Palestine weekly wrap: Under cover of ceasefire, Israel increases grip

Israel has officially agreed to ceasefires in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. But that has not meant any de-escalation, as Israeli forces and settlers press further into Palestinian-administered areas of the occupied West Bank, deeper into civilian space in Gaza, and more aggressively into the heart of occupied East Jerusalem. The pattern, documented across multiple fronts this week – including a surge of strikes in Lebanon despite the announced extension of the ceasefire there – suggests that ceasefires have functioned less as true pauses in hostilities than as cover for accelerated fact-making on the ground. It was against this backdrop that Palestinians in the West Bank and, for the first time since 2006, in part of Gaza, went to the polls on Saturday in municipal elections – despite many Palestinians doubting that these votes would be able to bring about change. Recommended Stories list of 3 items end of list Gaza: Police targeted, children killed, elections held in rubble In Gaza, the week brought some of the heaviest strikes on civilian and police infrastructure since the October ceasefire. Forty Palestinians were killed from April 20 to April 27, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. …