Middle East 2025.05.22, 09:00 hours | Situation Tension

1. Introduction / Background 

The death toll of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 2023 has reached 53,762, the Palestinian Ministry of Health announced on 22.05.2025. It added that another 122,197 people have been wounded, as air strikes and ground attacks continue to devastate neighbourhoods across the Strip.

(https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/gaza-death-toll-rises-53762?nid=422779&topic=Israel%2527s%2520war%2520on%2520Gaza&fid=544879)

There has been a spate of settler attacks in the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem last night and 22.05.2025. (https://aje.io/ag8whj?update=3726841) 

2. Key Highlights – Israel Hamas war updates

• Killed  107 (53,762)
• Injured  247 (122,197)
• Home Destroyed

3. Governments’ Response

Israel’s Supreme Court has ruled that the government’s decision to fire domestic security chief Ronen Bar was “unlawful”, marking the latest twist in a bitter power struggle between Netanyahu’s government and the country’s justice system. (https://aje.io/ag8whj?update=3726694) 

Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, speaking in West Jerusalem, said the shooting in Washington, DC was an anti-Semitic attack. This is something that Israel says whenever there is this kind of attack. He said the Israelis are still trying to get all the information from their American counterparts. (https://aje.io/ag8whj?update=3726475)

The Israeli Foreign Ministry has named the victims of the Israeli embassy shooting in Washington as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim. The two victims were shot at close range outside the Capital Jewish Museum following a Jewish event held there on 21.05.2025 night. (https://aje.io/ag8whj?update=3726335) 

4. Military Developments

The Israeli army re-arrested seven Palestinians on Thursday across the occupied West Bank, all of whom had been released as part of the most recent prisoner exchange deal with Hamas in February. Six of the prisoners were detained in Qalqilya, with the seventh apprehended in Ramallah. They were taken to undisclosed locations, and neither their whereabouts nor the circumstances of their detention have been made public. (https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israel-re-arrests-palestinians-freed-latest-exchange-deal-hamas?nid=422779&topic=Israel%2527s%2520war%2520on%2520Gaza&fid=544879)

The Israeli military has issued forced expulsion orders for residents for large areas of northern Gaza, including Beit Lahiya and Jabalia refugee camp. An army spokesperon warned that the areas are now "considered dangerous combat zones," as the Israeli army is set to "significantly expand its military activity in the areas”. (https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israel-issues-forced-expulsion-orders-swathes-northern-gaza?nid=422779&topic=Israel%2527s%2520war%2520on%2520Gaza&fid=544879)

Gaza’s Health Ministry said at least 16,500 children have been killed in the enclave by Israeli attacks since October 2023. This figure includes:

• 916 under the age of one
• 4,365 aged between one and five
• 6,101 between six and 12 years
• 5,124 between 13 and 17 years

(https://aje.io/ag8whj?update=3726545) 

The Israeli army says “a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted” and that sirens had sounded. This report is separate from its claim earlier this morning to have intercepted another missile from Yemen, which it said was launched by the Houthis. (https://aje.io/ag8whj?update=3726459) 

Israeli forces have destroyed a house in Baqat al-Hatab during an overnight raid in the Palestinian village south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank. (https://aje.io/ag8whj?update=3726169) 

5. Militants’ Activity

Yemen’s Houthis have continued to fire missiles at Israel in a campaign they say is in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, although they have agreed to a ceasefire with the US to halt attacks on ships in the Red Sea. (https://aje.io/ag8whj?update=3726459) 

6. Impact On the Trade and Travel

7. International Response

France has dismissed claims by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar that European governments were inciting hatred against his country. (https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/france-condemns-israeli-ministers-accusations-inciting-hatred?nid=422779&topic=Israel%2527s%2520war%2520on%2520Gaza&fid=544879) 

The Palestinian Red Crescent said on Thursday that Palestinians in Gaza have yet to receive aid deliveries that have crossed over the border this week and said that sending so few trucks was an "invitation for killing" because of the risk of mobbing. (https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/palestinian-red-crescent-says-no-palestinians-gaza-have-received-aid-yet?nid=422779&topic=Israel%2527s%2520war%2520on%2520Gaza&fid=544879) 

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has accused Israel of allowing only a limited amount of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip as “a smokescreen to pretend the siege is over”. (https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israel-using-limited-gaza-aid-smokescreen-continue-siege-says-msf?nid=422779&topic=Israel%2527s%2520war%2520on%2520Gaza&fid=544879)

Bloomberg is reporting that France and Saudi Arabia are working on a plan for the disarmament of Hamas. Sources involved in the discussions told Bloomberg that according to the plan, Hamas would still maintain some political power in Gaza. According to the report, the Saudis have presented the proposal to Hamas, although its unclear if French officials have contacted the group. (https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/report-france-and-saudi-arabia-planning-proposal-disarm-hamas?nid=422779&topic=Israel%2527s%2520war%2520on%2520Gaza&fid=544879) 

Leading British Jewish journalists have signed a letter calling on Israel to allow foreign media access to the Gaza Strip. The letter, signed by ITV political editor Robert Peston and The News Agents hosts Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel among others, also criticised Egypt's restrictions on access through the Rafah crossing. (https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/british-jewish-journalists-call-israel-allow-media-access-gaza?nid=422779&topic=Israel%2527s%2520war%2520on%2520Gaza&fid=544879)

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry has demanded “clarifications” from Israel after Israeli occupation forces shot at diplomatic missions – including Egyptians – touring the Palestinian city of Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank 21.05.2025. (https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250522-egypt-condemns-israel-firing-at-diplomats-in-west-bank/)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Israel is becoming isolated globally due to its campaign of starvation in Gaza. (https://aje.io/ag8whj?update=3726849) 

Uruguay’s Foreign Ministry has now announced that it has summoned Ambassador Michal Hershkovitz and asked him to “clarify the reported facts” as to why the shots were fired. An Uruguayan representative was among the foreign diplomats fired upon on 21.05.2025. (https://aje.io/ag8whj?update=3726459)

8. Comment.

The Gaza conflict today epitomizes a complex crisis of humanitarian disaster, intense military confrontation, and fragile diplomacy, with urgent needs for ceasefire, aid access, and political solutions to prevent further deterioration in the Middle East region.