CrossFireArarbia

Dad Digs For Family After Israel Bombs Their House

CrossFireArabia
February 15, 2026

Hammad’s house in the Sabra neighborhood was destroyed Dec. 6, 2023, during heavy Israeli bombardment. He said a powerful bomb weighing around 2,000 pounds (907 kilograms) struck the building while the family was inside.

On a mound of sand and shattered concrete that once formed the foundation of his six-story home in Gaza City, Mahmoud Hammad digs methodically through the debris, searching for the remains of his wife and children killed beneath the rubble.

Armed with little more than a small shovel and a metal sieve, the 45-year-old father filters sand by hand, hoping to find bone fragments that would allow him to lay his family to rest.

“In the absence of machinery, this is what we have,” he said, holding up the sieve.

Home reduced to dust

He lost his wife, six children, his brother, his brother’s wife and their four children.

Hammad survived but sustained severe injuries, including multiple rib fractures and injuries to his shoulder and pelvis. After months of partial recovery, he returned to the site to begin searching for his family’s remains.

“I wanted to bury them properly,” he said.

With the help of neighbors, he managed to retrieve and bury his brother and his brother’s family. But the bodies of his wife and children remain under layers of hardened debris.

“I collect what I can, piece by piece,” he said.

Missing under the rubble

Nearly 9,500 Palestinians are missing beneath destroyed buildings across the territory, according to official estimates in Gaza.

Officials said recovery efforts are severely hindered by the lack of heavy equipment needed to clear the debris. Despite a ceasefire that took effect in October, authorities said the entry of large-scale machinery remains restricted, limiting the ability of rescue teams to reach buried bodies.

Civil defense crews have repeatedly warned that the longer debris remains uncleared, the harder it becomes to recover remains.

Private grief amid mass destruction

Hammad said his wife was pregnant and close to delivery when the strike occurred, as medical services across Gaza were collapsing under the strain of the war.

“She and our unborn child died together,” he said.

Since December, Gaza has been battered by repeated storms that further displaced families living in makeshift shelters after their homes were destroyed.

For Hammad, however, the focus remains on the ruins before him.

Each day, he returns to sift through dust and fragments of concrete, driven by what he describes as a simple duty.

“They deserve to be buried with dignity,” he said.

At least 591 Palestinians have been killed and more than 1,598 injured in Israeli attacks since a ceasefire deal took effect Oct. 10, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

‏Israel’s war on Gaza, which began Oct. 8, 2023, and lasted two years, has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians and wounded over 171,000, most of them women and children, and destroyed about 90% of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure.

By Tarek Chouiref in Istanbul for Anadolu

News

When Will ‘Technical Committe’ be Allowed to Enter Gaza?

CrossFireArabia
February 14, 2026

The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) said on Saturday that statements by the Gaza administration regarding readiness to hand over all public institutions pave the way for enabling the body to fully assume its responsibilities in managing the transitional phase.

In a statement, the committee, which was formed after the October ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, said it “views the recent expression of readiness for an orderly transition as a pivotal step in fulfilling its mandate as the transitional administration of Gaza.”

Gaza’s media office on Thursday renewed its call for the national committee to begin carrying out its duties. Hamas has also repeatedly announced readiness to facilitate the committee’s work.

“We emphasize that full administrative, civilian, and police control by the NCAG is not merely procedural; it NCAG cannot be expected to carry responsibility without the full administrative, civilian, and police powers necessary to implement its mandate effectively,” said the statement according to Anadolu.

The readout, however, did not specify when the committee would begin operating from Gaza. The NCAG earlier announced it started its work from Cairo in mid-January.

The entry of committee members into Gaza requires field and security coordination through crossings controlled by Israel. No official position has yet been issued by the body, explaining the delay in its entry, and Israel has not commented on the matter.

The committee said that enabling it to operate efficiently and independently in Gaza would “unlock international support for recovery, reconstruction, secure a complete Israeli withdrawal, and restore normal daily life.”

The committee also called on mediators and all parties concerned to “to intensify efforts to resolve outstanding issues without delay,” stressing that the Palestinian people “cannot afford more time lost; we must move now to ensure a smooth and credible transition.”

The Oct. 10 ceasefire agreement ended Israel’s two-year war that began on Oct. 8, 2023. Palestinian authorities say the conflict killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, wounded over 171,000 others and caused widespread destruction affecting 90% of civilian infrastructure. The UN estimates reconstruction costs at approximately $70 billion.

At least 591 Palestinians also have been killed and over 1,578 others injured in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Opinion

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CrossFireArabia
February 14, 2026

Features

Over 50,000 Foreigners Serve in The Israeli Army

CrossFireArabia
February 14, 2026

Israeli military data identifies over 50,000 foreign nationals, including Western and Arab citizens, serving during the Gaza genocide.

Key Developments

Israeli figures show over 50,000 soldiers hold foreign citizenship alongside Israeli nationality.
Largest contingents come from the United States, France and Russia, alongside multiple European states.
Rights groups urge investigations under universal jurisdiction laws over Gaza war conduct.
Legal complaints already filed in Canada, Belgium and Britain targeting suspected war crimes.

Detailed Nationality Breakdown

Newly disclosed Israeli military data has revealed the extensive multinational composition of its armed forces, with 50,632 soldiers holding at least one foreign nationality in addition to Israeli citizenship.

According to figures published by Yedioth Ahronoth and detailed in regional reporting, the largest contingent consists of 12,135 United States nationals.

They are followed by 6,127 French nationals and 5,067 Russian nationals.

The data further records 3,901 German nationals, 3,210 Ukrainian nationals, 1,686 British nationals, and 1,675 Romanian nationals serving in the army.

Additional figures list 1,207 multi-national US citizens, 337 multi-national French citizens, 102 multi-national Russian citizens, 292 multi-national German citizens, and 56 multi-national Ukrainian citizens.

The list also includes recruits from Poland, Canada, and several Latin American countries, alongside smaller numbers holding Arab nationalities, including Yemen, Tunisia, Lebanon, Syria and Algeria.

Beyond dual nationality status, the data shows 4,440 soldiers hold two additional foreign citizenships, while 162 soldiers possess three or more foreign nationalities.

The publication marks one of the most detailed official disclosures illustrating the global reach of recruitment into the Israeli military across North America, Europe and other regions.

Role During the Gaza War

The presence of foreign nationals has gained particular relevance following the start of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, during which tens of thousands of dual- and multi-national soldiers participated in military operations.

The multinational composition indicates the conflict extends beyond diplomatic and military support into direct participation by citizens of numerous countries in combat activities.

This has intensified scrutiny over whether individuals may bear personal criminal liability for actions carried out during the war.

Growing Legal Scrutiny

Legal experts say the participation of foreign nationals opens the door to prosecutions under the principle of universal jurisdiction, allowing courts to pursue suspected war crimes regardless of nationality or location.

International organizations including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have called for independent investigations and urged governments to examine the conduct of their citizens who served in the conflict.

Several countries have already seen legal action. Canadian federal police opened investigations into suspected war crimes believed to involve dual-national reservists. In Belgium and the United Kingdom, rights organizations filed complaints before national authorities and the International Criminal Court targeting hundreds of individuals, including European citizens.

Political Implications

The disclosures place Western governments under increasing pressure, as many provide political and military support to Israel while also facing potential legal obligations toward their nationals serving abroad.

The issue complicates diplomatic positions, particularly in countries whose domestic law restricts participation in foreign armed forces or mandates prosecution of grave international crimes.

According to Palestinian authorities, more than 72,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023 and over 171,000 wounded, while roughly 90% of civilian infrastructure has been destroyed.

Human rights organizations say ongoing documentation efforts and legal cases are likely to expand as evidence from the conflict continues to emerge. – Palestine Chronicle

News

Gaza Beach Painting Relieves War Traumas

CrossFireArabia
February 14, 2026

In a gesture of resilience and hope that rises above the aftermath of Israel’s two-year war on Gaza and the continued violations of the ceasefire agreement, Palestinian girls organized a seaside painting workshop in Gaza City.

The workshop, titled Breathe and Paint, was held on Thursday and underscored how the sea has become a place of refuge not only for artists, but for Palestinians seeking relief after enduring the genocidal war that began in October 2023.

Set against sunlight and gentle sea breezes, the initiative offered moments of calm and reflection, symbolizing life’s persistence despite attempts to extinguish it.

Anadolu attended the workshop, which took place at the fishing port west of Gaza City, away from areas devastated by Israeli attacks.

The event gave young Palestinian girls, many bearing deep psychological scars from the war, space to express emotions through art.

Using vivid colors, the participants momentarily set aside the trauma of war. Some painted Palestinian women in traditional dress, while others depicted the sea, the sun, and open horizons, reflecting hopes of renewal despite devastation.

Drawings of the map of Palestine and the national flag also featured prominently, painted by young girls as expressions of belonging and attachment to their homeland.

Israel targets art

During the genocidal war, Israeli forces destroyed major cultural and artistic landmarks across Gaza — actions Palestinians say were aimed at erasing their cultural identity.

Among the destroyed sites was the Rashad Al-Shawa Cultural Center in Gaza City’s Rimal neighborhood, established in 1985.

Israeli attacks also killed dozens of Palestinian artists, including visual artist Heba Zaqout during the war’s first month, theater artist Durgham Qreiqa in March 2025, and standup comedian Mahmoud Shurrab, who was killed when his tent was struck in Khan Younis in June 2025.

Palestinian and international organizations, including UNESCO, repeatedly condemned the targeting of artists, but Tel Aviv has ignored these denunciations and continued its assaults.

A space to breathe

Participant Farah Ajjour said the sea offered rare emotional relief after two years of confinement under war.

“This workshop gave us a chance to release what we were holding inside,” she told Anadolu.

Amid gentle sea breezes brushing her weary face, she said life had been on pause and that she now longs to resume it.

She added: “After the cultural center in Gaza City was destroyed (by the Israeli army), we no longer had a place to practice art.”

Insisting on continuing with life, she said: “I want my voice to be heard through my art. There is no place where I can do that except the seashore; that’s why we are here today.”

Art as resistance

Workshop organizer Noura Al-Qassasiya said the initiative aimed to restore color to the lives of girls deprived of normalcy for more than two years.

“Art helps us communicate the harsh reality of the Israeli genocide,” she said, noting that reaching the location itself was difficult due to widespread destruction and displacement.

She explained that the sea was chosen because it remained untouched by bombardment.

“The people of Gaza love art,” she said. “We want to do that not only through bloody and heartbreaking images, as was the case over the past two years, but also through art.”

Participant Amal Darwish said painting finally allowed her to speak after years of silence.

“Through art, I found space to tell our story and express resistance,” she said, adding that her greatest wish was for life to return “in bright colors.”

Throughout the workshop, fear, loss, and grief were transformed into paintings, alongside visions of a life participants still hope to reclaim.

The Oct. 10, 2025 ceasefire agreement ended Israel’s two-year war that began on Oct. 8, 2023. Palestinian authorities say the conflict killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, wounded over 171,000 others, and caused widespread destruction affecting 90% of civilian infrastructure. The UN estimates reconstruction costs at approximately $70 billion.

At least 591 Palestinians have been killed and over 1,578 others injured in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.