Hunger strikes continue in Israeli prisons as Palestinian detainees threaten another mass hunger strike, on June 3rd, to protest Israeli failure to uphold the deal made on May 14th. Representatives of the prisoners group signed an agreement to stop their hunger strikes in exchange for better visitation, amenities, no solitary confinement, and no more renewals of administrative detention. However, Israeli prison officials have continued to renew administrative detention sentences and deny Palestinian prisoners basic rights including medical treatment, access to the prison shop, and visitation.

Another separate group of prisoners actually began a hunger strike last week to urge the implementation of a unity deal. Prisoners will refuse food until Hamas and Fatah end their five year split between the West Bank and Gaza. More groups of detainees will reportedly join the strike on June 14th, the anniversary of the split. Meanwhile, hunger striker Thaer Habhalah was released from prison on June 6th after completing a 77-day period without food. However, soccer player Mahmoud al-Sarsak is still being held in prison nearing the 80-day mark on his strike. He is in critical condition, and was finally allowed a doctor visit, also on June 6th.

On june 4th, Hamas leader in exile Khaled Meshaal announces his plan to run for reelection to lead, despite his statements in January to step down from power. Senior leadership in Hamas persuaded Meshaal to run again. Hardliners in the Islamist movement disagree with Meshaal’s reforms including reconciliation with Fatah, the disassembling of the Hamas headquarters in Damascus, and supporting the peace process with Israel.

More issues arose concerning illegal Israeli settlments on June 5th, as settlers marched in protest from the Beit El settlement all the way to Jerusalem objecting a court order to remove 5 settlement buildings. The high court ruled that the Ulpana neighborhood in the Beit El settlement is private Palestinian land, and that it is illegal to construct settlement housing of any kind on it. Netanyahu planned an arrangement to cut the foundations and physically move the buildings instead of destroying them. He also proposed to build more houses in Beit El to appease the Jewish families living there, having to legally move.

One day later, after winning a court battle against far-right policymakers, whose stance was to sanction settlement housing built on private Palestinian lands, Benyamin Netanyahu declared plans for 851 new settlement homes. 300 of these new homes are set to be constructed in Beit El, where 30 Israelis had to move, coming from the illegal Ulpana settlement.

Vandals have been reported in both Israeli and Palestinian neighborhoods, targeting the Arab and African immigrant communities. In a Palestinian village west of Jerusalem, spray paint was found on cars presenting messages such as “death to Arabs”, “revenge”, and “regards from Ulpana.” These tags were most likely in retaliation to the court decision earlier in the week to move 5 settlement buildings from Ulpana settlement, near Beit El. Other instances of spray paint were found in western Jerusalem, African neighborhoods, displaying similar messages. Netanyahu passed a bill on June 7th allowing for the deportation of thousands of African migrants.

Lastly, the only power plant in Gaza is offline due to Qatari fuel being delayed at the Egyptian border. 150,000 liters of fuel have not been able to cross an Egyptian goods terminal in El-Arish, Egypt. The oil finally was allowed through the Egyptian border on June 8th, and the power plant is once again operable.