Drop Site Daily: December 16, 2025
The UN is adjusting aid delivery to Gaza’s winter storm conditions. The White House admonishes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for carrying out strikes without alerting the U.S. President Donald Trump says other countries are willing to “clean out” Gaza, discusses Hamas disarmament, and responds to reports about Netanyahu. The U.S. freezes Turkey out of the Doha summit on postwar Gaza. 200 Palestinian dual citizens leave Gaza through Kerem Shalom. Marwan Barghouthi is in stable condition after receiving several beatings, according to his attorney. Former Colombian president calls for Barghouthi’s release at the UN. Israel arrests and detains two U.S. activists amid protests in the West Bank. Trump signs an executive order classifying fentanyl as a “weapon of mass destruction.” Four arrested in Southern California on allegations of planning to bomb several locations on New Year’s Eve. New York sues UPS for wage theft. Florida’s spike in executions drives U.S. numbers to its highest mark in 15 years. A UN report shows the tremendous scale of displacement in Sudan. More than $148 billion was spent on the failed U.S. effort to rebuild Afghanistan. Cambodia says Thai jets struck targets more than 70 kilometers inside its borders. French oil company TotalEnergies accused of complicity in Mozambique’s war crimes. The EU sanctions two oil traders for their connections to Russia. Trinidad and Tobago announces it will allow the U.S. to use its airports in ostensibly aiding the U.S. campaign against Venezuela.
New From Drop Site: Hamas political leader Khaled Meshaal gave a wide-ranging and exclusive interview, where he discussed US-Israel relations and the split in Trump’s MAGA base. Read here.
Tune into Drop Site’s Tuesday livestream happening now: Jeremy Scahill will break down Drop Site’s recent interviews with Hamas leaders, and Nathaniel Raymond, executive director of Yale Humanitarian Research Lab, will provide updates on the rolling humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
This is Drop Site Daily, our new, free daily news recap. We send it Monday through Friday.
The Genocide in Gaza
- Casualty counts in the last 24 hours: Over the past 24 hours, the bodies of two Palestinians recovered from under the rubble arrived at hospitals, while six Palestinians have been injured, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. The total recorded death toll since October 7, 2023 is now 70,667 killed, with 171,151 injured.
- Total casualty counts since ceasefire: Since October 11, the first full day of the ceasefire, Israel has killed at least 393 Palestinians in Gaza and wounded 1,074, while 634 bodies have been recovered from under the rubble, according to the Ministry of Health.
- Winter storms in Gaza continue to wound and kill: A Palestinian man was killed and several wounded after a residential building partially collapsed in Gaza City amid torrential rain, according to Gaza’s Civil Defense. Thousands of tents sheltering displaced families have been destroyed in the winter storms, with videos showing tents being flooded or blown away by strong winds. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees said shelter materials for 1.3 million people and about 5,000 trucks of emergency supplies remain stalled outside Gaza as Israel continues to block all UNRWA-associated goods from entering.
- Trump reprimands Netanyahu, Axios reported: The White House privately rebuked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Israel carried out a strike this weekend without notifying the United States and in violation of the ceasefire, Axios reported. The strike killed five people, including a senior Hamas commander. Israel justified the attack by blaming Hamas, which it claims resumed hostilities and had begun smuggling weapons. Trump’s censure reportedly included a warning that Washington would not allow Netanyahu to damage his reputation any further. Multiple U.S. officials said frustration is growing inside the Trump administration over Israeli inflexibility on Gaza, with one official describing Netanyahu as a “global pariah” amid his strained relations with Egypt and Gulf states.
- Trump says countries are willing to “clean out” Gaza, talks disarmament, and addresses Netanyahu rumors: President Donald Trump made several public comments on Gaza Monday, saying there are countries willing to enter Gaza and “clean that out” if the United States allows it. He added that Hamas has said it will disarm, saying, “we are going to find out if that is true or not.” Trump sidestepped a question about Axios’s reporting on his call with Netanyahu.
- Turkey shut out from Doha summit on postwar Gaza: Turkey was excluded from a U.S. Central Command–organized summit in Doha on postwar Gaza security scheduled for Tuesday, a move diplomats widely attributed to an Israeli veto, according to Haaretz. Representatives from more than 45 countries are set to discuss a proposed international stabilization force, though diplomats have described the meeting as an interim session with no final decisions expected. Turkish and Qatari officials are pressing Washington to reverse the exclusion.
- 200 Palestinians leave Gaza via Kerem Shalom: Israeli authorities said more than 200 Palestinians from Gaza holding dual citizenship or valid visas left the territory on December 15 via Kerem Shalom, transiting through Jordan to third countries, after requests from foreign governments and the United Nations, according to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories. The departures come as Israel promotes one-way exits from Gaza while continuing to heavily restrict the entry of most humanitarian aid and shelter materials.
- Civil Defense authorities begin operations to recover bodies in Gaza City: Gaza Civil Defense said it has begun search operations to recover the bodies of Palestinians missing under the rubble of homes destroyed in Gaza City, starting at a house belonging to the Abu Ramadan family, where around 60 people had been sheltering. It has done so in coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross and local institutions, and officials say teams are working with basic hand tools after Israeli attacks destroyed most heavy rescue equipment. Civil Defense has requested at least 20 bulldozers and 20 excavators, noting the disparity in equipment available to recover Israeli bodies versus what is denied for Palestinian recovery efforts.
West Bank and Israel
- Palestinian teenager shot dead: Israeli settlers fatally shot a 16-year-old boy, Muhammad al-Badan, in the town of Tuqu on Tuesday, according to the Wafa news agency. The incident took place when large crowds gathered in Bethlehem on Tuesday morning for the funeral of another 16-year-old, Ammar Yasser Muhammad Taamra, whom the Israeli military admitted was shot dead on Monday for throwing stones.
- Marwan Barghouthi is in stable condition but remains “very thin”, his attorney says:Marwan Barghouthi in stable condition and “strong in body and mind,” though “very thin,” according to Barghouthi’s lawyer Ben Marmarelli. Marmarelli said his client denied reports of a recent beating but described a severe assault on September 15 during a transfer by the Israel Prison Service’s Nachshon Division that left him with multiple broken ribs and ongoing pain. Barghouthi also told his lawyer the September attack was the seventh assault he has suffered since October 7, 2023, and said he is receiving insufficient food, accusing prison authorities of withholding rations they claim to provide. Marmarelli reports that he remains mentally resolute despite repeated abuse and prolonged deprivation.
- Former Colombian president calls for Barghouthi’s release: Former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said Monday at the United Nations that Israel should release imprisoned Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouthi, arguing that doing so “would help very much the possibility of having a long-term peace in Israel and Palestine.” Speaking on behalf of The Elders (a group founded by Nelson Mandela), Santos described Barghouthi as a supporter of a two-state solution, the most popular living Palestinian leader, and a credible Palestinian representative for future peace talks.
- U.S. activists are detained after protests in the West Bank: U.S. activists Irene Cho of New York and Trudi Frost of Boston are being held in Israeli custody after being arrested on Dec. 12 at the home of the Abu Hamam family in the West Bank village of al-Mughayyer. The activists were present at the site during a protest against forced displacement, according to Palestine News Network and the International Solidarity Movement. Their lawyers say authorities summarily revoked their permits, denied them timely access to counsel, and transferred them to Givon prison.
- Jordan and Turkey discuss Israel’s activity in the West Bank: Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned in a phone call that Israeli actions in the occupied West Bank risk a wider escalation and further erode prospects for a just peace. The diplomats urged Israel to fully comply with the Gaza ceasefire and to lift restrictions on humanitarian aid; they reaffirmed support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, and they condemned Israeli attacks on Syria as violations of Syrian sovereignty.
U.S. News
- Trump signs EO calling fentanyl a “weapon of mass destruction”: President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday, which formally classifies fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, though the practical effect of the move was not immediately clear. He announced the EO while honoring U.S. service members with medals “for their central role in the protection of our border.” U.S. law already criminalizes the use, attempted use, or threat of weapons of mass destruction—an offense that can carry the death penalty—and defines such weapons to include those involving a biological agent, toxin, or vector. Trump, however, cannot change U.S. law by means of executive order.
- Four arrested in Southern California for New Year’s Eve plot: Federal authorities arrested four people in Southern California accused of plotting coordinated New Year’s Eve IED attacks targeting at least five locations in Los Angeles and Orange counties. The FBI alleges that the group planned to deploy backpack bombs timed to detonate simultaneously at midnight, and that the plot was uncovered after months of contact with an undercover agent and with the assistance of an informant. Officials said the suspects—Audrey Illeene Carroll, Zachary Aaron Page, Dante Gaffield, and Tina Lai—were linked to an offshoot of the Turtle Island Liberation Front, which the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice have described as far-left, pro-Palestinian, and anti-government. The suspects face charges including conspiracy and possession of a destructive device.
- Mamdani considers Ramzi Kassem for NYC chief counsel: New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is considering civil rights lawyer and City University of New York law professor Ramzi Kassem for chief counsel, the mayor’s most senior legal advisory role, according to the New York Post. Kassem, 47, is known for representing Mahmoud Khalil and other Columbia University students targeted over pro-Palestinian campus activism, as well as immigrants and Muslims facing aggressive federal enforcement. Kassem is currently serving on Mamdani’s transition team handling legal affairs.
- New York sues UPS for wage theft: New York Attorney General Letitia James sued UPS on Monday, accusing the shipping giant of systematically stealing wages from thousands of seasonal workers by forcing them to work off the clock, manipulating timekeeping systems, and denying legally required pay and overtime during the holiday rush. James said a 2023 investigation found the violations were widespread across dozens of New York facilities. UPS said it does not comment on ongoing litigation and is reviewing the allegations.
- The most U.S. executions in 15 years: Florida drove the U.S. execution tally to its highest level in 15 years in 2025, with the state carrying out 19 executions—about 40 percent of the national total—the Washington Post reported.Most states in the U.S. have moved away from capital punishment, and public support for the death penalty has fallen to a five-decade low, according to a new report from the Death Penalty Information Center. Florida is one of only two states that permit death sentences by non-unanimous juries and has strong backing for capital punishment from both its legislative majority and Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
- Pentagon sets its sights on the Western Hemisphere: Senior Pentagon officials are drafting a plan that would significantly reorganize the U.S. military’s top command structure by downgrading U.S. Central Command, U.S. European Command, and U.S. Africa Command and placing them under a new U.S. International Command, according to the Washington Post. The proposal, expected to be briefed to Hegseth in coming days, would reduce the number of combatant commands from 11 to 8 and shift strategic focus toward the Western Hemisphere.
- Khan’s FTC took on Pepsi; her Trump administration successor drops the case: Documents unsealed this week show that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under former Chair Lina Khan had amassed detailed evidence that Pepsi violated the Robinson-Patman Act by engineering a “price gap” that favored Walmart while raising wholesale prices. Pepsi cut promotions for rival grocers and pursued a multiyear effort to punish the grocer Food Lion, according to the aborted lawsuit. Khan’s Trump-appointed successor, however, sided with Pepsi’s lobbyists and dropped the case before its charges were made public, dismissing the FTC’s accusations as baseless. Read more on this case and the changes in the FTC from our friends at the American Prospect here.
- USCIS policy change dooms detainees: A December 5 update to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policy has created a procedural dead end for detained immigrants. USCIS barred officers from collecting required biometrics in detention facilities, unless the person is already in active removal proceedings, and effectively mandated denials without a hearing. Immigration lawyers warn that the change creates a catch-22 in which detained applicants cannot attend biometrics appointments and are then automatically denied for “abandonment.” Read more on this policy change in the latest from our friends at Migrant Insider.
International News
- UN Sudan Update: The United Nations said escalating violence is driving new displacement across Sudan, with the International Organization for Migration estimating that more than 1,700 people were displaced between Thursday and Saturday from towns in South Kordofan. Insecurity persists in North Kordofan, including the state capital El Obeid, the UN said Monday, though aid operations continue where access allows, including a World Health Organization-led cholera vaccination campaign in South Kordofan. The UN gave its latest estimate of displacement from El-Fasher to Tawila in North Darfur since late October: over 25,000 people have been displaced.
- Burhan meets MBS, U.S. envoy Boulos in Riyadh: Sudan’s Armed Forces chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Monday to discuss developments in Sudan and efforts to achieve “security and stability,” according to the Saudi Press Agency. The talks come as Saudi Arabia has shifted from mediation to backing the Sudanese Armed Forces. Saudi officials are lobbying Washington to curb the United Arab Emirates’s support for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and have floated measures such as a terrorist designation for the RSF. U.S. Special Envoy to Africa Massad Boulos also met with al-Burhan in Saudi Arabia on Monday.
- Yemen’s STC announces a new campaign: The Southern Transitional Counsel (STC), an Emirati-backed separatist group in Yemen, said Monday that its forces were advancing into Abyan province as part of an effort to expand control in the south, according to a report from the AP. The STC had seized most of Hadramout and Mahra earlier this month.
- Report on U.S. spending in Afghanistan: More than $148 billion was spent on the failed U.S. effort to rebuild Afghanistan, according to the final report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, which documented widespread waste, fraud, and long-ignored warnings of a Taliban resurgence. About 60 percent of the funds went to security, including tens of thousands of vehicles, hundreds of aircraft, hundreds of thousands of weapons and night-vision devices. An estimated $7.1 billion in equipment was left behind in 2021 and now forms the core of the Taliban’s security apparatus, the report said. Read a full summary of the report at Defense One.
- M23 rebels said they have captured several hundred Burundian soldiers during their latest campaign: Rwanda-backed M23 rebels said they have captured several hundred Burundian soldiers during their latest offensive in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Reuters reported. The clashes come days after M23 seized the strategic town of Uvira. The group threatens to push farther south toward mineral-rich Katanga. U.S. officials, meanwhile, have tried to rein in Kigali and have issued a warning that the present campaign violates the recently signed Washington Accords.
- Cambodia says Thai air force struck targets more than 70 kilometers inside its borders: Heavy fighting between Thailand and Cambodia entered a second week on Monday, according to the Associated Press. Phnom Penh said that Thai F-16 jets struck targets more than 70 kilometers inside Cambodian territory, including near camps sheltering displaced civilians in Oddar Meanchey and Siem Reap provinces. The renewed clashes over disputed border areas have killed more than two dozen people, displaced over half a million, damaged historic temple sites, and unraveled a U.S.-backed ceasefire promoted by President Donald Trump earlier this year.
- French energy company accused of complicity in war crimes in Mozambique: A new criminal complaint filed in France accuses French petroleum company, TotalEnergies, of complicity in war crimes. The charges concern the deaths of 97 villagers who were allegedly detained, tortured, and executed by Mozambican soldiers at the entrance to the company’s Afungi gas project in northern Mozambique in 2021. The case was brought by the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, and it comes as TotalEnergies seeks to restart its paused $20 billion liquefied natural gas project, despite ongoing violence in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado and growing scrutiny from lenders and human rights groups. Read a full account of the charges and the state of affairs in Mozambique from Sophie Neiman at World Politics Review here.
- Ukrainian drone strikes Russian submarine: Ukraine’s Security Service said Monday it carried out a successful underwater drone strike on a Russian Kilo-class submarine in the port of Novorossiysk, causing “critical damage” and knocking the submarine’s Kalibr cruise missile carrier out of operation. Russia has not commented on the attack, which Ukraine claims is the first attack on a Russian submarine to use a Sea Baby drone.
- EU sanctions oil traders for their connections to Russia: The European Union sanctioned oil traders Etibar Eyyub of Azerbaijan and Murtaza Lakhani of Pakistan, accusing them of playing a major role in facilitating Russian oil exports that generate critical revenue for Moscow’s war against Ukraine, according to the Wall Street Journal. The measures froze their assets, imposed travel bans on them, and restricted their business dealings, though both traders deny any wrongdoing.
- Trinidad and Tobago will allow the U.S. to use its airports: The government of Trinidad and Tobago said Monday it will allow the U.S. military to use its airports for logistical activities in the coming weeks, according to the Associated Press. The move drew an angry response from Venezuela, with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez accusing Trinidad and Tobago of acting as a U.S. launchpad against his country and announcing the cancellation of gas deals between the countries.
More From Drop Site
- “Hamas Leader Khaled Meshaal: Trump Should Heed the Growing Calls Within MAGA and Reject Israel’s Agenda”: In an exclusive interview with Drop Site’s Jeremy Scahill, Senior Hamas political leader Khaled Meshaal said that President Donald Trump should end Israel’s decades-long war and open a new era in U.S.–Palestinian relations, saying Washington has long prioritized “Israel’s interests more than the United States’s own interests.” Meshaal talked about how parts of Trump’s MAGA base now see Israel as “a burden,” urging the U.S. administration and American public to judge policy “based on America’s interests, not Israel’s.” Read the wide-ranging full interview here.
- Drop Site co-founder Ryan Grim debated the power and harms of Big Tech in a live “Reason Versus” debate. Watch the full debate here.
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