A news bulletin provided by Sawa News Agency for Friday, July 18, 2025, covering the most important developments in the Gaza Strip, Israel, and the West Bank.
Death of Child Due to Malnutrition in Deir al-Balah
A medical source at the Martyrs of Al-Aqsa Hospital announced on Friday the death of a 1.5-year-old child due to malnutrition in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza. According to the Gaza Government Media Office, the number of children who have died due to malnutrition has reached 69, and the total number of deaths caused by food and medicine shortages has risen to 620.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza warned on Friday of a worsening health disaster due to the escalating hunger crisis, confirming that hospitals and emergency departments are receiving unprecedented numbers of people from all age groups suffering from extreme fatigue caused by hunger and malnutrition.
United Nations: Israel Refuses to Renew Entry Visas for Senior Officials in Gaza
The United Nations announced that Israel has refused to renew entry visas for several of its senior officials in Gaza. This decision includes preventing the issuance of visas for heads of three major agencies: the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric confirmed that the Israeli decision has sparked widespread international condemnation, especially as it comes amidst a humanitarian crisis in Gaza that has been ongoing since the war began on October 7, 2023. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, attributed the decision to Israel’s efforts to protect Palestinian civilians in the war-torn Gaza Strip.
Israel Issues Ban on Wearing Face Coverings in the West Bank
Israeli Central Command Chief Aviv Blot issued a new military order on Friday banning the wearing of face coverings (niqab) throughout the occupied West Bank, whether by Palestinians or settlers.
According to the decision, anyone covering their face in the area could face up to six months in prison. If a face covering is worn during the commission of an offense or crime, the penalty could extend to two years of actual imprisonment.
The military order exempts face coverings worn for religious reasons or used by the occupation forces during operational tasks in the West Bank.
Germany to Reevaluate Asylum Applications from Gaza
Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees has decided to reconsider asylum applications from Palestinians in Gaza, following the cancellation of its previous suspension of such applications.
The German Ministry of the Interior explained in its response to an inquiry from the Left Party’s Clara Bönge that the situation in Gaza is no longer considered a temporary uncertainty. This assessment comes in light of the continuing and expanding conflict, as well as the failure of multiple ceasefire agreements with Israel.
Bönge welcomed the decision to resume asylum applications, describing it as “long overdue” and emphasizing that these individuals need protection and should be allowed access. She noted that the legal challenges against the office for inaction contributed significantly to reversing the decision.
Netanyahu to Vatican Pope: We Are Close to an Agreement on Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed Pope Francis of the Vatican on Friday that Israel is in the advanced stages of negotiations for a prisoner exchange deal.
According to Channel 12, Netanyahu told the Pope, “We are close to an agreement.” This comes after an Israeli airstrike hit the only Catholic church in Gaza, killing three people.
The Pope renewed his call for the resumption of negotiations to reach a ceasefire and end the war, expressing concern over the “tragic humanitarian situation” in Gaza, especially the toll it takes on children, the elderly, and the sick, as stated in a Vatican statement.
Israeli Army Issues New Evacuation Orders for Areas in Northern Gaza
On Friday evening, the Israeli army issued a military statement ordering civilian residents in northern Gaza, specifically in Beit Lahia, and the neighborhoods of Abdul Rahman and Al-Karama, to evacuate immediately and head south to the Mawassi area.
The warning included residents of blocks 975, 979, 980, 982, and 983, including those living in tents and temporary shelters. The statement indicated that Israeli military operations will continue in these areas without pause.
High-ranking Church Delegation from Jerusalem Arrives in Gaza
On Friday, a delegation from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem arrived at the Holy Family Church (Latin Monastery) in Gaza to check on the Christian wounded following an Israeli bombing that targeted the church yesterday, resulting in three martyrs and several injuries.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem issued a statement saying: “Following the painful strike on the Holy Family Church complex in Gaza, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Patriarch Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem for the Greek Orthodox Church, entered Gaza this morning at the head of a church delegation.”
The statement added that the visit was intended to express “shared pastoral solidarity with the Churches of the Holy Land and their care for the Gaza community.”