Israeli Airstrikes Resume in Gaza Amid Ceasefire Tensions

Palestinian individuals have provided harrowing testimonies at the United Nations about abuses they suffered during detention by Israeli forces and settlers. The hearings, facilitated by the UN’s independent Commission of Inquiry, addressed claims of severe beatings and sexual violence, which many describe as systematic, particularly following the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023. Said Abdel Fattah, a 28-year-old nurse from Gaza, recounted his ordeal where he faced prolonged abuse, including sexual assault, during his detention. "I was humiliated and tortured," he said via video-link. Responding to these allegations, Daniel Meron, Israel’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, dismissed the testimonies as a waste of time, asserting that Israel investigates and prosecutes any misconduct by its forces. He criticized comparisons between alleged Israeli abuses and the violence of Hamas. Palestinian lawyer Sahar Francis insisted on a “glaring lack of accountability,” alleging widespread abuse, particularly in the early months of the conflict. The UN hearings continue to explore these serious allegations amid escalating tensions in the region.

Israel's military surveillance agency, Unit 8200, has created a powerful AI tool modeled after ChatGPT, designed to analyze a vast array of intercepted Palestinian communications, according to an investigation by the Guardian in collaboration with +972 Magazine and Local Call. This AI model, which understands spoken Arabic, utilizes approximately 100 billion words from telephone conversations and text messages procured through extensive surveillance in the occupied territories. Sources familiar with the project clarified that the initiative intensified following the outbreak of conflict in Gaza in October 2023, with the goal of forming an intelligent system capable of processing large volumes of surveillance data. Experts warn, however, that the deployment of such technology can exacerbate biases and lead to significant errors, further entrenching existing power dynamics. Human Rights Watch’s Zach Campbell expressed concern over the implications for Palestinian civil liberties, noting that algorithms could end up disproportionately targeting individuals based on flawed data. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) commented only on its commitment to utilizing various intelligence methods to combat terrorism, without addressing specifics about the AI model.

Archaeologists near Jerusalem have uncovered a remarkable Byzantine-era burial that reveals a woman buried with heavy metal chains in the fifth century. The grave, located in a series of crypts at the Khirbat el-Masani monastery, challenges previous assumptions about ascetic practices linked to female figures in religious traditions, as noted by the Israel Antiquities Authority. Initially believed to be male, further study indicated the individual was likely female, aged between 30 and 60 years at the time of death. The research team utilized peptide analysis from the person's tooth enamel, confirming the presence of female genetic markers. Study co-author Elisabetta Boaretto remarked that while the use of chains among male ascetics is documented, it is rare for women, making this discovery particularly significant. Female ascetics are known from historical texts but often practiced their spirituality through less extreme means such as prayer and meditation. This discovery illustrates the diverse expressions of religious devotion in the early Christian era, as chains are seen as tools that restricted physical movements to enhance spiritual focus.