town of Beit Rima, north of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, according to Wafa news.  

The man was shot in the foot and was detained by Israeli troops before being allowed treatment in hospital. 

Egypt said on Thursday that  Israel and Hamas have entered phase II ceasefire talks in Cairo, forestalling a collapse of the agreement. 

“The mediators are also discussing ways to enhance the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, as part of efforts to alleviate the suffering of the population and support stability in the region,” Egypt‘s state information service said. 

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said a delegation would travel to Egypt to see about negotiating an extension of phase I.

Before the talks, an Israeli official said the country would not withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor in southern Gaza, violating the ceasefire. 

The first Israeli military commission into the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas on southern Israel found that the Israeli military misinterpreted and underestimated Hamas's intentions and capabilities.

The probe released on Thursday said the military was a “complete failure” in preventing the attack. 

The military missed obvious signs of the impending attack and preparations. They also ignored reports about the pending attack the day before, the probe found. 

The Israeli military stormed the city of Salfit in the occupied West Bank on Thursday evening local time, Wafa news agency reported. 

Israeli soldiers are distributing threatening fliers to residents, Wafa reported. 

They have also detained at least one Palestinian worker west of Salfit. 

The UN has said at least 40,000 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have been displaced by Israel's raids. 

Hundreds of Israelis gathered in Jerusalem on Thursday to protest in favour of the forcible expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza and a return to Israeli settlements in the enclave. 

The rally was titled, “Occupation, expulsion and settlement," and was organised by the Nachala settlement group among other right-wing and extremist groups.