The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) distributed leaflets to Palestinians living in Tubas, in the northern occupied West Bank, on Wednesday, December 24, warning them against posting their ordeal on social media.
The Israeli military said that posting, publishing or sharing content on social media, which is critical of the country, would be treated as a terrorist offence and lead to arrest and imprisonment. “We are monitoring what you do online,” read the leaflet.
It also stressed that disseminating, writing, or publishing inciting content online is considered a terrorist crime in every sense and may lead to arrest or imprisonment. It gave a refence of a house from where a Palestinian was arrested for posting on social media. “We have warned you,” the leaflet concluded.
Israeli forces have committed 875 violations over 74 days of the US-brokered ceasefire, killing 411 Palestinians, injuring 1,112 and arresting 45 people, the Government Media Office in the Gaza Strip reported.
On December 7, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that his country and Hamas would enter the second phase of the ceasefire after Hamas returns the remains of the last hostage held in Gaza.
Second phase of ceasefire
Netanyahu spoke during a news conference with visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and stressed that the second phase, the disarming of Hamas and the demilitarisation of Gaza, could begin as soon as the end of the month.
Hamas has yet to hand over the remains of Ran Gvili, a 24-year-old police officer who was killed in the October 7, 2023, attack that sparked the war. His body was taken to Gaza.
The ceasefire’s second stage also includes the deployment of an international force to secure Gaza and forming a temporary Palestinian government to run day-to-day affairs under the supervision of an international board led by US President Donald Trump.
The return of Gvili’s remains — and Israel’s return of 15 bodies of Palestinians in exchange — would complete the first phase of Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan.
Hamas says it has not been able to reach all remains because they are buried under rubble left by Israel’s two-year offensive in Gaza. Israel has accused the militants of stalling and threatened to resume military operations or withhold humanitarian aid if all remains are not returned.
Merz said Germany, one of Israel’s closest allies, is assisting with the implementation of the second phase by sending officers and diplomats to a US-led civilian and military coordination centre in southern Israel, and by sending humanitarian aid to Gaza.
(With inputs from IANS)
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