Palestine in June 2026: the most important developments in politics
In June 2026 Palestinian politics was dominated by diplomacy over the Gaza ceasefire. Egypt hosted Palestinian factions and mediators in Cairo from June 7, and officials said the disarmament of Hamas remained the only point of contention. Hamas submitted its response to the Gaza peace roadmap on June 15. Egypt said it had secured US assurances against forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, and Egyptian aid convoys continued to enter the Strip. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's pledge to seize 70 percent of Gaza contradicts the Trump administration's plan. The US-led Board of Peace struggled to advance, and a leaked draft reported on June 28 said it sought legal immunity. On June 25 Trump and Netanyahu had a heated phone call over Gaza. By June 30 a Hamas delegation had arrived in Egypt, and mediators tabled a modified disarmament proposal. Iran pledged continued support for Hamas and raised Gaza in talks with the US.
The second theme was the West Bank. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced plans for 2,162 new homes in settlements, and the Knesset passed a law granting tax benefits to dozens of settlements. Reports said the cabinet was to vote on $350 million to fund 61 new settlements, and on June 30 that a plan covering 100 sites was being prepared. Six countries imposed sanctions on networks financing settler attacks, which Israel called disgraceful. Smotrich said the 1997 Hebron agreement was cancelled, and Israel's foreign ministry said it remains in effect. The UN chief warned that settlers could be blacklisted over alleged harm to Palestinian children.
A UN commission of inquiry said on June 23 that Israel was deliberately targeting children in Gaza as part of a genocidal plan. Israel called the report a political blood libel. The UN humanitarian coordinator told the Security Council on June 30 that Gaza still faced profound uncertainty and immense suffering.
Elsewhere, France convened Israeli and Palestinian civil society leaders in Paris in support of a two-state solution, and the UK, Australia and Canada announced a joint peacebuilding fund.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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