Drop Site Daily: September 22, 2025
Israel kills 29 Palestinians since dawn, as it continues to demolish Gaza City. Civilians make up 94 percent of those killed in Gaza since March, according to independent data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). Portugal, Canada, Australia, and the UK all announce their recognition of Palestinian statehood, as France and Saudi Arabia plan to announce recognition at a world summit on Monday. Israeli leaders threaten the countries recognizing Palestinian statehood, while declaring recent advances in Syria as part of creating “Greater Israel.” Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon kills five, including a father and his three children. Egyptian-British political prisoner Alaa Abd El-Fattah receives presidential pardon in Cairo. President Donald Trump announces a sweeping reform of the H1B visa system, which includes a stipulation that re-entry into the United States could come with a $100,000 fee. Afghanistan’s leadership indicates its hard opposition to the U.S. re-capture of Bagram that Trump hinted at last week. Venezuela’s Maduro calls for “frank” negotiations in the wake of escalation in the Caribbean from the American military. The Trump administration stokes civil unrest by placing the murder of Charlie Kirk at the feet of the “organized left.”
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The Genocide in Gaza
- At least 29 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza today, including 25 in Gaza City, according to Al Jazeera.
- At least 61 Palestinians killed and 220 injured in the past 24 hours, according to Gaza’s ministry of health. Twenty three Palestinians were injured while seeking aid. The total recorded death toll since October 7, 2023 is now 65,334 killed, with 166,795 injured.
- Al-Rantisi Children’s Hospital and the Eye Hospital in Gaza City are no longer operational as a result of Israel’s military assault on the area, according to the ministry of health. The Eye Hospital was the only hospital specializing in eye treatment in the Gaza Strip while Al-Rantisi was the last functioning pediatric hospital. “The occupation is deliberately and systematically targeting the health care system in the Gaza Strip as part of its policy of genocide against the Strip,” the ministry said in a statement on Monday.
- Israeli forces continued demolitions in Gaza City on Sunday, using explosive robots to level entire blocks while vehicles carried out sweeping operations. Warplanes struck the same residential block near Al-Quds Open University for a second day, as artillery shelled neighborhoods in the south, east, and northwest. Reconnaissance and quadcopter drones flew at low altitude, with some firing directly at civilian homes. Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Deir el-Balah, said Gaza City is facing its “heaviest wave” of Israeli strikes since October 7, forcing tens of thousands onto the coastal road as the army pushes deeper into the city’s core. Residents said Israeli quadcopters dropped grenades into courtyards of UN-run shelters in Sheikh Radwan.
- New ACLED data shows that since Israel resumed its full scale genocidal assault on March 18, roughly 94% of the more than 16,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza have been civilians, with about 15 civilians killed for every fighter. The report details Israel’s widespread demolitions, targeted strikes on government and internal security officials, and the use of U.S.-backed aid to drive chaos, while Hamas adapted through guerrilla tactics and decentralized governance, maintaining municipal services and continuing to recruit fighters despite nearly two years of war.
- Gaza’s Health Ministry Director General reported that 13 children died on Sunday from pregnancy- and birth-related causes. Ten fetuses were miscarried after their mothers faced malnutrition, lack of medical supplies, fear from bombardment, and displacement from Gaza City to the south, while three premature infants died in incubators.
- Former Palestinian Authority officer Hossam al-Astal announced the formation of the Counterterrorism Strike Force south of Khan Younis on August 21, admitting coordination with Israel and claiming foreign funding. Israeli media reported the new militias, including Yasser Abu Shabab’s group in Rafah, are managed by the Israeli military and Shin Bet, but remain small and risk backlash for working under Israeli protection. In Gaza City on Sunday, resistance forces executed three alleged collaborators in public, warning others against aiding Israel.
- On Sunday morning, at least 24 bodies were brought to Al-Shifa Medical Complex after Israeli strikes killed members of the Daghmash, Haddad, and Mohsen families in Gaza City. Medical sources said 18 members of the Daghmash family and six from the Haddad family were killed when their homes were bombed in a crowded residential block. More than 40 people remain trapped under rubble as civil defense teams face continued shelling.
- Dr. Ahmed Al Farra, head of pediatrics and maternity at Nasser Hospital, reported a catastrophic rise in severe acute malnutrition among children in Gaza, citing 28,000 cases in July and August alone. He said Nasser Hospital’s malnutrition clinic saw a four-fold increase in cases in the past month and appealed for at least 1,200 tins of baby formula per month to meet urgent needs.
Israeli News
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened retaliation after the United Kingdom, Australia, Portugal, and Canada recognized Palestinian statehood on Sunday. Netanyahu declared “There will be no Palestinian state west of the Jordan” and accused the countries of “granting a huge reward to terrorism.” He boasted of blocking statehood for years, doubling West Bank settlements, and vowed further expansion, saying Israel’s “response” will come after his return from the U.S.
- Saudi Arabia warned Israel of “major implications in all fields,” if it annexes West Bank territory, saying it could end normalization talks, close Israeli airspace, and damage security and trade ties, according to Israel’s Channel 12. The network adds that annexation would threaten the Abraham Accords, while Trump aides signal they do not want it “on the table.” Saudi officials will meet him at the UNGA with regional allies to discuss ending the war in Gaza and “day-after” plans.
- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz officially declared the Syrian territory of Mount Hermon part of Greater Israel, stating Israel will “not move from the Hermon.”
- Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics reported that roughly 79,000 Israelis emigrated abroad this year, while about 25,000 arrived through aliyah programs and 5,000 via family reunification. Around 21,000 Israelis returned from abroad, resulting in a net population loss of 28,000, marking the second consecutive year with a migration deficit.
Ceasefire Negotiations
- Bisharah Bahbah, informal U.S. mediator with Hamas, said the three conflicting U.S. proposals delivered via Israeli negotiator Gershon Baskin were designed to gather Hamas leaders in one place. Ceasefire and captive-release talks remain “frozen” after the assassination attempt in Qatar. He added that Trump is “serious about ending the war” but he is growing impatient. Hamas sees prior proposals as partially accepted, and Qatar demands an Israeli apology before resuming formal mediation.
U.S. News
- The U.S. is moving to approve $6.4 billion in new weapons for Israel, supporting its war on Gaza and the broader region. The package includes $3.8 billion for 30 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, $1.9 billion for 3,250 infantry assault vehicles used in urban offensives, and $750 million for armored vehicle and demolition-robot parts that sustain Israel’s large-scale, neighborhood-level demolitions.
- The Congressional Progressive Caucus, representing about 100 lawmakers, endorsed the Block the Bombs Act to halt U.S. weapons transfers for Israel’s war in Gaza, including JDAMs, 2,000-lb bombs, tank rounds, and 155mm shells, until human rights violations end. This marks the first time a major caucus has backed a bill blocking U.S. arms for Israel, with leadership including Chair Greg Casar, Deputy Chair Ilhan Omar, Whip Jesús “Chuy” García, and Vice Chairs Ro Khanna, Delia Ramirez, Mark Takano, Rashida Tlaib, Lateefah Simon, and Jared Huffman. The proposed bill does not block the sales of all offensive weaponry, including Hellfire missiles, 120mm mortars, and Paveway bomb guidance kits.
- Speaking at Charlie Kirk’s funeral on Sunday, Donald Trump said “no side in American politics has a monopoly of disturbed or misguided people,” while accusing the left of claiming a monopoly on “truth, goodness and virtue.” He added that his Justice Department is “investigating [a] network of radical left maniacs.” Earlier, adviser Stephen Miller told the crowd their movement “stands for what is good, what is virtuous, what is noble,” crediting its lineage with leading humanity “out of the caves and the darkness into the light.” The remarks follow a letter from House Republicans last week urging Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to review U.S. citizen Neville Roy Singham and the groups he funds, alleging they “spread disinformation” and “sow discord,” and asking the department to consider asset freezes, FARA enforcement, and possible criminal penalties; all the groups named oppose Israel’s actions in Gaza.
- Donald Trump issued a presidential proclamation on Friday overhauling the H1B visa program, effective September 21, with potentially sweeping implications. The order could prevent current H1B holders from re-entering the U.S. without paying a $100,000 fee, contains no exemptions for existing visa holders, and gives the administration authority to exempt specific individuals, companies, or industries at its discretion.
- Border czar Tom Homan was caught on tape accepting a bag filled with $50,000 in cash from an undercover FBI agent in September 2024. The Trump administration has since shut down investigation into the documented bribe.
- A Naperville, Illinois family said ICE agents raided their home while having work done on the roof of their home. Agents knocked down ladders to trap roofers and chased one worker through the street at gunpoint. Five laborers were detained “indiscriminately,” homeowner Bobby Fischer told ABC7 Chicago, before he learned they were all documented.
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that under the ByteDance deal, U.S. officials will control TikTok’s algorithm for American users and its U.S. data systems, with Oracle leading the consortium. The deal gives Americans six of the seven board seats and is expected to close in the “coming days.” Oracle founder Larry Ellison and his family are major donors to Israel and the Israeli military.
- Former Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan warns that today’s high economic concentration makes it easier for a president with authoritarian tendencies to control critics and censor dissent. With five firms dominating U.S. media markets, she notes, censorship is far simpler than if dozens of companies competed.
International News
- Egyptian political prisoner Alaa Abd El Fattah was pardoned by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Monday, following a years-long campaign for his release. A prominent activist and an icon of the 2011 Egyptian revolution, Abd El Fattah has been imprisoned for much of the past twelve years. Abd El Fattah has dual Egyptian-British citizenship and the UK government has called for his release. Read Drop Site’s coverage of his case here.
- Israeli drone strikes in southern Lebanon on Sunday killed a father, three of his children, and a fifth person on a nearby motorcycle, with the Israeli military admitting “several uninvolved civilians were killed.” Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, leader of the Amal movement, said the victims were Lebanese citizens with American citizenship, though this has not been independently confirmed.
- Strikes and demonstrations disrupted several cities across Italy on Monday, including Rome, Milan, Naples, Palermo, Turin, Palermo and elsewhere. The strike was called by unions to “denounce the genocide in Gaza” and and for diplomatic and economic sanctions against Israel.
- After President Trump warned that “BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!!” if Afghanistan does not return Bagram Airbase to the U.S., Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi responded that Afghanistan would never cede any territory for a U.S. military presence. He emphasized that the country’s independence and territorial integrity are non-negotiable.
- Portugal, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom all announced their recognition of an independent Palestinian state on Sunday, citing support for a two-state solution and reforms by the Palestinian Authority. Israel condemned the moves as rewarding Hamas, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio called France’s forthcoming recognition “reckless.” Several other countries are expected to recognize Palestine this week as the United Nations General Assembly gets underway, joining the more than 140 countries that now recognize a Palestinian state.
- Chloe Swarbrick, Co-Leader of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, said her country’s foreign minister may announce recognition of Palestinian statehood at next week’s UN General Assembly. Swarbrick, author of the Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill, needs six government MPs to cross the floor to bring it to a full vote.
- Iran warned that its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency will “effectively be suspended” if the UN reimposes sanctions via the snapback process initiated by Britain, France, and Germany. President Masoud Pezeshkian said strikes on Natanz and Fordow “cannot stop us” and vowed a “proportionate” response—including restricting inspections, accelerating enrichment, and possible NPT withdrawal—while denying any intent to develop nuclear weapons.
- Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro proposed “frank, direct talks” with U.S. envoy Richard Grenell amid rising tensions, rejecting claims that Venezuela is a major drug corridor and noting most cocaine entering from Colombia is seized. The letter follows U.S. naval strikes on Venezuelan vessels accused of trafficking. Meanwhile, President Trump threatened Venezuela, demanding it take back “prisoners” and “people from mental institutions” that he claims were sent to the U.S., reviving his baseless 2022 claim that Venezuela emptied prisons and sent migrants to the United States. President Trump warned of an “incalculable” price if his demands are not met.
- Russia launched a massive overnight drone and missile attack across Ukraine on Friday, killing three people, injuring dozens, and hitting infrastructure and residential buildings, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that around 580 drones and 40 missiles targeted cities including Dnipro, Chernihiv, and Khmelnytskyi, with Ukraine’s air defenses shooting down most of them. President Zelenskiy called the strikes a deliberate strategy to terrorize civilians. In response, Ukraine carried out drone attacks on Russian oil refineries in Saratov and Samara, while Russian troops continued to advance in eastern Ukraine, while NATO-allied forces, including Poland, monitored border airspace amid escalating strikes.
- Sudan saw a sharp rise in civilian killings during the first half of 2025, with at least 3,384 deaths—mostly in Darfur—linked to ethnic violence amid the ongoing war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, the UN human rights office reported. Many deaths resulted from artillery, air, and drone strikes in densely populated areas, as well as summary executions, with ethnicity cited as a motivating factor in attacks on communities associated with each side. The humanitarian situation is worsening, with mass displacement, collapsed health services, and a cholera outbreak in Khartoum threatening further suffering.
- CBS’s Margaret Brennan interviewed Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led forces that toppled Bashar al-Assad last December. Al-Sharaa praised Trump’s decision to waive sanctions, called for “good and direct” U.S.-Syria relations, defended his record against ISIS and Iranian militias, and warned that opposing sanctions relief makes one “complicit in killing the Syrian people once again.”
More from Drop Site
- Theodore Hamm’s new book Run Zohran Run! offers an inside account of Zohran Mamdani’s upset victory over Andrew Cuomo in the June New York City Democratic primary, showing how his stance on Palestinian rights and the Gaza genocide became a turning point in the race. An exclusive excerpt published by Drop Site traces Mamdani’s response to media smears, his support for BDS, and his commitment to progressive policies, capturing the insurgent energy that propelled his campaign. Read the entire excerpt here.
- Latest podcast episode: The Trump administration is ramping up pressure on Venezuela, sending military forces to the Caribbean and Puerto Rico while conducting multiple strikes on small boats leaving the country, which the U.S. claims—without evidence—carried drug traffickers and members of the Tren de Aragua gang. After years of targeting President Nicolás Maduro, including raising his bounty to $50 million, the administration is now deploying counterterror tactics in Latin America, labeling Tren de Aragua a terrorist organization and using the Alien Enemies Act to expel Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador. Drop Site’s Murtaza Hussain speaks with Adam Isacson of the Washington Office on Latin America to break down these developments in Venezuela, Colombia, and the wider region. Listen here.
- ⛵Sumud Flotilla Update: Multiple drones—whose origin is unknown—have been spotted and followed the fleet overnight, raising concerns among organizers who are closely monitoring the situation to ensure crew safety. The fleet is around five days from the “orange zone,” where Israel is expected to intercept the ships. Tell U.S. lawmakers and European governments: Grant safe passage to the Global Sumud Flotilla sailing to Gaza.
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